Being tough, reliable, powerful and rugged are just some of the qualities that men should possess, and nothing says macho better than driving a pickup truck.

I have noticed, though, that pick-up trucks have been changing, much like a man’s transition from a testosterone-driven teen to a modern gentleman. The Nissan Navara, for example, has a six-speed transmission, a huge comfortable interior, and it drives like a car. The Ford has the Ranger; Isuzu, its best-selling D-Max truck. While all are truly macho-machines, they have something that their old-school ancestors don’t have: advance technology.

Manufacturers have been aggressively putting their best tech into trucks in their bid to offer the bigger, better deal—and who are we to complain? Although there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, vehicles must keep evolving. It’s a law both of economics and nature.

A Blizzard 4x4 pick-up lent by Foton Motors Philippines showed me, however, that good things can also come from going back to basics as the Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer has done.

Keeping it old-school

At first glance, the Blizzard looks like a reincarnation of the Isuzu Fuego. It has a solid stance and boxy appeal reminiscent of standard pickup trucks in the mid-’90s. Each door is built in the classic style, similar to Fuego and Nissan Frontier claddings. The height of the Blizzard is what I liked most. It has 1,730 mm of height that suits most old-school pickup users. But don’t worry, its technology isn’t stuck in a time-warp.

The Blizzard offers a new one-touch/push-on-the-fly button to shift into four-wheel drive. For extra interior features, the Blizzard comes with a CD/MP3-ready, USB connectivity, SD card reader with four speakers and has a temperature indicator. A rear bumper sensor, side-mirror warning lights and its unique remote-controlled windows mean this is not your father’s old-pickup.

The multilens headlamps are a bit common, as are its fender lines. Foton made up for that with the chrome grill embedded on the front bumper, which gives the Blizzard that dominating truck presence. The Blizzard can comfortably seat five passengers and haul up to 1,000 kg of cargo on its truck bed.

Inside, the cabin highlights the same classic-styling, but somehow you feel the dominance of China-brand aesthetics. The wood detailing on the steering wheel is odd to look at, for example. So is the wooden knob on the stick shift. The dashboard looks plastic and the knobs on the air-conditioning controls seem to be a problem, especially when adjusting temperature.

Blizzard’s aircon is a blessing in this tropical country. You may wonder, however, why the temperature at level one is still as cold as when at full blast.

Underneath the hood lies a 4JB1T (Euro-II), 2.8-liter inline four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine with direct injection, which produces 105 hp and a decent torque of 202 Nm at 2,200 rpm. Good thing that Foton has decided to upgrade its Blizzard engine, and replace it with a turbo variant for a more better and efficient performance.

I was impressed at how the gears shifted smoothly, considering the transmission problems common in other China-made cars. This five-speed transmission handles politely on the road, especially in tough terrain. Though you’ll feel how heavy the acceleration is, but eventually becomes steady when the rpm reaches 3,000. Braking is not an issue; you’ll feel secure on the road.

Passengers aren’t in for a bouncy ride, thanks to its independent double wishbone with telescopic shocks and stabilizer in front, and leaf-spring suspension in the rear. And the vehicle drove firmly despite its low ground clearance.

While driving the Foton Blizzard Turbo 4x4, I discovered that pickup trucks can be as simple as this when luxury takes a backseat to practicality. Would I recommend it? Yes. Especially for businessmen who are willing to sacrifice beauty for practicality. The Blizzard is a good deal on a pickup truck with basic features, which will surely get the job done, and done well.

Specifications

Vehicle 2011 Foton Blizzard Turbo 4x4

Type Compact pickup

Engine 2.8-liter inline four-cylinder, turbo-diesel

Maximum power 105 hp at 3,600 rpm

Maximum torque 202 Nm at 2,200 rpm

Transmission Five-speed M/T

Dimensions

Length 5,160 mm

Width 1,750 mm

Height 1,730 mm

Wheelbase 3,025 mm

Wheel size and type 15-inch alloy

Tire size 225/75 R15

Fuel consumption as tested 13.6 km per liter

Price as tested P890,000