FOTON’s Tunland pickup has been named Bakkie of the Year in South Africa — one of the most closely watched pickup awards in Africa. The result was announced by FOTON’s own global channel in November 2024.
Why a South African award matters beyond South Africa
“Bakkie” is the South African word for pickup, and the South African market is one of the toughest in the world for them: buyers there compare load capacity, gravel-road durability and resale value against established Japanese and American nameplates, and they punish anything that cannot take a working life of abuse. An award decided in that market is a stronger signal than a launch event, because it is a judgement about the vehicle rather than about the marketing.
For importers in neighbouring markets the practical consequence is simple: it is evidence you can cite. When a dealer in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana or Namibia is asked why they stock Tunland rather than another Chinese pickup, “it won Bakkie of the Year in South Africa” answers the question in one line.
Which Tunland the award covers
The Tunland range sold in Southern Africa is the double-cab diesel line-up that this site exports: the Tunland G7 as the volume workhorse (120 kW / 415 N·m, 23 orderable export configurations), the Tunland V as the premium 4×4 double cab (17 configurations), and the G9 as the flagship. All are available in right-hand drive, produced that way at the factory rather than converted afterwards — which is the only form that can be registered in South Africa and most of its neighbours.
What it changes for a buyer
Nothing about the vehicle, and a useful amount about the conversation. Awards of this kind are usually the cheapest resale support a dealer can get: they shorten the explanation, they support the asking price, and they make the first service conversation easier. If you are ordering for a Southern African dealer, it is worth asking us for the award reference so that it can go on the showroom material.