BEAUTIFUL BEAST: Handsome Foton Tunland gets job done

Usually, teambuilding means cramped vans, lukewarm siopao, and your officemate’s annoying taste in music. But when DAILY TRIBUNE held its annual bonding activity in Baguio City a few weeks ago, I boldly took the risk of saying no to boarding the company-provided vehicle.

Why? Because of a secret weapon: The Foton Tunland V7.

With this ruggedly handsome pickup truck, I sent a strong message to my co-workers that I’m not climbing the City of Pines just to participate in some videoke sessions and swap office-related stories. I’m there to make my presence felt. I mean business.

From the moment I drove out of the city, the Tunland had proven that it is truly a workhorse. 

As we hit the long stretches of the highway, the first thing that struck me — aside from the jealous stares of the passengers in a cramped sedan along NLEX — was how surprisingly civilized it felt. 

It’s a massive machine, sure, but it glides with a level of composure that suggests it spent its formative years at a finishing school for heavy machinery.

The dashboard is a breath of fresh air for anyone tired of cockpits that look like they were designed by a caffeinated gamer. It’s simple, clean, and refreshingly functional, featuring a massive 14.7-inch high-definition touchscreen that gives the interior a modern, tech-forward ing inclines, you know the feeling of having your engine running out of power. You’re floor-boarding the pedal, the engine is screaming in a frequency only dogs can hear, and you’re being overtaken by an old man on a bicycle. 

The Tunland, however, treated the steep climbs like they were a gentle suggestion. Even with a cargo bed full of luggage and my golf bag, the power delivery remained smooth and unrelenting.  I even found myself gaining speed on the inclines without even trying, much to the chagrin of the drivers stuck in the slow lane.

Its hybrid system buckled down to work, giving it smoother acceleration and supplemented the diesel engine when more thrust is needed, especially under load or on long uphill stretches. The regenerative system also recover energy during braking, greatly reducing fuel consumption and ease the engine load. 

Simply put, it didn’t just overcome the terrain — it dominated it.

Inside the cabin, the “teambuilding” was actually happening quite comfortably. I was riding with my staff — Senior Reporter Mark Escarlote at the front and Assistant Sports Editor Nick Giongco at the back — and they were having the time of their lives. 

Even Nick told me to turn down the air-con because it was getting too cold at the back, leaving me with a smirk as it reminded me that I was driving a premium SUV rather than a utility vehicle.

With an ice-cold cabin and roomy interior, we were insulated from the outside world, chatting away while the diesel engine hummed a quiet, confident bassline under the hood. 

It’s rare to survive a four-hour Baguio trip feeling refreshed rather than like you’ve been through a tumble dryer, but the comfort levels here are legitimately impressive.

By the time we reached the pine-scented air of the highlands, I realized I wasn’t even tired to the point of still having the energy to play a round of golf with the big boss of DAILY TRIBUNE.

The Tunland is truly one of those rare vehicles that manages to balance the “tough guy” exterior with a heart of gold. It’s powerful enough to haul your life up the mountain, yet refined enough that you wouldn’t mind taking it to a nice dinner afterward.

Looking back at the weekend, the highlight wasn’t actually the bonding exercises or the inevitable karaoke session that lasted up to 3 a.m.  It was that stretch of road where the pavement turned to dirt and the incline hit 20 degrees, and the Tunland just kept rolling, pulling.

If this is what the modern pickup experience looks like, consider me a convert. It’s functional without being boring, rugged without being rough, and powerful without being dramatic. 

True enough, Foton has built something here that isn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B; it’s about making sure that the trip from Point A to Point B is the best part of your day.