Real experiences of commuters and motorists feeling like they were in a racing game were shared online following the update of a racing simulation game featuring commuter vans.
An automotive publication on Sunday, October 13 shared a feature on their Facebook page titled “Toyota Hiace UV Express has ‘taken over’ Gran Turismo 7.”
“For a few days, Gran Turismo was like Commonwealth and Ortigas at 5AM,” AutoIndustriya.com wrote as a caption with a zany face emoji, referencing major roads in Metro Manila.
The report noticed social media posts of Filipino Gran Turismo 7 players having fun with the game’s update, which involved new cars added to the lineup.
One of these is the Toyota Hiace Van DX, also known as the Hiace Commuter Van in the Philipines.
“As such, Filipino Gran Turismo players dressed up the Hiace van in its signature UV Express colors,” AutoIndustriya’s report reads.
“Some of them even came with graphics that depict damaged panels, scratched wheels, door dings, and the like. Thanks to GT7’s [Gran Turismo 7] customization, the Hiace vans were even swapped with V8 engines, so they go hilariously quick in-game,” it added.
“So how can such a common van be so trending in a video game, you ask? Well, in the real world, you can’t always drive a GT-R or a Lancer Evo. But in the virtual world, they are always there,” the report further said.
“The same cannot be said though for vans like the Hiace Commuter. It’s not every day that the Hiace is present in a video game – the last one we remember is the older generation Hiace being a playable car in the Maximum Tune arcade game, and it’s indeed a hilarious experience to hoon it past 300 km/h,” it said.
The feature prompted some Filipinos — both commuters and motorists — to share their own experiences riding, driving, and encountering the ubiquitous white van.
“Life imitates Art, just had one almost hit me while they were trying to cut in front of me. Ortigas Extension is a death trap because of these PUVs [public utility vehicles] and jeepneys!” a Facebook user wrote in the comments.
“Hahahaha, minsan I was praying for my dear life, ‘Manong, okay lang po ma-late, ‘wag lang po mapaaga appointment ko kay Lord,'” another user commented with a laughing emoji.
“I drove numerous vehicles na… sa HiAce hanga ako sa raw power [niya]. Kahit stock, tempting ang power [niya]… no wonder, lakas maka-singit at pitik… arangkada is monstrous,” a driver commented.
“Wait til you see the Hi Ace’s in the mountainous passes of our province, it’s Tōge racing to God’s judgement,” another user wrote. Tōge racing is a style of street racing in Japan that takes place on winding mountainous roads.
“You should see the UV Express vans of Halsema Highway. True kings,” wrote a different user, referring to the national secondary highway in the country which was once considered among the most dangerous highways in the Philippines.
“Mga kuya, hindi pa naman po ako late eh, pwede paki-bagalan,” another user commented in response to the report.
Here are some of the trending posts of Pinoy players having fun with the game’s new update:
“Salamat sa update, Gran Turismo 7. UV Express driver na ako. Sakay na mga boss, bawal ang seatbelt, basta kapit lang,” a player wrote, sharing pictures and a video.
“Colorum Moment — When your route says PITX, but you somehow winded up in Ueno, Tokyo…” another player commented, also sharing pictures from the game.
“Some folks didn’t like the recent #GT7 update, while I’m here having the time of my life, driving a commuter van with the sickest livery [or] decal that will give any Filipino a flashback of their Metro Manila daily commute…” wrote a different player.
The Toyota Hiace Commuter Van is among the common vehicle models used for utility van (UV) express in the country.
The UV Express is a shared taxi service in the Philippines. A shared taxi is a mode of transport between a taxicab and a bus.
UV vans can usually sit 10 to 18 passengers and have designated passenger terminals where commuters are picked up.
Meanwhile, the Gran Turismo is a racing game series known for its realistic driving simulations.
