Hyundai PH opens Makati dealership under Gateway Group

Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. (HMPH) celebrates a triple milestone with the opening of Hyundai Makati. Situated in the automotive strip of Chino Roces Avenue Extension, which is a few meters away from EDSA and within the said city’s Central Business District, it has a showroom spanning 280sqm which can accommodate up to five vehicle displays, and a service area of 1,167 sqm with six work bays and two work bays dedicated for electric vehicles.

Not only is this the Gateway Group’s first dealership with the brand but is also the country’s first authorized retailer and service provider of Electric Vehicles (EVs) as well as Asia Pacific’s first outlet to carry the new Hyundai Global Dealership Space Identity (GDSI) 2.0.

The Gateway Group

Founded in Cebu on August 2004, the Gateway Group has become the largest multi-brand dealer group in the Philippines. To date, it manages twenty-one automotive brands with around one hundred six (106) full dealerships nationwide led by their Chairman, Mr. Markane Goho, President, Mr. Raymund Basubas, and Executive Vice President, Mr. Michael Goho.

“Now, Hyundai is certainly a reputable brand which has certainly stood the test of time, and we have very much enthused to jumpstart this venture and journey. The Hyundai brand has captured the hearts of many Filipinos years ago and now with this economy thriving, and the market high in demand, we are eager to capitalize on all opportunities. We want to take the Hyundai brand back to where it rightfully belongs, and soar even higher than before,” says Mr. Michael.

Hyundai Makati will be the first under Gateway’s tutelage with several others in the pipeline. Its area is populated by several prestigious subdivisions, malls, and commercial establishments that amass at least 10,000 existing owners. The group took on the opportunity to meet the needs of this customer base and also give intenders access to the new generation of Hyundai models, namely the Creta, Staria, Tucson, and the New Stargazer.

First of Five Authorized EV Dealerships

Committed to playing a pivotal role in answering the call for sustainability, Hyundai Motor intends to provide options and help ease the transition of society to an electrified lifestyle. This starts with the brand’s dedicated line of EVs, bannered by its flagship model, the IONIQ 5. This Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) has won numerous international awards including the prestigious World Car of The Year (WCOTY).

It is made available to Filipinos in two variants, the Long Range 2WD, which retails for PhP 3,698,000, and the Standard Range 2WD, which comes at PhP 3,068,000. There are four color choices namely, Abyss Black Pearl, Cyber Gray Metallic, Atlas White, and Gravity Gold, the only one in matte finish.

Moreover, the necessary after-sales support, from facility readiness all the way to the training of certified technicians, also forms part of this undertaking. Hyundai Makati is officially the first of five authorized EV dealers in the country. It is equipped with a 22KW AC Charger and a 50KW DC Charger, the latter enables battery capacity to reach 80% from 20% in as fast as 30 minutes.

The rest this 2023 are Alabang, Cebu North, Pampanga, Pasig. All shall be prepared for “recovery and repair”. Each carries specialized Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) service tools and equipment and standard safety aids

First in Asia Pacific with GDSI 2.0 Standard

Adopted worldwide across all markets, the Hyundai Global Dealership Space Identity (GDSI) is more than just adherence to the brand’s new color scheme, rather an evolution towards a more customer-centric retail experience. From “Modern Premium” to “Richness in Simplicity”, the 2.0 version aims to curate a refined environment where customers will better enjoy the showroom while discovering the latest Hyundai vehicles without feeling pressure.

These can be sensed through various “experience segments”:

  • Warm and cozy lounge to welcome visitors towards the space
  • Free and unobstructed car displays allow visitors to explore and be at ease
  • Interactive configuration desk for visitors to check the various interior and exterior customizations
  • Exclusive zone to give visitors a more up-close look at the highlight or themed car
  • Clear and clean consultation rooms for visitors to feel more open and centered

These have been carefully incorporated into Hyundai Makati, the first to do so in the Asia Pacific, and 12 of the 39 existing dealerships following suit by the fourth quarter.

Present during the inauguration ceremony together with the Gateway Group executives and members of the Hyundai Makati team, were HMPH leaders and managers including President, Mr. Dong Wook Lee, and Managing Director, Mr. Cecil Capacete. According to Mr. Lee, “On behalf of HMPH, we would like to express our appreciation to the Gateway Group. We are excited to set off this fruitful partnership and would like to thank them for their trust and confidence in the Hyundai brand. Together, we will serve and offer Makati citizens a memorable ownership journey through the ‘Hyundai experience’.”

