Foton Tunland News

New Chinese utes have arrived and they are more than $20,000 cheaper than top-end HiLux and Ranger models.The Foton Tunland range kicks off at $39,990 (before on-road costs) for the Tunland V7 two-wheel drive variant and tops out at $49,990 for the full-fruit Tunland V9 S four-wheel drive.That entry point is similar to the petrol-powered Toyota HiLux Workmate two-wheel drive, but it is about $10,000 cheaper than the most affordable two-wheel drive HiLux and Ranger with turbo-diesel grunt.Foton has now opened the order books for the Tunland line-up before deliveries commence later this month. They will initially be available in a select number of dealers in capital cities and major regional towns before the network expands later this year.Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine with 48V mild-hybrid assistance that makes 120kW and 450kW, and is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission.Those numbers are down on the competition but all Tunlands can tow 3500kg and have a payload of between 995kg and 1089kg, depending on the variant.All variants have 240mm of ground clearance and 28 and 26 degree approach and departure angles, respectively. Wading depth is 700mm.The V7 is pitched more towards tradies with a payload of more than 1000kg and rear leaf suspension, so think more HiLux Workmate or SR spec.The V9 is more lifestyle-focused, in a similar vein to a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, with a more luxurious cabin and advanced multi-link rear suspension. Foton General Manager Glen Cooper said the Tunland has been tested and tuned for Australian conditions.“The all-new Tunland offers something truly unique – the space and toughness of a larger workhorse, paired with the comfort and driveability of a modern SUV, all without a premium price tag,” said Cooper.Foton is backing the Tunland with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. 

Chinese carmakers aren’t just winning over Aussies with affordable electric SUVs, the same manufacturers have quickly established themselves as serious competitors in the popular ute segment that's dominated by the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Just this year we’ve seen a stack of new Chinese utes models arrive in Australia to join some already well-established players. So, here’s the ultimate list of Chinese utes in Australia to help you keep up to date with what’s on the ground now and those expected to arrive soon.BYD has taken Australia by storm with its affordable electric cars, but wading into the treacherous and competitive waters of the ute segment inhabited by the likes of Toyota’s HiLux and Ford’s Ranger was brave. BYD, however, didn’t just wade in, it backstroked in during late last year and stole a sizable chunk of the market with the Shark 6 becoming the fourth best-selling 4x4 ute on the market so far in 2025.The Shark 6 is a plug-in hybrid that uses a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with two electric motors for a combined output of 321kW and 650Nm. Braked towing capacity is 2500kg.The GWM Cannon is the most established Chinese ute in Australia and is popular for its combination of good looks and good value.The Cannon dual-cab has a 2.4 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit making 135kW and 480Nm. Braked capacity is 3500kg.JAC’s T9 arrived in Australia in late 2024 and there are currently two grades on sale - the Oasis and the Haven. Powering the T9 is a 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine making 120kW and 410Nm, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Braked towing capacity is 3200kg.LDV’s Terron 9 is the latest member of the brand’s growing ute family. Larger in every way than the T60 both in dimensions and grunt.Powered by a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel four cylinder making 163kW and 520Nm, the Terron 9 has a braked towing capacity of 3500kg.An eTerron 9 electric version could also be arriving in Australia soon. The LDV T60 is the smaller stablemate of the Terron 9 and is powered by a 160kW/500Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder, mated to an-eight speed automatic, with a six-speed manual gearbox also available. LDV upgraded the T60 in 2025 and this T60 Max, as it's called now, has a higher braked towing capacity of 3500kg.The new Foton Tunland arrived late in 2025 a very different vehicle to the one we used to know with strikingly handsome exterior and lavish looking cabin.All variants have a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine with a 48V mild hybrid system, with outputs of 120kW and 450Nm.Chery has confirmed that it will bring a plug-in hybrid ute to Australia to compete against BYD’s Shark 6 in 2026 and the Rely P3X could be it.Rely is one of the many brands owned by Chery, along with Omoda and Jaecoo which are already in Australia. Rely showed off the P3X recently at the Chengdu motor show and it's very likely one or both of these will be vehicles to be picked and arrive wearing a Chery badge.The P3X appears to have all the ingredients to make it a tough rival to the BYD Shark 6 with its ladder frame chassis and 2.5-litre turbo diesel engine with dual electric motors.MG’s U9 arrives right about now and could be a game changer, even if it’s based on a ute that’s already here - the LDV Terron 9.MG’s bosses say that the U9 will come with a choice of diesel, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains, and that variety, along with its good looks and expected affordable price point, will make it a big market disrupter. A 3500kg braked towing capacity is confirmed as well - possibly only on the diesel.Unlike all the other utes here the Geely Riddara doesn’t sit on a ladder frame and is far more car-like and lifestyle focused than a work truck.Still, there’s definitely a market for a small and comfortable little ute like the Riddara RD6, which is likely to come to Australia with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.When it does come isn’t certain, with Geely appearing to concentrate more on growing its passenger car line-up first.

