We made it to Baguio in a Suzuki S-Presso

WHEN talking about cars, particularly smaller ones, the question that frequently arises is whether it can handle the journey to Baguio. It's almost seen as a mark of distinction. However, despite its clichéd nature, there is indeed some wisdom behind this inquiry. Firstly, Baguio is considerably far away from Metro Manila, and secondly, navigating the city's terrain can be quite demanding, especially for vehicles with smaller engines and drivers who are less experienced.

Part of the S-Presso's marketing materials is the 25.32 kilometers per liter (kpl) fuel efficiency rating it received during the fuel economy tests conducted by the Automobile Association Philippines. This, of course, was done under ideal circumstances, and hard to replicate in real-world conditions, let alone achieve while climbing mountains. So, when it was announced during the briefing that prizes were up for grabs for the team with the best fuel economy, we decided we were just going to have fun and enjoy the drive.