The Island Life

Pardon me, but I can’t get the words of Michael Franks’ song Island Life off my head, especially the refrain which goes "Can’t you see we’re just refugees from the island life? We belong where the shade is palm and the mango’s ripe. We’ll do all our swinging in some hammock by the turquoise sea. For free."

Been there, done that. Well, sort of.

You see, I just came from Cebu with several colleagues from the local motoring press where Toyota Motor Phils. Corp. treated us to a weekend getaway at Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort. The shade was, indeed, provided by palm trees and the mangoes were really ripe, although not all were sweet. Instead of swinging in hammocks, we had luxurious ocean-view hotel rooms where we could gaze at the turquoise sea while some of our colleagues went swinging with their golf clubs for a fun game at the Club Filipino de Cebu. And yes, everything was for free, courtesy of Toyota.

Of course, we were also there to work. We were there for the launch of the new Toyota Revo, which the company has endowed with a more luxurious and sportier image to further its dominance in the local AUV market. The AV presentation, the commercials/TV ad video previews and the product brochure of the new Revo rivaled those of luxury cars. The setting in which the new vehicle was unveiled was previously reserved for the likes of the Camry and its competitors. Except the mood was more tropical and more casual, as were our attires.

But there was nothing casual about the new vehicle, especially the top-of-the-line model, which we were previewing. Toyota has emphasized luxury on the Revo and the final product really shows it. The front section of the vehicle boasts of new multi-reflector headlamp assemblies bordering a sporty chrome mesh grille on the Revo Sport Runner (SR), or a chrome waterfall grille on the GSX/GLX models. A new front bumper with integrated foglamps adorns higher-end models while body claddings and over fenders are exclusive SR features. The SR also boasts of roof rails and new side stripes as well as 15-inch alloy wheels shod with 195/65-15 tires. The GSX likewise rolls on 15-inch alloy wheels, while the GLX, GL and DLX models are fitted with 14-inch wheels. The rear boasts of new tail lamps assemblies and tail lamp garnish that are comparable to those found in the Lexus SUV. A high-mounted, color-keyed rear spoiler with an integrated third-brake lamp crowns both the Sport Runner and GSX above their siblings.

Inside the Sport Runner, two-tone leather seats and molded door trims further hark the luxury bestowed on the Revo after its major facelift. A three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel faces the driver, while metal panel trims at the center cluster and aircon vents adorn the new dashboard. The Revo SR boasts of an entertainment package that includes a Kenwood 2-DIN in-dash single CD/VCD player with radio and cassette tape player, remote-controlled two 5.6-inch TV monitors mounted at the back of the front headrests and six speakers. Front row occupants are treated to a folding center armrest with dual cupholders, while rear seat occupants also get the armrest but without the cupholders. The rear seats boast of sliding and reclining adjustments, and can fold to create more room to haul large items.

The Toyota Revo model line-up offers a line of proven and reliable engines. Toyota’s 1RZ-E 2.0-liter SOHC in-line 4-cylinder with electronic fuel injection (EFI) powers the Revo GSX and produces 105hp at 4800rpm and 161Nm of torque at 2800 rpm. The 7K-E 1.8-liter OHV in-line 4-cylinder produces 94hp at 5000rpm and 155Nm at 3200 rpm as it powers the SR, GLX, GL and DLX models. A torquey 2.4-liter OHC in-line 4-cylinder diesel engine that produces 86hp at 4200rpm and 165Nm at 2500 rpm is an option on the SR, GLX, GL and DLX models. The gasoline engines can be mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission with Electronically Control Transmission (ECT) module or a 5-speed manual transmission. The diesel is available with the manual transmission only.

The new Revo comes with a 3-year/100,000-km warranty coverage and is coated in new exciting colors like Extreme Black, Bright Crimson, Kool Kristal, Deep Nautica, Lithium, Spruce Green and Glacia. The vehicle is available at special introductory prices at authorized Toyota dealers. The top-of-the-line Sport Runner with automatic transmission (A/T), leather, VCD and full options is priced at P850,000. The SR 1.8 A/T with standard features goes for P807,000, while the manual transmission (M/T) equipped version can be had at P770,000. Opting for the 2.4-liter diesel nets you an SR 2.4 with an SRP of P797,000. The GSX 2.0 A/T and M/T are available for P777,000 and P740,000, respectively. Revo GLX gasoline-powered models start at P700,000 (1.8 M/T) and P737,000 (1.8 A/T), while the diesel variant costs P727,000. GL 2.4 diesel is available at P665,000, and the GL 1.8 gas at P638,000. The entry-level DLX 1.8 is the price leader at P603,000, while the DLX 2.4 diesel goes for P630,000.

The launch event at the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort was capped by live musical entertainment provided by Juan Carlos, a local band that belted out classy Latin beats and other vibrant hits. It was a fitting end to a tropical evening that saw the unveiling of a classier and more vibrant Toyota Revo. We anxiously await a test drive of this island favorite.