Foton has previously had a minor presence in Australia with utes, though its best known for its light trucks. Now, it’s being distributed by the firm responsible for Subaru and Peugeot locally, and it’s rolling out two competitors in the dual-cab market.
The Foton Tunland V7 and V9 are its latest utes to launch in Australia, albeit more than half a year behind schedule.
Under the skin they’re based on the same platform, but visually they’re quite distinct, at least from each other.
The Tunland V7’s design is perhaps akin to the Ford F-150, and the V9 looks closer to a Ram 1500 than any other model on the market.
Prices start from $39,990 before on-road costs for the Tunland V7-C 4×2, increasing to $42,990 plus on-roads for the V7-C 4×4.
Stepping up to the V9-L 4×4 brings a starting price of $45,990 before on-roads, while the V9-S 4×4 tops the range at $49,990 plus on-road costs.
All versions of the Foton Tunland are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine, which incorporates 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance. Foton claims it produces 120kW and 450Nm, with a ZF-built eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission standard across the range.
While double wishbone front suspension features across all four Tunland variants, only the V7 incorporates a leaf spring rigid rear end, with the V9 upgrading to a multi-link setup.
A rear differential lock can be used on all 4×4 grades, however a front differential lock can only be found on the range-topping Tunland V9-S.
Compared to the best-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, Foton’s utes are considerably larger, measuring 5617mm long, 2000mm (V7) or 2090mm (V9) wide, 1910mm (V7) or 1955mm (V9) tall, and riding on a 3355mm wheelbase.
For context, a Ford Ranger Wildtrack is 5370mm long, 1918mm wide and 1884mm tall, based on a 3270mm wheelbase.
Foton quotes a braked towing capacity of 3500kg across the range, matching the best-selling dual-cabs in Australia.
Standard equipment on the entry-level Tunland V7-C 4×2 includes:
- Automatic LED headlights
- Daytime running lights
- LED tail lights
- Highway terrain tyres
- Spray-in tub liner
- Folding mirrors
- Six-way adjustable driver’s seat, four-way adjustable passenger seat
- Auto up/down driver’s window
- 12-3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen
- 2x USB-A ports
- Four speakers
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Auto vehicle hold
- Blind spot detection
- Door open warning
- Electronic parking brake
- Emergency signal system
- Front & rear parking sensors
- Front collision warning
- Hill descent control
- Hill-hold-control
- Lane centring control
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Surround-view camera
- Pedestrian collision warning
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Traffic sign recognition
- Trailer stability assist
On top of this, the V7-C 4×4 adds:
- All-terrain tyres
- Rear diff lock
- Selectable four-wheel drive modes (2H/Auto/4H/4L)
The V9-L 4×4 gets additional equipment, such as:
- Wheel-arch cladding
- Side steps
- Power-folding and heated mirrors
- Sports bar
- Lockable tray
- Six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Four-way power-adjustable passenger seat
- Heated front seats
- 2x rear USB-A ports
- Dual-zone air-conditioning
- Six speakers
- Wireless smartphone charger
- 300W power socket
The flagship V9-S gains:
- Roof rails
- Panoramic sunroof
- Privacy rear glass
- LED rear reading light
- Auto up/down on all windows
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated outboard rear seats
- Memory driver’s seat and mirrors
- Facial recognition
- Driver monitoring system
Deliveries of the Foton Tunland V7 and V9 are due to take place before the end of September.
