All-paw gripping model not only feels plush for its price tag, but adds an eventual, strong pulling Cummins diesel engine to its resume.
Foton has been making inroads into the local bakkie market with the reimagined Tunland G7 since its return just over 12 months ago.
Steadily growing
Once a questionable proposition compared to fellow Chinese rival, Great Wall Motors, but with a slightly better track record than LDV, the BAIC-owned brand has regularly breached 200 unit sales a month, with its tally for August standing at 218 units.
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Aside from January where it still didn’t report any numbers, 1 521 Tunland G7’s have driven out of dealerships between February and August, well up on Mitsubishi’s well-received but struggling Triton’s 344, and Peugeot’s slightly better Landtrek on 701.
Traction increased single cab
Soon to introduce the more upscale, American-styled V7 and V9 double cabs, the brand’s speciality as a commercial vehicles manufacturer has finally led to the introduction of a four-wheel drive single cab to complement the two-wheel-drive available since launch.
Shown as the centrepiece at its “Made for Business” event in June, the single cab 4×4’s main difference only includes the 17-inch alloy wheels from the entry-level TL double cab compared to its sibling’s 16-inch steelies.
Kitted-out with a list of accessories, the 4×4 not only retains the same 210 mm ground clearance as the single cab, but also the 3 000 kg tow rating and payload of 1 000 kg.
Hard-to-beat value
Predictably dearer at R419 900 versus R329 900, the arrival of the all-paw gripping single cab for the weeklong test came with yet another surprise as, instead of a different derivative, Foton had availed the displayed vehicle, complete with in “farm-ready regalia”.
Seemingly a deliberate attempt to appeal to a vital segment of the market, the various accessories included cattle rails, side-steps and a prominent nudge bar.
Old-school workhorse
Having expressed mixed fortunes with the pair of double cabs – the two-wheel drive TL manual and four-wheel drive TLX automatic – tested earlier this year, the more agricultural single cab was expected to be more of an easier fit given its workhorse focus.
Besides its four-wheel drive system, it also harks back to past bakkies by only offering a manual gearbox, unlike the optional automatics available on the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux and Mahindra Pik Up.
Still powered by the Cummins co-developed 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, what remains the bread-and-butter Tunland G7 variant, alongside the two-wheel drive, not only presents a compelling prospect price-wise, but for feeling un-workhorse-like despite being anything but perfect.
Better looking
Discontinuing the admittedly purposeful and exterior enhancing accessories, the single Tunland, arguably, strikes a more distinctive and aggressive figure than the double cab.
That being said, the mix-and-match of Toyota Hilux and Mercedes-Benz X-Class styling cues now includes previous-generation Opel Astra and Isuzu KB in the design of the taillights.
Gone, however, is the oddly proportioned loadbox and replaced by a bin measuring 2 315 mm long and 1 580 mm wide.
You sure this is a work bakkie?
As mentioned with the double cab, the interior remains the Tunland G7’s biggest highlight, even more with the single cab as very little has changed.
Compared to The Citizen’s long-term single cab Isuzu D-Max, the Tunland G7 feels in a different league as it comes standard with a pair of 12.3-inch displays for the infotainment system and instrument cluster.
Appearing almost out of place for a single cab, the cabin is ergonomically well laid-out and the materials near upmarket for a workhorse with a mix of soft-touch and hard but solid feeling plastics.
Interior not perfect
While the piano-key black finish on the centre console and dashboard can be seen as too much, the workings of the infotainment system are relatively easy and, unlike the TL double cab, there were no dislodged trim pieces or repeats of the gear knob coming adrift.
What remained irksome is the lack of sufficient height adjustment for the driver’s seat which, despite being electrically adjustable, doesn’t drop low enough.
Compounding this further is the steering wheel that only adjusts for height, which, combined with the upright instrument cluster, makes a clear view of all the various readouts impossible.
