The hood still opens and the latch is still there, but most people don’t bother.
At Manila International Auto Show 2026, the crowd goes straight to the cabin, skips the release lever, and gets inside, where the real action happens.
That included me. I went straight into one car with a friend who is planning to buy, and the first few seconds went to the screen and the sound system before anything else, knowing I could always come back to check the hood after making my way around.
Visitors take a seat and start checking the cabin, beginning with the aircon, then the screen, followed by the steering wheel controls and rear seat space, while a quick look at the trunk happens only if there is time, and the hood rarely comes into the picture.
This happens across the displays, from compact cars to larger SUVs. I noticed that this behavior or pattern does not depend on price or brand. The engine bay has become a secondary stop, and in many cases, it does not even make the list.
A few years ago, buyers started with the engine bay and asked what was under the hood before anything else.
At the show, brands such as BYD, Denza, GAC, Kia, MG, Jetour, Changan, Chery, Geely and Omoda & Jaecoo displayed vehicles across similar size categories, yet most visitors went straight to the cabin and spent their time inside.
Visitors turn on the aircon to check cooling, tap through the screen menus, adjust the seats, and look at rear space and controls within a short time before either staying for a closer look or stepping out to the next vehicle.
I stood near one family as they compared two vehicles of similar size and price, with one running on battery alone and the other combining gasoline and electric power, as they checked seat comfort, rear legroom, and aircon vents before one of them looked at the charging port and another checked for the fuel cap.
Across the booths, the same motion repeats as visitors open the door, sit down, check the aircon, tap the screen, look at the back seat, then step out and move to the next vehicle.
The hood stays closed through all of it, not literally, but you get my point.
A few years ago, it was more common to see people gathered around an open hood, checking what was inside before stepping into the cabin.
The latch is still there.
It’s just not where people start anymore.