The Toyota Tamaraw is one of the most iconic vehicles ever sold in the Philippines. It served as a personal companion for all types of people during its heyday as a family hauler or a business vehicle.
Recognizing its importance, Toyota has pulled out all the stops in promoting the new Tamaraw since its launch a few months ago, which has also led us to an important driving experience in Mindoro.
Toyota Tamaraw Goes Home To Mindoro
It’s very rare that Toyota hosts media drives, so I was excited to see what they had in store for us, plus I’ve been dying to try out the all-new Tamaraw. We met up bright and early in Batangas City for a short briefing and breakfast before we boarded the FastCat RORO (roll on roll off) at the Batangas Port headed for Mindoro.
This was my first time going to Mindoro and experiencing the RORO, and I have to say it was a relatively smooth experience, especially using the FastCat service.
An hour and a half later, we arrived at Calapan Port, Mindoro, and I, along with my carmate, were assigned the Toyota Tamaraw GL Dropside Automatic, which is effectively the top-of-the-line variant. My immediate impressions of the interior were that it was quite spacious and very functional.
It felt solid and actually was playful with contrasting orange accented panels on the dashboard, the only lone creature comfort of the GL Dropside is the headunit that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (played through 2 speakers only). Other than that, the interior is bare, even lacking a tachometer, which isn’t a surprise because the Tamaraw is a commercial vehicle first and foremost.
I took first driving duties and was bracing for an ‘agricultural’ driving experience, but was instead pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to drive the Tamaraw. I immediately felt the light steering, and was glad to have huge windows and almost 0 blind spots, making maneuverability easy despite the length of the vehicle.
What surprised me next was how good the ride quality is for something built to haul heavy loads; it wasn’t back-breaking at all, and I would consider it better than other pickups in the market. Next is the powertrain, the Toyota Tamaraw is powered by the familiar 2.4-liter turbocharged diesel engine found in the Fortuner that makes 150 PS and 400 Nm of torque, which is then sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The engine and transmission duo seem in sync and are easily able to give you the smoothness and power needed when hauling or cruising with the Tamaraw.
Homebase
Our first stop was at the Toyota Dealership in Calapan, Mindoro, where we were exposed to just how ingrained in the local lifestyle the Tamaraw is. Mindoro is a small(ish) island that relies heavily on its agricultural industries, such as rice production and even fisheries, making a vehicle like the Tamaraw essential to the province’s growth and sustainability. Not to mention that there is an actual Tamaraw reservation in Mindoro that takes care of ensuring the Tamaraw species is protected.
We spent the day experiencing what Mindoro has to offer and to be honest it I would describe it as “lush”, the greenery and scenery looked healthy and green, and the natural wonders intact with us going to a farm that featured a multi-level waterfall that had probably the cleanest mountain water I’ve ever seen.
Not just a workhorse
Our final stop for the day was our hotel, which was a 2-hour drive away in Puerto Galera, the famed coastal beach town that has white beaches.
I drove this part of the journey, and this is where I fell for the Tamaraw. We were told the roads leading to our hotel would be mountainous coastal roads that were technical and twisty. In any other situation, I’d be scratching my head as to why we’d be driving the Tamaraw through this route, but let me tell you, I was proven very wrong.
The moment I started to inject more spirited driving into the Tamaraw, it felt somewhat capable and at home through twisties and tight bends. A somewhat low ride height and center of gravity made it feel stable and eliminate major body roll, plus the engine and transmission made it have the pep it needed to climb steep inclines or overtake slower-moving vehicles without any issue.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 2-hour drive, and the North Calapan road provided an equally mesmerizing backdrop with lush forestry, waterfalls, and the sight of the Mindoro coastline. Who would’ve thought that driving a Toyota Tamaraw through these roads would be one of my best drives ever?
For us by us
Day 2 was our chance to immerse ourselves in the true nature of the Toyota Tamaraw; we were tasked to donate vital goods to a far-flung school up the mountains of Mindoro. I was blessed to be one of the few in our group who were allowed to drive a Tamaraw loaded with chairs and other heavy boxes, allowing me to experience what hauling in the Tamaraw is like.
Even with the full load, the Tamaraw felt just a surefooted as it did without anything loaded on the bed, through winding roads and inclines, I never once felt that we’d run out of power on the way up some of the steepest inclines en route to the school.
It was when we arrived at this simple school did I truly understood what it means to have the Toyota Tamaraw be part of our national mobility identity. In its previous iteration, it succeeded in embedding itself as a reliable form of mobility for families and businesses, now in 2025, the all-new Toyota Tamaraw takes the formers DNA and blends in more useability, comfort and just the right hint of playful-ness that opens the Tamaraw nameplate up to the lifestyle market as well where self-expression and individuality matters.
More than ever, the Toyota Tamaraw has become a true all-rounder, a vehicle that Filipinos can be proud of as something made for us, and also made by us.
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