Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has held the first Toyota Legacy Experience, a three-day event that highlighted the brand's off-roading heritage while also giving visitors a closer look at current models through displays and test drives on paved roads and challenging dirt surfaces.

The event took place at Eton City Square Village Walk in Santa Rosa, Laguna — a city that has emerged as a major automotive and commercial hub south of Metro Manila — which TMP turned into a Toyota-themed venue featuring the Hilux pickup, Land Cruiser FJ, and Land Cruiser HEV (hybrid electric vehicle). Select after-market partners also joined the event, offering accessories and car care products. Modified vehicles were displayed as well.

For visitors, the Tamaraw Food Park offered snacks, meals, and drinks, including coffee. The Tamaraw name itself carries historical weight for TMP: the Toyota Tamaraw, a utility vehicle introduced in the 1970s, was for decades a staple workhorse for Filipino businesses and is one of the brand's most recognizable nameplates in the country. Heritage models of the Land Cruiser and Hilux were also displayed near the main event tent. Car clubs were likewise present, bringing together enthusiasts with a shared interest in Toyota vehicles.

"In 1935, Toyota introduced its first production vehicle, the G1 truck — a frame-based vehicle. This means that from the very beginning, Toyota was built on the principles of toughness, reliability, and real-world capability. That DNA remains very much alive today. It is embodied in vehicles such as the Land Cruiser and the Hilux," TMP President Masando Hashimoto said in his welcome address on the opening day.

He added, "The Land Cruiser was developed with a clear and uncompromising mission: No matter where you go, you return safely. It has earned its reputation as one of the toughest SUVs in the world, proven time and again in the harshest environments, including the Dakar Rally. The Hilux, on the other hand, represents strength combined with versatility. Developed in Asia, it has demonstrated its capability across both commercial and competitive use. Its success in events such as the Asian Cross Country Rally is a testament to its durability and performance under extreme conditions."

In an exclusive interview with "Velocity," TMP Senior Vice-President for Marketing Sherwin Chua Lim said one of the event's main goals was to let people get behind the wheel of the latest versions of the featured models so they could better appreciate their capabilities.

"It is also a good opportunity to gather car enthusiasts in one venue to celebrate with the community," he said. "This is the first time we're doing something like this to bring together a different side of our car clubs."

Mr. Chua Lim said the Toyota Legacy Experience is aimed more at Toyota 4×4 enthusiasts than at a racing-focused event such as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup. "Our 4×4 customers are the best people to talk about the reliability and capabilities of these vehicles," he said. "This is also the first that we've done a public off-road activity, and we think this is (perfect) for Toyota off-road clubs."

The focus on off-roading and body-on-frame vehicles is particularly relevant in the Philippines, where varied terrain, rural road networks, and annual monsoon flooding sustain strong demand for pickups and SUVs that can handle demanding conditions.

Toyota continues to follow a multi-pathway strategy toward carbon neutrality while expanding its electrified lineup and maintaining different powertrain choices based on consumer needs and preferences. The all-new Hilux pickup is available in battery electric vehicle and pure internal combustion engine versions. The Land Cruiser is now offered with a hybrid powertrain.

The Land Cruiser FJ, which drew attention at the recent Philippine International Motor Show, is powered by an inline-four, 2.7-liter gasoline engine with dual VVT-i. The engine produces a maximum 166ps and 245Nm of output.

Mr. Chua Lim said there is a possibility that Toyota will stage another Toyota Legacy Experience in the future to further engage and promote the off-roading, SUV, and pickup segments in which the company has long excelled.