Name: Carlos Alberto Mendoza Torres

Age: 42 years old

From: Chimbote, Ancash – Peru

Experience: 19 years driving heavy trucks, mainly Lima – Huancayo – Huánuco – Pucallpa and sometimes to Cusco and Arequipa routes.

Why I Chose the Auman Galaxy EST-U 560 HP

In Peru, the mountains don’t forgive weak trucks. Before this one, I had a 2018 European brand (I won’t name it), nice cab, but every time I loaded 48–50 tons and faced the Ticlio pass (4,818 m), the engine was screaming and I was losing time and money.

Last year a colleague from Trujillo showed me his new Auman Galaxy EST-U 6x4 with the Cummins X13 560 HP and ZF TraXon 12-speed AMT. He told me: “Carlos, this Chinese truck climbs like a mule but with air conditioning and automatic transmission!” I laughed… until I drove it. Two weeks later I ordered mine directly from a dealer from China.

Power That Actually Delivers in the Andes

560 HP and 2,600 N·m of torque sound like marketing until you’re fully loaded on the Carretera Central climbing from La Oroya to Ticlio. Where my old truck needed to drop to 4th gear at 25 km/h, the Auman stays in 9th or 10th gear at 45–50 km/h without drama. The engine brake (490 HP) is incredibly strong – I barely touch the service brakes coming down.

“On the route Lima – Huancayo (300 km, 3,800 m altitude), I saved almost 1 hour and 40 liters of diesel compared to my previous truck. Real numbers from my GPS and fuel cards.”

Comfort for Long Peruvian Routes

The high-roof cabin is huge – I’m 1.85 m and I can stand up completely. The seat has air suspension and massage function (yes, really!). The ZF automatic changes gears so smoothly that I forgot I’m not driving a tourist bus. At night on the desert stretch to Ica, the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist actually work well on our not-so-perfect highways.

Fuel Consumption & Maintenance So Far

• Average consumption (loaded): 34–36 liters/100 km in mountain routes

• Empty return: 23–25 liters/100 km

• First 80,000 km: only regular service (oil, filters). No major problems.

• Spare parts are cheap and available in Lima and Arequipa now.

Final Verdict After 108,000 km in 8 Months

For the price I paid (around USD 118,000 with all taxes in Peru), this Foton Auman Galaxy EST-U 560 HP is simply the best heavy truck I’ve ever owned. It’s not a Scania or Volvo in finish details, but in power, reliability, and especially in the mountains of Peru, it beats them without spending double the money.

If you haul heavy loads in the Andes, stop thinking so much – this truck is a beast.

★★★★★

Carlos Mendoza – Chimbote, Peru

December 2025