Another Chinese ute has arrived to put pressure on the Australian dual-cab ute establishment with a low price and plenty of gear. Foton has just revealed Australia prices and specifications for its new Tunland ute range.

Can you have too much of a good thing? Australians love utes and in recent years we’ve seen more and more brands look to capitalise on that, but it may not be a case of the more the merrier.

Fresh from its Australian debut at the Melbourne Motor Show, Chinese commercial vehicle specialist Foton has revealed initial details for its Tunland ute series for this market.The Tunland had its local debut just after fellow Chinese brand MG held the global debut for its U9 pick-up.If the name Foton is familiar, it could be for a couple of reasons. Foton is a successful light truck maker in China and has recently launched its Aumark S range here.Another reason for the familiarity could be that Foton launched the original Tunland ute in Australia back in 2012, but poor safety scores, lack of brand recognition and quality issues hampered the brand’s expansion plans.Not that Foton’s local management is too concerned about the first time the brand had a presence here, with Foton Australia General Manager Glen Cooper highlighting the brand's backing from Subaru, Peugeot and Deepal importer Inchcape, telling CarsGuide, “I think we have got a fantastic product. It is well and truly a step up on what it used to be. I think I am pretty safe in saying that.  "And we are backed by Inchcape this time around. We are doing all the right things to really set it up right so I think we should be in a good spot,” he said.There are two versions of the Tunland coming to Australia - the Tunland V7 which the brand describes as a “no nonsense workhorse” that’s available in two- and four-wheel drive. The Tunland V9 has coil-spring suspension that Foton says gives the ute “SUV like comfort”.The pair will arrive in the third quarter of the year and Foton says it expects them to be competitively priced, although exact pricing is yet to be confirmed.Both utes are powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine paired with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, producing 120kW/450Nm. It comes with an eight-speed ZF-sourced automatic and fuel use is yet to be announced for Australia.The pair will sport a 3500kg towing capacity and come with an advanced BorgWarner electronic selectable 4WD system.In terms of dimensions, the Tunland V7 and V9 are a size up from mainstream mid-size utes like the Ford Ranger (5370mm long) and Toyota HiLux (5325mm long), but not quite as large as US-sized pick-ups such as the Ford F-150 (5884mm long).Specification is yet to be announced but expect a 14.6-inch touchscreen, intelligent cabin tech, matrix LED headlights, four-way power seat adjustment and leather upholstery.The Tunland will compete with a number of utes, including the upcoming MG U9, as well as the Ford Ranger, GWM Cannon and Cannon Alpha, Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Triton, Toyota HiLux and more.Cooper said there’s likely more new product on the horizon from the returning Chinese brand.“There’s an excellent product catalogue we are looking at overseas, so we will see what comes from that as well,” he said.

Vehicle importer Inchcape has confirmed its commercial vehicle brand, Foton, will introduce two new ute models in the first half of 2025.

It doesn't seem all that long ago now that the Chinese car brands simply weren't considered a threat to the established marques in Australia.

FAA Automotive Australia, distributors of the Foton Tunland one-tonne ute, have built up a generic mine spec' version of the Tunland dual cab, with a view to demonstrating it in selected mines around Australia. The Mine Spec Tunland features a steel tube external ROPS (Rollover Protection System) comprising an over-cab bar structure and a steel bull bar with aerial mounts, a heavy-duty anodised aluminium dropside tray, integrated UHF radio and various safety accessories and customized lighting required on mine sites generally. FAA director Grant Phelan said the Tunland had some notable advantages in the conventional cab one-tonne ute class which suited modification for a tough life in the mines. "Unlike all other one-tonne utes, Tunland's Cummins 2.8 litre turbo-diesel engine has a cast iron cylinder head whose superior thermal efficiency enables reliable operation at higher temperatures, with the added benefit of thermostat-controlled electric radiator fans rather than the power wasting (and noisy) viscous-coupled fans paired with alloy head utes. "Tunland's engine also does duty in Foton's bigger trucks up to 4.5 tonnes GVM so is understressed in Tunland, a further boon to the Cummins' longevity reputation. A steel plate sump guard is standard on Tunland 4x4.  

