Top 5 crossovers under P1,500,000 in 2020

Whenever people ask us for a car that is practical and comfortable, the first body type that comes to mind is a crossover. These vehicles are jacks of all trades essentially, and there are some very affordable models out in the market today. With a budget of P1,500,000, you can get yourself a very nice unit so to give you guys a couple of options, here is a list of crossovers available in the Philippines that come fully loaded or loaded enough under budget. 

Now, here is a brand that made its comeback just last year, and is already catching people’s attention with the question of, “how good is it now?” To answer that question, our review should give you more insight into the Chery Tiggo 8, but to put things into perspective, Chery Auto is essentially offering you a 7-seat crossover that is fully-specced out. 

For just P1,340,000, again, you get 7 seats and amenities that can only be found in higher-end models. A 360-degree camera with a panoramic sunroof awaits you in the interior, and the car can come bundled with a smartwatch key that will allow you to turn on the engine, roll down the windows, and even pair with your smartphone. It’s a quirky feature, but it has a unique charm to it, oh and UAAGI, the company responsible for Chery cars in the country, back this thing up with a 3-year maintenance plan, a 5-year or 150,000 km warranty, and a 10-year engine warranty, which should be enough to ease your worry for the entire life of the car. 

So this crossover may not be the newest in the market, but it is hard to deny that Honda is one of the more trusted brands in the country. While many have come and gone in the segment, Honda still remains strong with its HR-V, and it is with that staying power, we believed it deserved a spot on this list. With the newest refresh, you get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a slight redesign that modernizes the cabin, though the trouble is the 1.8-liter engine is a bit dated, and the CVT may ruffle a few feathers, but overall, it’s a proven combo. 

Ever since its launch, the HR-V was one of the better-looking options out in the market, however, with the advent of new models and brands in the country, models came and went, but the HR-V still holds up until today. Though you don’t get the RS variant under P1,500,000, instead, the 1,8 E at P1,295,000. 

What impressed us with the Kia Seltos was its feature-set which we believe should be a standard set of features. Kia Philippines likes to pioneer this new standard in all of its cars. The Seltos even in its base trim gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is great considering that smartphones and their navigation apps are quite ubiquitous. Apart from that, you get a nice 2.0-liter engine that produces ample power even in a compact frame. The IVT also mimics the upshift and a downshift of a traditional automatic to acceptable results. 

We just wish that there were more safety features included in the price, and the top of the line variant is now over our budget, At a price of P1,198,000, for the EX trim, however, it’s not a bad deal considering that the price increase involves better lights 

Now, this may only be the base model, but it is good enough for most people to live with. It has a 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G engine that produces 155 hp and 200 Nm of torque, which is more than enough to get this compact crossover going in the city or out of it. The interior amenities aren’t that bad as well, with Mazda’s premium build quality stitched into every seam, making for an interior that envelops you with premium materials. 

The only reason the Mazda CX-30 doesn’t get a higher spot is that it is a base model, and it is on the higher end of the budget already. There are other brands that you can go with that will offer you the same features if not more for the same price. You don’t get AWD like on the top of the line variant, but for daily drives around the city, the Pro variant is good enough for your needs. You get cloth seats as well, which is another sacrifice you have to make to get to that price point. However, Mazda’s engineering and driver integration are some of the best in the market, so at that price, it may just be a worthwhile investment. 

So for P1,198,000, you’re getting a great steal of a deal in terms of build quality and power. This crossover features a turbocharged engine that produces 177 hp and 255 Nm of torque, which comes from a 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder mated to a 7-speed DCT. You get all that and a set of features that some more affordable entries in the market can only hope for. 

While we are impressed with the performance, the DCT of the Geely Coolray wasn’t the most responsive thing on the planet, netting us some mixed results in our review, but for the price it commands, it was completely forgivable mainly because of one of its most impressive features for the price, the 360-degree camera. It doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto either, but that’s not a problem if you’re paying P300,000 under budget.