The fast-growing town of Oton marked another milestone in its commercial development with the grand opening of Suzuki Auto Oton, the municipality’s first automotive showroom, on September 28.
Located along J.C. Zulueta Street in Poblacion South, the new dealership brings Suzuki vehicle sales and after-sales services closer to motorists in Oton and neighboring communities in Southern Iloilo.
Operated by Grand Canyon Multi Holdings Inc., Suzuki Auto Oton is the company’s 10th Suzuki dealership and comes as Grand Canyon celebrates 15 years of partnership with Suzuki Philippines.
The dealership features a 335-square-meter showroom capable of displaying up to four Suzuki vehicles, while its 549-square-meter service facility has three service bays for vehicle maintenance and after-sales support. It also provides customer amenities including a kids’ corner and lactation station.
Grand Canyon President and Dealer Principal Andrew Jan Po led the grand opening together with Norihide Takei, Director and General Manager for the Automobile Division of Suzuki Philippines, other company executives, local government officials, banking partners and guests.
For Po, the opening represented a double celebration for Grand Canyon: the opening of its 10th Suzuki dealership and the 15th anniversary of its partnership with Suzuki Philippines.
“Today I can say with full confidence that Suzuki has lived that promise with us,” Po said, referring to Suzuki’s “By Your Side” brand promise.
He recalled how the partnership began with Grand Canyon’s first Suzuki dealership in Zamboanga and continued as the company expanded its network to 10 dealerships.
“Our partnership has been smooth. Our growth has been steady. And every milestone we’ve reached, we’ve reached together,” Po said.
Po added that the “By Your Side” promise extends beyond the relationship between Suzuki and its dealer partners to the customers who make Suzuki vehicles part of different stages of their lives — from fresh graduates purchasing their first car and newlyweds starting a family to entrepreneurs and parents eventually handing the keys to their children.
The opening of Suzuki Auto Oton also expands Suzuki Philippines’ presence in Western Visayas. The facility operates as a 3S Satellite dealership, offering sales, service and genuine Suzuki parts in one location.
Suzuki’s electric future arrives in Oton
Highlighting the latter part of the grand opening was the unveiling of the all-new Suzuki e VITARA, Suzuki’s first fully production-ready global battery-electric vehicle.
The electric SUV signals Suzuki’s entry into a new era of mobility while retaining the practicality and everyday usability associated with the brand.
The Philippine-spec e VITARA is built on Suzuki’s dedicated HEARTECT-e electric vehicle platform and is equipped with a 61-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery. Its electric powertrain produces 174 PS, while the battery incorporates thermal-management and protection systems including liquid cooling and battery-voltage monitoring.
According to homologation data submitted to the Department of Energy, the e VITARA can deliver a maximum driving range of 475 kilometers on a full charge. Suzuki also reported an efficiency of 9.8 km/kWh during real-world economy trials conducted with the Automobile Association Philippines.
Inside, the EV features an integrated dual-display layout, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an Infinity audio system with six speakers and a subwoofer, ventilated front seats, and a 40:20:40 split-folding rear seat with sliding and reclining functions.
Safety equipment includes seven airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, an electronic parking brake with brake-hold function, and Suzuki Safety Support technologies including Dual Sensor Brake Support II. Suzuki Philippines has announced a starting price of ₱2.02 million, with complete market specifications and the final color lineup to be announced separately.
Suzuki Auto Oton – Grand Canyon Iloilo is also being prepared for the EV transition, with the dealership set to have a dedicated charging station to support the e VITARA and Suzuki’s future electrified vehicles.
Po said the e VITARA represents Suzuki moving into electric mobility while maintaining the qualities that have connected the brand with Filipino motorists.
“As the way we drive changes, Suzuki’s promise doesn’t,” he said.
With the opening of Suzuki Auto Oton, residents of Oton and nearby communities now have a Suzuki sales and service facility closer to home — while the unveiling of the e VITARA offered a glimpse of how the dealership could serve customers as mobility increasingly moves toward electrification.
The new facility also adds another major commercial establishment to Oton, which has positioned itself as a growing center for commerce and trade in southern Iloilo.
