BEAUTIFUL BEAST: Handsome Foton Tunland gets job done
SLEEK, modern lines of the Foton Tunland V7 emphasize that it is ready for the heavy lifting, whether on the highway or off-road adventure.
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.
BOLD, aggressive front fascia of the Foton Tunland V7 stands as a testament to its off-road DNA.
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 expansive cargo bed of the Foton Tunland V7 is built to handle everything from heavy gear, luggage, to your favorite golf bags with ease.
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.