Chinese cars were tipped to dominate the budget-car class and challenge established brands in half the time it took Japanese and South Korean companies - but the bubble has burst before it's properly inflated. After some early success since becoming the first Chinese brand to go on sale in Australia, Great Wall Motors has hit reverse and its Chinese peers are struggling to get into first gear.Official figures for the first five months of the year show Great Wall Motors deliveries are down by 35 per cent compared with the same period the previous year in a record market that is up by 4.5 per cent.Other Chinese brands such as Foton have also had a stalled start. After announcing big plans two years ago Foton has sold fewer than 300 pick-ups in that time.Budget brand Geely has still restricted its sales to Western Australia and Chery's small cars have been stymied by newer competition from established brands. Chery sales are also down by 35 per cent.The Chery J1 hatchback was the cheapest car in Australia in almost two decades when it went on sale with a $9990 drive-away price in 2011, and is now available with a "pay half now, half later'' deal.But it too has failed to rock the sales charts. ''Sales have slowed for now but they will recover,'' says Daniel Cotterill, the spokesman for Ateco, distributor of Great Wall Motors and Chery passenger cars and the Foton truck range.''It's been frustrating for us and the dealers to not have more new models available to us as quickly as we would like."'The other challenge for Chinese car brands is that mainstream marques such as Suzuki, Nissan and Volkswagen have all responded with quality cut-price contenders priced from $11,990 to $13,990 drive-away. "In some ways we are a victim of our initial success,'' said Cotterill. "Other mainstream brands have had to come down in price to compete with us.''Other hurdles: more than 20,000 Great Wall Motors and Chery vehicles were recalled in August 2012 for having asbestos components in their engines. Chinese cars tend to earn poor to scores in crash tests (between two and four stars when the modern industry norm is five stars).But the companies hope to have a reversal of fortunes with a number of new generation Chinese vehicles made to international standards due in local showrooms in the next two years.''There are new models in the pipeline,'' said Cotterill.''We are confident in the ability of the Chinese to respond the Australian car market and boost sales.''This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

You might have seen the TV ad for a budget brand ute, the one in which the dopey looking bloke goes “d'oh” because he bought a far more expensive brand.Sure, he's down a few thousand bucks but he, his loved ones and possibly even his employer won't be so quick to self-admonishment should he survive a big prang.The chances of this happy outcome remains lower in Chinese-made working vehicles than in any from the Japanese brands, Ford, Holden or Volkswagen. Much lower in most instances.In the past month, the Australian New Car Assessment Program -- the line-filling moniker for the local agency that crashes cars into walls and rates how they hold up -- crunched the body of and the numbers on the latest such conveyance from Cathay.Foton's Tunland 4WD light-commercial dual-cab was awarded three stars from five. That's almost but not quite as poor as it gets these days, but a possibly generous assessment given the absence of electronic equipment mandatory for the full five stars.Nor is the Tunland especially cheap at $34,500. Hard to grasp why that sum shouldn't include stability control, a fixture standard elsewhere and arguably even more important for vehicles with a high centre of gravity.“There really is no excuse for a new vehicle coming into the market today to be without stability control, which is now mandatory for passenger cars,” ANCAP's Lauchlan McIntosh says.ANCAP is irksomely apt to claim credit for pushing major safety advances that originate with car makers and are compelled by market forces. Yet it has also admitted to being two years behind Euro NCAP in its methodology.There’s no quibbling on this point, however, certainly not when two such old stagers as Toyota's LandCruiser and Mitsubishi's Pajero have both been upgraded to five stars after equipment improvements.The Chinese brands fare not so well. The Chery J1 gets three stars, and the Chery J11 gets two stars. The Great Wall V240 gets two stars and X240 gets four stars. Carsguide does not recommend a vehicle of any sort that has less than four stars. Indeed, we’ve directed our team to not so much as test them. We say you shouldn’t so why should we. Some of us have families. None of us are suicidal.