Thundering yet refined and Thrifty
AFTER the successful launch of the Allnew Foton Thunder 2.0 4x2 M/T, the automatic variant made its way to the local market.
This variant addresses the lifestyle function clamor in the hotly-contested pickup segment. Foton Motor Philippines (FMP) recently hosted a drive event to showcase the new variant to select motoring media. It was a day drive up north to visit the Foton Bacolor dealership and the truck manufacturer's assembly plant in Clark, Pampanga.
Sporty outside, lavish inside
Commissioned for the drive event were five Philippine-assembled and fresh-fromthe-assembly plant units with varying metallic colors. exterior-wise, the massive grille partnered with sharp-looking projector headlamps and Led foglamps with daylight running lights highlight the masculine sporty design Foton defines the look. noteworthy is the plastic clad with the brand logo attached to the tailgate. The clever design element touches both form and function. The rear bed's plastic liner is also standard. overall dimension is 5340 mm long, 1940 mm wide, and 1870 mm tall with a 3220 mm wheelbase. Ground clearance is elevated at 220 mm, at par with the competition.
The truck's front suspension has an independent double-wishbone with spiral springs, while the rear is leaf sprung non-independent. As for the brakes, this variant has front and rear rotor brakes, something the competition doesn't have at a lower price point. The 18-inch two-toned alloy rims wrapped in 265/70 tires complement the truck's aggressive stance.
Interior-wise, the design surprised us the most. It was nothing we expected from a midsized pickup. But, to match the lifestyle aura of the truck, Foton gave the Allnew Thunder 2.0 a premium car-like cabin element. Like the 10.25-inch head-up infotainment touchscreen sitting on top of the sedan-looking dash with clustered controls in the middle matching the six-inch digital LCD instrument cluster. even the attached and broad center console looks good, fitted with a short electronic shifter, which is unfamiliar to the segment. There are also paddle shifters, by the way.
Talk about comfort and convenience, which Foton claims are an exquisite leatherfinished interior; the snug front seats and rear bench have premium design patterns in european cars. other standard features are Keyless entry with Hold Window down Control, Power Window Control, Central Locking system, Power side Mirrors, electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold, Multifunction steering wheel, driver seat Height Adjustment, and Headlamp Adjustment, among others. There are cup holders everywhere, by the way.
New "AUCAN" engine
Foton replaced the old Cummins powertrain with a new 4F20 (AUCAN) 2.0-liter four-cylinder in line with Borgwarner-made turbocharger, euro V-compliant diesel engine. This smaller yet more-advanced mill dishes out 161 hp at 4,000 rpm and a substantial 380 n-m of maximum torque early on at 1,800 rpm. even better, the new powerplant is mated to an eight-speed Zf-made automatic transmission with an eaton-made differential.
That substantial torque was evident throughout the powerband. We like how the throttle opening matches the right gear whenever downshifting as we step on it. There was no wasted power gear after gear resulting in unrelenting acceleration. Impressively, the new engine made the 2,980-kilogram frame seem lighter as we navigated the entire stretch of the expressway. speed increments were swift and effortless. While the truck's 75-liter fuel tank capacity was reassuring, the fuel gauge meter hardly changed during our trip.
Car-like comfort
nice and comfy interiors have benefits for driving, particularly in extended ones. The experience gave us a car-like feel throughout the drive: the snug seats, nice-looking dash, and elevated seating configuration provided a good vantage point. But of course, given the rear leaf-sprung suspension, there were the expected bounces. But the better interior NVH compensated for that resulting in us not feeling drained after the long drive back and forth.
As for safety, electronic components are all Bosch-made, such as Anti-lock Braking system with electronic Brake distribution, Traction Control system, electronic stability Program (esp), Hydraulic Braking Assist, Vehicle dynamics Control, Hill descent Control, Hill Hold, dual Air Bags, safety Belt Reminder, Hydraulic Braking Assist, High Mount Third Brake Light, Child Lock Function, Anti-pinch sensor system, and High-mount third brake light, among others.
overall, the All-new Thunder 2.0 4x2 A/T is a worthy contender to the hotly-contested and crowded pickup truck segment. Foton did a great job incorporating a premium car-like interior design and trim to provide a different kind of comfort in driving a pickup. The new AUCAN engine also did not disappoint, and its potentially thrifty fuel consumption would be an excellent counterpart to today's rising diesel fuel prices. Foton Philippines is offering the All-new Thunder 2.0 4x2 A/T at P1.350 million, available in different metallic shades with more vibrant color options in the coming months.