Luxury and adventure
Every year, the Road Trek hosted by Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is a highly anticipated event that showcases Toyota vehicles and embodies the spirit of adventure and camaraderie among car enthusiasts. There are three things that I look forward to in the Road Trek: immersing in a Philippine destination, embarking on a series of games and challenges with competing teams, and experiencing Toyota’s latest line-up of vehicles.
Each Road Trek is carefully designed to highlight the versatility and reliability of Toyota vehicles through routes that showcase the breathtaking landscapes of the Philippines.
While adventure is a constant aspect of the Road Trek, luxury was also a defining feature of my experience in this year’s Road Trek.
The 18th Road Trek was held in Aklan and Boracay, with a conscious effort to make us experience the “Toyota-verse” or the universe of Toyota vehicles by being randomly assigned to different vehicles from the Toyota line-up.
For the first leg, my teammates (Inquirer’s Cars & Calibers columnist Carl Cunanan and former Inquirer business journalist and now CEO of InsiderPH Dax Lucas) and I were assigned to the Toyota Camry HEV.
As we settled into the 2025 HEV Toyota Camry, I was immediately struck by its refined interior. The Camry boasts a modern design with comfortable leather seats, an intuitive infotainment system, and a panoramic sunroof that provided a beautiful view of the vibrant Aklan sky. The ride was smooth and quiet, enhanced by the car’s spaciousness and ergonomic layout. My teammates and I weren’t able to take advantage of the Camry’s sound system because we spent most of the time chatting about a myriad of issues—from macroeconomics, geopolitics, and even watchmaking history (thanks to Carl’s deep knowledge of watches). While Carl was driving, he kept experimenting with some of the Camry’s safety features such as the adaptive cruise control and lane departure alerts. The stability of the Camry’s ride allowed me to concentrate on the lush greens and coastlines of Aklan.
When it was my turn to drive, the smooth acceleration and responsive handling of the Camry made tackling Aklan’s winding roads a joy. The Camry’s hybrid technology seamlessly switched between electric and gasoline power, providing an extra boost while maintaining a quiet ride. Driving through the picturesque landscapes of Aklan was an exhilarating experience that blended adventure and luxury seamlessly.
As we proceeded to compete in the “trivia and puzzle challenge” during our stop at the Toyota Aklan Dealership, I was getting separation anxiety due to the impending “car switch.” As luck would have it, my team was assigned to the Toyota Alphard which would be driven by a chauffeur.
This couldn’t have come at a better time. It was already past 3 pm when we switched to the Alphard and we were getting tired from the drive and challenges that started since we landed in Caticlan that morning.
The Alphard’s interior was an oasis of comfort. Dax and I each had plush captain seats, extremely spacious legroom with leg rests, and ambient lighting that created a relaxing environment.
As the chauffeur navigated the roads with ease, I fully reclined my seat and used the massage feature. The only thing that distracted me from taking-in the beautiful sights of Aklan was dozing-off while being massaged by the Alphard’s seat.
Being pampered by the Camry and the Alphard made me realize that the vehicle we use can truly make a world of difference in how we experience a place. Everyone else on Road Trek 18 experienced the adventure from the whole-day drive and challenges, but my teammates and I would also describe this year’s Road Trek as an experience in luxury and relaxation (thanks to the Camry & Alphard).
Our journey concluded on the pristine beaches of Boracay, which was an iconic destination because this was the venue for the first ever Road Trek.
The rest of our stay in Boracay consisted of more adventures as I went parasailing (with Inquirer Mobility’s Tessa Salazar), helmet diving (with TMP AVP Andy Ty), and kayaking. We winded down the second day of Road Trek aboard a boat sailing into the beautiful Boracay sunset, then capped-off the evening with a delicious dinner at Crimson Resort (where we were all staying) and an awarding ceremony led by TMP President Masando Hashimoto.
For the past 20 years, Toyota Road Trek has proven that it is more than just a drive—it’s a journey of discovery and enjoyment, celebrating the innovative engineering of Toyota vehicles while highlighting the natural beauty of the Philippines. Road Trek reminded me that our journey can be enhanced by the type of vehicle that accompanies us. Apart from the adventures, I got a much-needed luxury and pampering in this year’s Road Trek.
