Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
I have to admit that I’m not really the outdoorsy type of guy. I love the great outdoors, savoring the scenery, exploring nature and all, but afterwards, I want to take a shower and do my business in the privacy of a well-equipped bathroom and toilet, and then go to sleep in a warm comfy bed. I’m not one for the current overlanding craze and sleeping in a tent or under the stars. The farthest I’ve gone off-road was on a daylong 4×4 excursion inside a jungle in Thailand in 2006, where we retired back to our floating hotel after the long, exhausting jungle trek.
So, what am I doing test driving this 2025 Foton Thunder 2.0 4×4 A/T? Well, I borrowed this pickup truck so that my Swedish friend, Jan Erik Hollström, can add it to his list of options. You see, Erik runs a mountain resort and farm called Dreamland in Calawis near Antipolo, and he’s thinking of getting a 4×4 pickup truck to fetch customers from the lowlands and transport them halfway up the mountain. He reckoned that a 4×4 pickup truck can help turn a 2-hour hike up to the resort into just 45 minutes so more customers can come to enjoy their stay at Dreamland in Calawis.
ZF 8-speed Automatic + Bosch Electronic Stability Program
Foton Motors Philippines (FMP) first introduced the Thunder pickup truck model lineup in 2014, and then updated it in 2023 with the current generation Thunder 2.0. At the time, the variants were the 4×2 M/T with a 6-speed stick shift, 4×2 A/T with a 6-speed automatic and 4×4 M/T with 6-speed stick shift. Last year, Foton updated the Thunder 2.0 lineup with the 4×4 A/T that’s equipped with a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, which came with a taller first gear to take advantage of the turbodiesel engine’s torque and overdrive top gears to further improve fuel mileage.
In the Thunder 2.0 4×4, the 8-speed automatic is mated to an intelligent electronic transfer case control system with a rotary switch allows the driver to manually shift from two-wheel drive (2H) to four-wheel drive high (4H) and 4-wheel drive (4L) on the fly. There’s also an AUTO setting to let it select 2H, 4H or 4L automatically as the need arises. The electronic transfer case enhances the function of the Bosch Electronic Stability Program that includes anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Hold Control (HHC), Hill Descent Control (HDC), and a host of other passive and active safety functions.
Pickup Trucks Are Workhorses
FMP advertises the Thunder 2.0 pickup truck lineup as “Modern Workhorses”, an ode to the article I wrote for The Philippine STAR several years ago. As modern workhorses, the 4×4 A/T shares the same specifications as its 4×2 M/T, 4×2 A/T, and 4×4 M/T stablemates: the same cargo bed dimensions – 1,520 millimeters long, 1,580 mm wide and 440 mm deep – similar payload capacity of 1,000 kilograms and the same Aucan 4F20TC inline 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine that pumps out 161 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 390 Newton-meters of torque between 1,800 to 2,600 rpm.
Thunder 2.0 pickup trucks come with front independent double wishbones and rear live axle with leaf springs suspension systems. The 4×4 A/T’s brakes are ventilated discs at all four corners while 265/60R18 tires mounted on 12-spoke 6-lug 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels provide the needed traction and grip for on-road and off-road excursions. Compared to the 4×2 A/T that we test drove in 2023, the ride of the 4×4 A/T is noticeably choppier despite having the same 3-meter-long wheelbase, especially with just two occupants in front, an empty backseat and an empty bed. We attribute the choppier ride to the stiffer off-road suspension.
Right Dimensions + Plush Interior
My friend Erik initially wanted to get a pickup truck with a stick shift but, after driving in and around heavy pre-Valentine Metro Manila traffic, he began to consider opting for one with an automatic transmission. He found the Thunder 2.0’s dimensions – 5.3-meter length, 1.9-meter width and 1.9-meter height – just right for the local road conditions. He also found its 350-millimeter ground clearance and 600-millimeter water wading depth ideal for the rough roads and occasional floods that he might need to go through on the way up and down to his mountain resort.
Compared to the pickup truck that he drives in Sweden to go to remote job sites, Erik finds the interior of the Thunder 2.0 4×4 A/T a bit plush. The soft leather with quilted portions on the ergonomic front bucket seats, on the rear bench seat (with fold-down center armrest) and on the door cards/sidings provide a car-like interior that conspire with the improved NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) insulation to trick the mind that it’s inside a luxury vehicle. Until, of course, the stiff off-road suspension reminds everyone that they’re inside a tough 4×4 that’s meant to conquer rough terrain.
Most Important Feature
The ergonomic cockpit of the Thunder 2.0 4×4 A/T features a nicely-padded 4-spoke steering wheel with multi-function control buttons in the spokes, a stubby transmission gear selector, two large round analog gauges in the instrument panel for the speedometer and the tachometer, with a fuel gauge and an engine temperature gauge on the side, and a pictograph LCD display in the middle for the warning indicators. All the controls are within easy reach and the infotainment system is intuitive to use. The speakers sound great although the bass seemingly emanates from the floor.
My Swedish friend left satisfied after his test drive and although he did not say so, he looked impressed with the Foton Thunder 2.0 4×4 A/T. With a suggested retail price (SRP) of a shade under P1.4 Million, he opined that the price is a bit near those of its popular Japanese competitors. After I dropped him off at his hotel, I realized that I forgot to mention one important factor that the Foton Thunder model lineup has – it is Proudly Made in the Philippines at FMP’s 11-hectare assembly plant in Clark, Pampanga. It may not be important for a Swede to consider, but it’s really something that we Filipinos can be proud of. And that’s no cliche!
Specifications
Vehicle type: Front-engine, 4WD, 4-door crew cab pickup truck
Price: P1,398,000
Engine: Aucan 4F20 inline 4-cylinder ECRDI, BorgWarner VGT turbodiesel
Displacement: 1,968cc
Maximum power: 161 hp @ 4,000 rpm
Maximum torque: 390 Nm @ 1,800 rpm
Transmission: ZF 8-speed automatic
Fuel tank capacity: 76 liters
Wheelbase: 3,110 mm
Length: 5,340 mm
Width: 1,940 mm
Height: 1,870 mm
Cargo bed length: 1,520 mm
Cargo bed width: 1,580 mm
Cargo bed height: 440 mm
Payload capacity: 980 kg
Minimum ground clearance: 350 mm
Water wading depth: 600 mm
Curb weight: 2,980 kg
Front suspension: Independent, double wishbone
Rear suspension: Live axle, leaf spring
Front brakes: Ventilated disc brakes
Rear brakes: Ventilated disc brakes
Steering system: rack and pinion with electric power assist
Wheels: 18-inch 12-spoke 6-lug aluminum alloy
Tires: 265/60R18
