If you are buying a pickup for a European market, the first gate is not capability or price — it is emission standard and type approval. Get those wrong and the vehicle cannot be registered at any price. That is what makes this listing worth a look: the Foton Tunland V7 4x4 ZF automatic pickup is supplied to Euro VI in left-hand drive for Bosnia and Herzegovina, listed at USD 23,495 with FOB terms quoted at USD 21,500. It pairs a 120 kW, 415 N·m turbo-diesel with a ZF eight-speed automatic. This is how we would evaluate it for construction hauling, farm transport and off-road work — and the three things to confirm before signing.

Euro VI and homologation: the gate you must pass first

The record states Euro VI, which is the standard required for new light commercial registrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across Europe, so no emissions-related conversion or import barrier applies on that front. It is also left-hand drive, correct for the market.

Do not stop there. You will still need local type-approval or individual vehicle approval, and that is paperwork, not specification. Send the seller the requirements of your registration authority and have them confirm which homologation documents are available to support the process, because a Euro VI engine does not by itself produce a registration certificate.

One labelling inconsistency to flag early: the specification calls this the V7 model identifier, while the marketing copy on the same record refers to a "TUNLAND P4". The announcement number is BJ1037V2MAV-8S. Make sure the model designation on your purchase documents, your homologation paperwork and your insurance all match, because mismatched documentation is a classic cause of registration delay.

Payload: about 770 kg, and the axle ratings that matter

Gross vehicle weight is 3,055 kg and kerb weight is 2,285 kg, giving roughly 770 kg of payload — and that figure includes the driver, passengers and fuel. Five adults plus a full 76-litre tank leave noticeably less for cargo, so be realistic: this is a vehicle for tools, feed, equipment and supervision runs, not for bulk material.

This record, usefully, publishes the axle ratings. Front axle load capacity is 1,410 kg and the rear axle is rated at 1,860 kg. Those numbers tell you how to load: dense weight over or just ahead of the rear axle is within design; the same weight pushed forward against the cab risks exceeding the front rating. For regular sand, gravel or pallet work a light truck serves you better — the seller says the same in its own FAQ, and we agree.

"About 770 kg including crew and fuel, with the rear axle rated at 1,860 kg. Tools and equipment, yes — bulk material, no."

The cargo box is 1,577 mm long, 1,650 mm wide and 530 mm deep — 90 mm deeper than the 440 mm boxes on the shorter Tunlands, which helps with awkward loads. No bedliner is listed on this record, so budget for one if you carry anything abrasive.

Engine, 48V suffix and the ZF eight-speed

The engine is the 4F20TC17-48V, built by Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. at the Beijing Foton Engine Plant — a 1,968 cc turbo-diesel producing 120 kW and 415 N·m. That torque figure is the strongest in the Tunland range we have reviewed, and it is what makes a 2.0-litre engine credible in a vehicle rated at 3,055 kg.

Note the 48V suffix in the engine code. This record does not explain what that system does, so we will not describe it — ask the seller to state whether it is a mild-hybrid system, what it powers, and what it means for servicing and diagnostics. On a European fleet that question has warranty and workshop-training implications.

The gearbox is a ZF eight-speed automatic — eight closely spaced ratios that keep the engine inside its 415 N·m band on loose or steep ground, with a torque converter that allows smoother, more controlled crawling than a manual clutch. That protects the driveline when towing or climbing rutted tracks, and it removes clutch wear from stop-start site work entirely. The 3.9 final drive is recorded here, unlike on several sibling specifications, which is one more thing in this record's favour.

Suspension, brakes and the honest limit off-road

Suspension is double wishbone independent at the front and leaf spring non-independent at the rear. That is a work-oriented choice rather than a comfort one: leaf springs locate the axle better under load and tolerate being worked at the limit, at the cost of a firmer ride when the bed is empty. Given the 770 kg payload, that is the right trade.

Braking is properly specified: front and rear disc brakes with ESP/ESC — a meaningful step up from the front-disc, rear-drum setups on cheaper models, and what you want on a loaded mountain descent. Tyres are 265/70R18, four plus one. The 70-profile sidewall is the sensible choice for site and farm tracks, though for deep sand or rock the seller is right that tyre choice matters more than the gearbox.

"Front and rear discs with ESC and a 3.9 final drive — this record publishes the numbers most sibling specifications quietly omit."

Cab and equipment

Interior trim is black-brown, in a double cab seating five. The driver's seat is electric eight-way with heating and the co-driver's is electric six-way with heating — a better passenger seat than most pickups in this class. Air conditioning is dual-zone automatic with integrated cooling and heating, multimedia is a 14.6-inch MP5 screen, and the steering wheel is an imitation-leather multifunction bus unit. Externally there is a black high-gloss grille and a P4 rear bumper.

For a European operator, that equipment list changes the competitive set. Heated eight- and six-way seats, dual-zone climate control and a large screen are the items buyers cross-shop against a mid-spec European or Japanese double cab — and at this price the gap is substantial. The counterweight is the one every fleet buyer knows: dealer coverage, parts logistics and residual value are where established brands still earn their premium, and no specification sheet can answer for them.

Money, and what this record does not say

At USD 23,495 list with FOB from USD 21,500, the headline gap against an established European or Japanese rival is real. Model the true comparison, though: FOB excludes freight, insurance, port handling, duty, VAT and registration, and you should also price in homologation work and the servicing arrangement you will need for a brand with thinner local coverage.

Dimensions vary in this record and you should confirm which applies to the unit you are buying: overall width is given as 2,000 or 2,090 mm and height as 1,910 or 1,955 mm, against a fixed 5,617 mm length. Width above 2.1 metres changes which bays, gates and lanes you can use.

Also absent, and worth asking for: fuel consumption and range, service intervals, warranty terms, ground clearance, approach and departure angles, turning circle, towing capacity, and what the 48V system actually does. Everything above comes from the specification record for the Tunland V7 4x4 ZF automatic pickup and nothing else.

Questions buyers ask before signing

How much can the Tunland V7 really carry?

With a 3,055 kg GVW and 2,285 kg kerb weight, the V7 gives roughly 770 kg of payload including driver, passengers and fuel, so five adults plus a full 76-litre tank leave noticeably less for cargo. The 1,577 mm box suits tools, feed and equipment rather than bulk materials. For regular sand, gravel or pallet work a light truck serves you better; for supervision and farm support runs the pickup is right.

Is Euro VI enough to register in Bosnia?

The V7 is supplied to Euro VI in left-hand drive, the standard required for new light commercial registrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across Europe, so no emissions-related conversion or import barrier applies. You will still need local type-approval or individual vehicle approval. Send the seller the requirements of your registration authority and have them confirm which homologation documents are available to support the process.

Is the ZF eight-speed automatic good off-road?

Yes. Eight closely spaced ratios keep the 2.0-litre engine inside its 415 N·m band on loose or steep ground, and the torque converter allows smoother, more controlled crawling than a manual clutch, which protects the driveline when towing or climbing rutted tracks. With selectable 4x4, front double-wishbone independent suspension, ESP/ESC and 265/70R18 tyres it is confident on site and farm tracks, though tyre choice matters more than the gearbox in deep sand or rock.