DAILY TRIBUNE turns 25 years old today. That’s 25 years of delivering stories, dodging traffic, surviving service provider breakdowns, and powering through brownouts using mobile phone hotspots.

To mark this epic milestone, we’re listing down the iconic cars, utility vans, and head-turners that defined the roads we’ve driven on since 2000. Some were legendary, others notorious, and a few just had really nice aircon.

Hop in, buckle up, and ride with us through the 25 wheels of our time.

2000

Toyota Revo, Mitsubishi L300, Suzuki Vitara

The Revo was the community hauler. L300 delivered everything from goods to people. Vitara came off the ship with a tita and her dreams.

2001

Isuzu Crosswind, Kia Pride CD-5, Nissan Sentra Exalta

Crosswind became the runabout for dabarkads, Kia Pride said “I’m trying,” and Exalta brought leather interiors into the mainstream.

2002

Honda CR‑V (with picnic table), Hyundai Matrix, Mazda Tribute

CR‑V doubled as camper gear. Matrix gave you 360-degree visibility and minor aquarium vibes. Tribute hinted that Mazda could do SUVs, too.

2003

Mitsubishi Adventure, Subaru Impreza WRX, Toyota Corolla Altis

Adventure ruled for family trips. WRX drew turbo lovers. Altis was the manager’s stealth ride.

2004

Toyota Tamaraw FX (UV Express), Chevrolet Optra, Hyundai Starex

UV Express became our daily ride. Optra brought Chevy dreams to a budget. Starex was the OFW welcome mobile.

2005

Nissan Patrol Super Safari, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII

Safari made you feel diplomatic. Mazda 3 looked sharp. Evo VIII ignited the street racer inside many.

2006

Suzuki Jimny, Kia Sportage, Mercedes‑Benz ML‑Class

Jimny was tiny but fierce. Sportage brimmed with emerging quality. ML‑Class was the mature-tropa flex.

2007

Nissan X‑Trail, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester

Crossovers became so normal that people liked them when hauling groceries and kids.

2008

Hyundai Starex, BMW X5, Honda Civic FD

Starex held its crown. X5 started the luxury utility wave. Civic FD joined its cult club.

2009

Toyota Vios, Suzuki Alto, Mitsubishi Montero Sport

Vios became ubiquitous. Alto powered small-car fans. Montero Sport launched big-SUV fever.

2010

Subaru Legacy GT, Audi Q5, Kia Soul

Legacy GT brought AWD sportwagon flair. Q5 brought luxury practicality. Soul was the dance-mobile.

2011

Toyota Innova, Lexus RX, Mazda CX‑7

Innova took over from FX. RX became quiet luxury. CX‑7 gave Mazda crossover credentials.

2012

Mitsubishi Mirage, BMW 1‑Series, Honda City (new gen)

Mirage was the fuel saver. BMW 1-Series became an executive starter. City modernized the everyday commute.

2013

Honda Jazz, Mercedes‑Benz C‑Class

Jazz was seat-folding magic. C‑Class stepped into daily luxury.

2014

Nissan Sylphy, Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Grand i10

Sylphy was smooth. Jetta was an understated European. The Grand i10 offered a practical size with a premium feel.

2015

Mazda 2, Kia Rio, BMW 3‑Series (F30)

Mazda 2 was playful. Rio felt fresh. The 3-Series F30 hit the executive sweet spot.

2016

BAIC M20, Lexus NX, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Hyundai Elantra

BAIC introduced the M20 MPV at PIMS 2016. NX mixed luxury and stealth. Trailblazer weathered floods. Elantra balanced practicality and style.

2017

Suzuki Ertiga, Subaru XV, Hyundai Accent Diesel

Ertiga handled growing families. XV tackled outdoorsy life. Accent Diesel brought fuel savings to the table.

2018

BAIC BJ20, Honda CR‑V Diesel, Hyundai Kona

BJ20 gave budget adventurers a rugged look, CR‑V Diesel proved diesel can be premium, and the Kona brought Hyundai’s design glow-up to the crossover game.

2019

Volkswagen Santana, Kia Seltos

Santana flew under the radar. Seltos ignited stylish mass crossover appeal.

2020

Bicycles, e‑scooters, Honda Click, delivery motorbikes

Pandemic pushed two wheels, our roads quieted, but deliveries came. Lockdown meant two wheels ruled. Grab, Foodpanda, Lalamove, and neighborly kindness carried us through.

2021

Changan CS75 Plus, Nissan Almera Turbo

Changan made waves with the feature-packed CS75 Plus. Nissan gave the Almera a new lease of life, now with a turbocharged engine and sleek redesign.

2022

BYD Dolphin, Nissan Kicks e‑POWER, Hyundai Ioniq 5

EV adoption picked up. Dolphin and Ioniq 5 offered full EV options; Kicks led with blended hybrid tech.

2023

Jetour X70, GWM Haval H6, Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW iX3

Jetour officially landed. GWM returned. Audi and BMW EVs made quiet luxury loud.

2024

VinFast VF5 & VF7, Hyundai Stargazer, Jetour Dashing, MG ZS EV, MG4 XPower, UTOL Ride-Hailing App

VinFast introduced competitive EV offerings. Stargazer grabbed family’s attention. Jetour Dashing rolled in to wow mid-sized SUV fans. MG made its electric mark with the ZS EV and MG4 XPower, both launching at MIAS 2024. Homegrown ride-hailing app UTOL officially joined the Philippine mobility scene in 2024, promoting itself as the proudly local alternative in a crowded app-based transport market.

2025

Li Auto L7 & L9, Hongqi E-HS9, Maserati GranCabrio Folgore

Li Auto’s flagship L9 and the sleek L7 impressed with luxurious full-size SUV comfort, EV range, and standout tech like Zero Gravity seats and panoramic displays. Hongqi stunned with size and luxury. Maserati went topless and electric in June.

From FXs to EVs, our cars changed with us. They aged, improved, broke down, and made comebacks, just like us in the newsroom. We may be older now, but we still know how to drive a good story.

Happy 25th to DAILY TRIBUNE!

Here’s to the next quarter-century, hopefully with cheaper toll fees and fewer undelivered plates.