Foton Tunland E+ First Drive: New Improvement and Changes

Foton Tunland E+ is finally here.

After the immense success of its predecessor, the new successor brings in new improvements and changes.

The new Tunland E Plus addresses all the shortcomings while improving its overall value.

MAW Vriddhi, the authorized distributor of Foton commercial vehicles in Nepal, has launched the new pickup while maintaining its previous price tag.

The new list of changes includes interior revamping, a new engine, and additional features. Furthermore, it will introduce the quality of life improvements, creating an even more enticing offering.

Talking about the pricing, the Foton Tunland E+ price in Nepal is Rs. 60.90 Lakhs.

We were fortunate enough to get our hands on the pickup before its official launch. And, we are still busy testing it out.

We will post our Full Review after its official launch. Until then, this is the First Drive experience of the all-new Foton Tunland E+.

Foton Tunland E+ Overview

Muscular Design

Foton Tunland E+ is a double cab pickup.

It gets the exact muscular elements as seen in the Tunland E. Interestingly enough, the overall aesthetics and dimensions continue to remain the same.

The front section sports a large three-lined chromed grille with the “Foton” logo at the center.

The Projector headlamp and Indicators are integrated into the same housing.

It gets an all-new LED DRLs as an additional new change. Other than that, the rest of the elements continue to remain the same.

The side profile is kept very simple.

There are subtle lines and creases at the doors. Furthermore, it includes blacked-out padding on the wheel arches.

However, the alloy wheel styling is completely new.

Plus, it gets nifty chrome lines around the window borders. These changes add a bit of modernity and premium to the pickup truck.

Like before, the side-step, clampers, and anti-rollover bars are still present.

The rear section remains unchanged.

The standard halogen setup is still here, but the rear badging now reads Tunland E+.

Visually, the pickup truck remains largely unchanged. However, the interiors get a major rework, revamping the overall style.

The new changes include a new Instrument Meter, Controls Mounted Steering Wheel, and Leather Seats.

We will talk about these changes in detail in our Full Review.

Additionally, Foton Tunland E+ will be available in six different colors: Black, Red, Blue, Gray, Silver, and White.

Performance

Interestingly enough, it also gets an all-new 2.0L engine.

Foton Tunland E+ is powered by a 2.0L, Inline 4-Cylinder, Common Rail with Turbocharger Diesel Engine. It can generate a max power of 149.55 PS at 3600rpm and a max torque of 320 Nm at 1800-3000rpm. 

Moreover, it is mated to a 6-speed Manual Transmission with a 76-liter fuel tank capacity.

Compared to the older iteration, the newer E+ gets a reduced engine displacement.

Despite this, it generates drastically more powertrain than before. It produces 35PS more power and 40Nm more torque. Additionally, it also features a 6-speed transmission instead of a 5-speed.

Nevertheless, Tunland E+ comes equipped with 4WD capabilities.

Additional Details

The suspension duties are handled by Double Wishbone at the front and Leaf Spring Shock Absorber at the rear.

The dimensions are 5310mm in length, 1880mm in width, and 1860mm in height. And, the wheelbase sits at 3105mm.

Tunland E Plus gets a 220mm ground clearance. Moreover, the kerb weight is 2115kg.

Here, the dimension and the suspension setup remain unchanged. However, there is a slight bump in the ground clearance and the kerb weight.

Additionally, it can hold a max payload of 1000kg.

Features

We will test out each new feature in our Full Review. Until then, here is a quick list of features in the new Foton Tunland E+.

Foton Tunland E+ Features Highlight

• 2.0L Turbo Diesel Engine
• Muscular and Modern Pickup Styling
• 6-Speed Transmission
• Chromed Grille
• Projector Headlamp with LED DRLs
• Central Locking System
• Manual AC
• Touch Screen Infotainment System
• Bluetooth Connectivity with SD Card and AUX Support
• GPS Navigation System
• 4 Speaker Sound System
• Dual Airbags
• ABS + EBD
• Keyless Entry
• Rear Camera

First Drive Experience

Foton Tunland E pleasantly surprised us with its offering. It has a perfect balance between affordability, features, and style.

However, it had sacrificed much to keep its aggressive price point.

Foton Nepal has decided to take an interesting route.

The company has completely removed confusing variants, focusing more on just one.

The effort can be seen at a glance.

The Tunland E+ feels much more premium than before. Plus, the new engine directly addresses the concerns of the low powertrain figure in its predecessor.

We will put our focus on this.

Right off the bat, the engine performance sounds super refined.

It has a hint of perky performance without losing out on its refinement. The cabin is silent, blocking off traffic noise and engine sound.

The vibrations are completely absent.

However, the gearshift still feels stiff. However, the gear change ratio feels taller.

So far, this feels like a completely new pickup despite being familiar.

Like before, the Foton Tunland E+ will battle ISUZU Hi-Lander.

While Tunland E had gained the upper hand with its balanced offering, the Tunland E+ will probably take it a step further.

Foton Tunland E+ is carefully engineered to highlight the elements it nailed before, And now, it improves on the elements that were previously lacking.

It will be interesting to see how it will pan out in our Full Review. Until then, this has been the First Drive for the new Foton Tunland E+.