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Google Chrome isn’t your only option, here are faster alternatives

Google Chrome is a widely-used web browser known for its speed, user-friendly interface, and customization options. Its ability to quickly load and render websites, as well as efficiently handle multiple tabs, makes it a popular choice among users.

However, Chrome has its drawbacks, including high RAM consumption, which can slow down your computer, especially when running multiple tabs or extensions.

Additionally, Chrome has been criticized for compromising user privacy, as it is part of Google’s ecosystem, which collects and sells user data to marketers. In summary, while Google Chrome offers a fast and customizable browsing experience, users should be aware of its resource-intensive nature and potential privacy concerns.

But if you’re a creature of habit, you’ve probably grown accustomed to using Chrome without a second thought not realizing that other browsers exist and may give you a better experience. Here are a couple of browser alternatives to Google Chrome:

Mozilla Firefox

A popular open-source browser is known for its privacy features and customization options. Firefox is more privacy-centric than Chrome and offers comparable speed. With enhanced tracking protection and the ability to block over 2000 trackers, Firefox is a great browser alternative for users concerned about privacy and security.

It has a built-in ad blocker, and it allows users to customize their settings to control how much of their data is collected. Importing your settings, passwords, and other data from Google Chrome to Firefox is also streamlined so it’s easy to make the switch.

Pros:

  • Fast and efficient
  • Focused on user privacy
  • Highly customizable
  • Supports a wide range of extensions
  • Works similarly to Google Chrome

Cons:

  • Can be a bit slow on older computers
  • Not as user-friendly as some other browsers
  • Lacks some features found in other browsers, such as a built-in VPN

Brave

Brave is a privacy-focused web browser developed by Brave Software. It is based on the Chromium web browser as well, but it has been modified to block ads and trackers by default. Brave also has a built-in ad blocker, and it supports features like Tor browsing and fingerprint protection.

Brave also has a cryptocurrency element and gives users their own Brave Wallet. BAT or Basic Attention Tokens are rewarded to users for viewing privacy-preserving ads. There are also crypto widgets for easy access to crypto services such as Binance or Gemini.

Pros:

  • Fast and efficient
  • Secure and private
  • Blocks ads and trackers by default
  • Supports Tor browsing and fingerprint protection
  • Built-in crypto wallet

Cons:

  • Not as popular as some other browsers
  • Can be a bit confusing to use at first
  • Lacks some features found in other browsers, such as a built-in password manager

Microsoft Edge

A Chromium-based browser that is known for its speed and efficiency and a welcome departure from the outdated Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Microsoft has optimized Edge to reduce its footprint and improve memory usage. With features like sleeping tabs to release resources when not in use, Edge becomes a more resource-efficient browser alternative to Chrome. It also has a built-in ad blocker, and it also supports features like tracking prevention and SmartScreen Filter.

And with the addition of the new AI-powered Bing, it becomes a powerful browser alternative to speed up workflow and productivity.

Pros:

  • Fast, efficient, and secure
  • Compatible with Chrome extensions
  • Built-in ad blocker
  • Supports tracking prevention and SmartScreen Filter
  • AI-powered Microsoft Bing is very useful

Cons:

  • Not as customizable as some other browsers
  • Lacks some features found in other browsers, such as a built-in VPN

Arc Browser

Arc Browser is a new web browser that’s based on the Chromium web browser. It is designed to be fast, secure, and privacy-focused. Arc Browser has a built-in ad blocker, and it also supports features like tracking prevention and SmartScreen Filter.

Arc also has a Spaces feature that’s a little similar to having different profiles on Google Chrome. With Spaces, however, you have different spaces within the browser to organize your open tabs. So you can, for example, have a Space for work containing all tabs related to your work and also have a Space for non-work tabs like YouTube or Facebook.

Pros:

  • Fast
  • Built-in ad blocker
  • Supports tracking prevention and SmartScreen Filter
  • Spaces help you stay organized

Cons:

  • New and not as well-established as some other browsers
  • Lacks some features found in other browsers, such as a built-in password manager
  • Not as customizable as some other browsers
  • Might take some getting used to
  • Not yet available on Windows

Final thoughts

For many, Google Chrome is hard to depart from. Either you’re just used to it or you’ve already invested a good amount of time and effort into making it part of your workflow.

And while staying on Google Chrome isn’t a bad thing, other browsers may prove a better fit for some users; especially those who value privacy and speed. Try these out for yourself and see which one is the best for you.

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