Foton first came to the Philippines in 2006 via the United Asia Automotive Group Inc. Its main goal was to manufacture its own line of commercial vehicles to be marketed locally and exported to the Asean region by making the Philippines its strategic export hub.
Five months ago, Foton Philippines unveiled its P1.2-billion assembly facility inside Clark Freeport Zone. Among the vehicles that the new facility will produce will be its big vans, including the Foton View Traveller.
Inquirer Motoring recently drove this van, which possesses the tallest interior space among locally available vans, yet felt surprisingly stable to drive even on twisty highways and slippery roads of Quezon and Laguna. A 5-foot 3-inch tall passenger was able to stand fully upright inside the vehicle.
Here are more observations.
The 2.8-liter turbocharged Cummins diesel engine offers the biggest surprise, giving the View Traveller unexpected hauling power and cruising speeds.
Despite the weight of the vehicle and the size of the engine, the View Traveller gets a respectable 9 kilometers per liter on combined highway and city runs carrying up to eight persons.
The high ceiling clearance provides passengers one of the roomiest vertical spaces allowable for Class 1 vans, although the high roof of the van restricts its entry from virtually all carpark buildings.
The cockpit controls are easy enough to understand, and Foton’s effort at providing a touchscreen monitor (albeit not as sophisticated as those found in higher-priced SUVs) at the center console is much appreciated.
Using nonleather fabric on all seats is laudable. Apart from being the more humane alternative to leather or animal hide, using nonleather material retains less heat when exposed to the sun for prolonged periods.
The placement of the manual gearshifter beside the steering wheel provides more luggage or legspace between the driver and front seat passenger.
The rear seat configuration makes it easier for passengers to settle onto their seats. The seat adjustments could allow for a larger angle for recline, though.
On the outside, the View Traveller looks sophisticated enough for a celebrity to use, and the continuous windows enhance the elegant design. For the convenience of passengers, however, there could be a smaller inset window that could be slid open or close.
The frame of the side-view mirrors are also non-adjustable, which could be a problem should the van enter narrow streets, or Filipino-sized garages that require the side-view mirrors to be folded.
For the View Traveller design, we give it a 9 out of 10 for the elegant look fit for a VIP. For the engine performance, ride comfort and fuel efficiency, we give this van an 8.5 of 10. For the interior amenities and legroom (plus headroom), this van gets a 9 of 10.
Overall, the View Traveller gets an 8.5 out of 10, a 9 if those side view mirror frames can finally be folded so we can fit this in our garage. Tessa R. Salazar
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