Pickups are larger than ever. If you park a Hilux from 20 years ago beside the current model, you’ll be amazed just how much that segment has grown since. Literally and figuratively.
Truth be told, midsize pickups of today are more than enough to carry a whole lot of load. Payload capacities of 1,000kg are a common sight, too. But, of course, there are those who want to go even bigger.
MORE FROM THE 2024 MANILA INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW:
MIAS 2024: MG finally has an MPV with the G50
MIAS 2024: Hongqi HS3 takes aim at the Toyota Corolla Cross
That’s where the Foton Tunland V9 comes in. Making its debut at the 2024 Manila International Auto Show, it aims to offer full-size truck capabilities at mid-size pickup prices. It’s got a mild-hybrid turbodiesel engine to boot.
Okay, so it’s not quite American full-size pickup just yet, but its dimensions are larger than that of the establishment. It measures over 5.6 meters long and over two meters wide. The beefy exterior design further emphasizes its mass.
Inside, the cabin is (unsurprisingly) vast and wide. A large 14.6-inch HD floating screen sits right in the center stack, while myriad of toggle switches are placed right below it. Hooray for physical buttons, right?
The center console is home to the gear selector, drive modes, and in four-wheel drive models, the high and low-range switches. As for the trimmings, most of the interior is finished in leather from the top of the dash to the door arm rests. Because of its larger dimensions, Foton claims legroom at the back is far more than its competitors.
Moving to safety, it comes with a raft of advanced driver assist systems. It includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking rear cross traffic alert, just to name a few.
For the engine, it uses a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with 48v mild-hybrid technology. That gives the pickup an output of 161hp and 450Nm of torque. Shifting comes courtesy of an eight-speed automatic transmission and a choice of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. A rear differential lock and terrain select models are standard in the 4x4 version.
Prices, you ask? The Tunland V9 4x2 retails for P1,788,000, while the 4x4 starts at P1,998,000.
