Renault Trafic vs Foton Tunland

What's the difference?

Australia’s mid-size (2.5-3.5 tonne GVM) commercial van market currently features nine brands competing for sales against Toyota’s staggeringly popular HiAce, which now represents almost 60 per cent of vehicles sold in this segment.

One of those competitors is the Renault Trafic which in 2026 brings a suite of technical upgrades designed to deliver enhanced economy, lower emissions, greater towing capacity and improved driver comfort and convenience.

With June approaching, traditionally the biggest month of the year for commercial vehicle sales, we recently spent a week in Renault’s latest offering to find out if it represents a compelling alternative to the HiAce for tradies and other commercial van users.

If you’re in the market for a big US-style ute but you’re not keen to spend the big bucks, this Chinese-made workhorse might be right for you.

This is the 2026 Foton Tunland V9-S 4x4. It’s just under six metres long and costs just under $50,000. A lot of ute for the price.

This top-spec Tunland has a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, a 48V mild-hybrid system, and front and rear diff locks.

So, what is this ute like to drive off-road?

Read on.