The seats themselves are still on the hard side, and the sound quality of the two-speaker audio system poor.
In this instance, these, admittedly, can be seen as nitpicking considering the single cab’s intended use as a work implement rather than a leisure vehicle.
That being said, the leisure and premium side is still reflected in the specification sheet as, apart from the pair of displays, the Tunland G7 single cab comes equipped with electric windows and mirrors, automatic air-conditioning, push-button start, a pair of USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a multi-function steering wheel.
Upping the ante further is cruise control, dual front airbags, rear parking sensors, ABS and EBD.
In fact, the only item argued for lacking is a reverse camera as manoeuvring the Tunland G7 in tight confines becomes tricky, not only due to its steering circle, but also because of a heavy power steering setup.
Engine deserves better company
It is on the move, though, where, once again, the Tunland G7’s main flaw becomes apparent.
As with the double cabs, the 2.0-litre oil-burner sounds rough akin to an Isuzu unit of three decades ago, though it does quieten down on the move.
Although its lack of refinement is more forgivable as a single cab, the low-down lag and short ratios of the six-speed gearbox aren’t as easy to overlook.
In fact, combined with the typical Chinese vehicle troubles of an overly sensitive clutch and badly calibrated throttle, manhandling the gearbox is almost needed to keep the engine on the boil.
The result is a nasty grating sensation similar to a snapped linkage, which makes rowing the gears unpleasant.
This remains the most annoying aspect of the Tunland G7 as, even in single cab form, the engine is free-revving and comes with a strong shove once the tachometer goes over 2 000 rpm.
Producing 120kW/390Nm, in the body of the lighter single cab, even with the four-wheel drive system, the Tunland G7 feels lively and eager to impress, however, the strained noise higher-up the rev-range will make backing off more than a consideration.
Gerotek surprise
Somewhat humorously, and to compare times with the TL, the single cab was let loose at Gerotek with Road Test Editor Mark Jones behind the wheel.
Admittedly, the joke turned surprising as it completed the 0-100 km/h dash in 12.9 seconds, eighth tenths slower than the TL, but on-par with admittedly heavier but also powerful double cabs such as the Nissan Navara.
Besides the single-turbo Ford Ranger, the Tunland G7 also beat out the 1.9-litre Isuzu D-Max, the GWM P300 with the new 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine and, by some margin, the twin-turbo LDV T60.
Worth noting that all of the mentioned vehicles were four-wheel drive double cabs with either greater or slightly fewer outputs than the Tunland.
Consumption standout
Away from Gerotek, the single cab’s brakes felt underboosted in complete contrast to the double cab TL.
What’s more, the lower mass and lack of a load translated to a bouncy ride, which will get more supple and plaint with a few hundred kilograms in the back.
More troubling is its liveness on a gravel road, even when switched to high range four-wheel drive – again, this should become more agreeable once loaded.
Despite its raucous soundtrack and mismatched accelerator/transmission calibration, the main attribute of the Tunland G7’s powerunit is its fuel consumption.
Whereas the seven days with the TL and TLX netted indicated best figures of 8.7 L/100 km and 8.8 L/100km respectively, the single cab, after 627 km, recorded a more than commendable 8.5 L/100 km.
Conclusion
As much as the provision of double cab bakkies to the media makes sense from an all-round practicality standpoint, and for manufacturers to show off their newest tech, the increase in single cab allocation makes similar sense as a double cab doesn’t always resonate with every bakkie buyer.
Foton’s inclusion of four-wheel drive, in this regard, suffices the need for a more “hardcore” worker that can now go where the two-wheel drive will simply bog down.
Unfairly blighted by its transmission and accelerator tuning, the single cab Tunland G7 4×4 is an otherwise superb entrant, considering what comparatively little Rands gets compared to a comparative legacy brand offering.
Although long-term reliability still comes with a question mark, the package presented by the Tunland is simply too hard to ignore.
Road Test Data
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