Here is the CNN Philippines review of the SUV version. It shares frame etc with Tunland just like Fortuner shares with Revo.
"The seating position is also good, with sufficient adjustment to the driver's seat and the steering wheel. Big mirrors and a large glass area contribute to excellent all-around visibility.
Everything inside, however, still feels a bit cheap and flimsy. Indeed, a 10-year-old Toyota Fortuner feels better-made and has nicer plastics and fabrics.
Horrid driving dynamics
From here, things go downhill very quickly the moment you turn the key.
One of Toplander's main selling points is its 2.8-liter, single-cam, 16-valve, common-rail-direct-injection, inline-4 turbodiesel made by American engine manufacturer Cummins. On paper, the figures look very enticing: 160 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque.
Sadly, while modern turbodiesels are refined and pull strongly to the redline, this engine didn't get the memo. It feels more like a diesel from the pages of history with lots of clatter and a powerband that runs out of puff at 3,500 RPM.
Unusually for a midsize SUV, all this performance is coursed through a 5-speed manual with no automatic gearbox available. Now I don't mind driving stick as I've only owned manual cars, but I do mind that this transmission has an imprecise gear change.
Something unusual I noticed in my drive was that every time I tried to shift from third to second gear, there was an unpleasant crunch. I can only hope that this is an issue isolated to this particular test unit.
But even more worrying are the weak brakes, which are operated by a very mushy pedal. You really should plan ahead if you want to stop where you want to stop. And if you want to turn the SUV, put your arms into it because the steering manages to be quite heavy yet offer very little feedback."
