Foton’s reputation as a manufacturer of reliable trucks and heavy machineries is already well-known, but their foray in the passenger vehicle market hasn’t quite garnered as much success. While the stigma against Chinese automotive manufacturers is still highly prevalent among local consumers, it’s a stigma that is slowly starting to lose traction, as Chinese marques are offering better products with every year that passes; and the Foton Toplander is a pretty good example of that. Engine Not a lot of people are aware that the engine of the Foton Toplander is sourced from an American company. The Toplander is powered by a Euro 4-compliant, 2.8-liter ISF turbo intercooler diesel engine from American diesel specialists, Cummins, which outputs 161-hp and 360-Nm of torque. Foton has a good understanding of how customers prioritize engine reliability above all else, which is why the ISF engine undergoes reliability tests that put others to shame. The engine used in the Toplander is rated to reach up to 20,000 kilometers in between oil changes, which is one of the longest in its segment. The engine has also gone through over 1.6 million kilometers of road testing through various environments; and is rated to run in climates that reach -40 degrees Celsius. Granted, it’s not as smooth and as quiet as some of the competitor’s engines, but it’s a true workhorse that will slug it out with the best of them for years to come. Transmission Mated to the Cummins engine is an equally-impressive 6-speed automatic gearbox, this time sourced from Germany’s Daimler AG. It’s easily one of the best gearboxes in its class, providing silky-smooth shifts through the entire range. On the highway, revs are kept low to improve fuel economy, but it also does a great job of responding quickly to downshifts when needed, providing the power you need for overtaking quickly. Around the city, the gearbox performs just as admirably, as it directs an ample amount of torque event at low revs, never making the drive feel the least bit sluggish. We were able to achieve around 7.6 kilometers per liter on our test around the city, with that figure increasing to around 9 kilometers per liter on mixed highway and city driving, which is great for its class given its large frame. Interior The Toplander’s cabin is highly impressive for its price range not only for its fit and finish and materials used, but for the available space as well. Sure, you’ll still find hard plastics used throughout the cabin, but look closely and you’ll also find an intelligently laid out interface, comfortable leather seats with adjustable lumbar support, buttons that return excellent tactile feel, a surprisingly solid and snappy gear selector, and a large 2-DIN touchscreen interface for communication and entertainment. The build quality of the cabin is a far cry from where Chinese cars used to be just ten years ago, and easily holds its own against the rest of the field. There’s also plenty of room at the second row, though the seats aren’t capable of sliding to make room for the third-row occupants. The third row is certainly usable in this state, but it’s best left to smaller individuals if they want to remain comfortable during long drives. Most owners will probably keep the third row stowed away anyway, as the Toplander offers a generous amount of flat-loading cargo room with the third row folded down. Value For P1,488,000, the Foton Toplander 4x2 EX offers an incredible amount of car for the money. Not only do you have to shell out P200,000 more for the cheapest automatic variant among its competitors, but getting a competitor to the level of the Toplander’s basic features will require you to pay almost half a million pesos more. The Toplander comes with a traction control system with hill descent control, cruise control, hill hold control, a limited slip differential, reverse camera with a backup sensor, leather seats, disc brakes at the front and rear, and ABS with EBD and brake assist — most of which aren’t available from competitors at this price level. We’re not going to tell you that the Foton Toplander is the best pickup-based seven-seater SUV in the market, but for those of you on a strict budget with specific needs that only a mid-sized SUV can fill, giving the Foton Toplander a look is going to be worth your while. Text and photos by Chris Van Hoven