ELECTRIA: Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight is crushing stigma around pickup trucks

The local pickup truck segment is clearly dominated by more well-known brands mainly because the country’s buyers are more used to their potent diesel powertrains.

However, Changan Hunter entered the grounds determined to pin down rivals with a new-age approach.

During the course of the recent holidays, Zigwheels Philippines was able to check out what Changan Auto Philippines is offering to the market with the contemporary pickup truck’s 4x4 Knight option.

Here’s what we have learned about the vehicle during the test.

Powertrain

Fighting unorthodox, the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight is powered by electric motors (in all-wheel-drive format) mated to a battery that gets its juice from a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline fed engine (commonly known as range extender).

Other stories: ELECTRIA: Zigwheels PH top 10 EVs for 2025 First drive: Radar RD6 Econ ELECTRIA: VinFast VF 3 - When simplicity just works

Now before you throw jab about performance, check out its churn below:

Maximum output (in horsepower)	268
Peak torque (in Newton-meters)	470

You can see clearly that it is far from being underpowered.

Driven within the bounds of the urban jungle, the electrified model assured instantaneous oomph.

The Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight has a total of nine drive modes tat are accessible by adjusting the dial at the center console:

• Eco
• Comfort
• Sports
• Towing Custom
• Crawl
• Snow
• Mud
• Sand
• Off-road

During the test period, Zigwheels Philippines noticed that the engine runs during the drives on expressways. But even when the pedal was pressed a wee bit harder, the grunts never got louder. This means the mill woke up just to energize the battery and power the electric motors.

Additionally, the vehicle can also be charged via its regenerative braking system — extending those “smiles-per-liter” even more.

With its 70-liter tank full and 31.8-kilowatt-hour battery well-juiced up, the Changan has the capability to cover a range of 1,031 kilometers (180 kilometers in full EV mode based on China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle standards).  

Unlike the other electrified vehicles that have the tendency to bite stronger, the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight’s system is more refined and lets the tires roll further — leading to more roads getting covered.

Ride comfort

Apart from good acceleration, the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight arrested the famous issue of diesel-powered vehicles: engine noise and vibration.

Drivers and occupants would not be able to tell the difference if the vehicle already runs or not upon sitting inside the vehicle since it does not emit vibrations and noise that most of us are familiar with when inside a typical pickup truck.

Complementing the said advantage is its suspension system made up of double wishbone for the front and multi-link-type for the rear — contrary to leaf springs that most pickup trucks are usually fitted with.

Amenities

Step inside the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight’s cabin and you will find a myriad of creature comforts that will help you enjoy the pickup truck more. Among them are:

• Dual digital screens (7.5-inch instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity)
• Eight speakers
• Electronically-adjustable seats for front occupants
• One-touch up and down windows
• Mobile device charging points (12-volt socket, Type A, and wireless charging pad)
• Keyless entry and exit
• Engine immobilizer
• Remote start

Other thoughtful appointments that can be found in the vehicle are the large cup holders as well as the extra mobile phone holder in between the driver and front passenger beverage carriers.

However, there are some slight quirks that Changan needed to attend to in the Hunter 4x4 Knight.

We find the Type A and wireless charging a bit slow in juicing up mobile devices. The placing of another charging port at the bottom of the center console (accessible to rear passengers) might need a cover as dust and liquids might find their way there.

Meanwhile, the bed of the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight houses a pair of high-voltage sockets to better support its vehicle-to-load function. Buyers of this trim need not to worry about it getting drenched in rainwater as apart from its own cover, the vehicle has an accordion-type bed protection that runs all the way to the tailgate.

Further, easy ingress and egress in the bed is guaranteed, thanks to the accessible ladder hidden within the tailgate.

Contemporary aesthetics

While all the abovementioned items could already convert pickup truck purists, the younger market could also be blown away with its exterior aesthetics.

Up front, the burly beast boasts sharp-looking parts that come in the form of T-shape illumination and mesh-type body-colored grille. Its lower part is where the two small yet powerful fog lamps with quadrilateral-shaped plastic housings.

While it has a crossover-like silhouette (sans the bed), the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight has true-blue pickup truck portions that come in the form of black plastic wheel arches, step boards, and a sports bar with two small repeaters. The functioning roof rails are a major plus for those who want to carry more luggage.

For its rear, the vehicle has a third brake lamp that is unconventionally-outfitted on its roof instead of being on the sport bar itself nor inside the vehicle. Making it more worthy to be driven daily is its set of 18-inch gloss black wheels wrapped in radial tires.

Dimensions

On paper, the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight tapes in at:

Overall dimensions (length, width, height; in millimeters [mm>)	5,380 x 1,930 x 1,875
Wheelbase (in mm)	3,180
Payload rating (in kilograms)	495
Towing capacity (in tons)	2.5

The aforementioned numbers guarantee ample leg- and headroom to those who are a little over six feet.

Safety/driver assistive features

The Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight is also equipped with the following safety features such as:

• Lateral stability control
• Traction control system
• Brake assist
• Hill hold and hill descent control
• Emergency brake warning
• Trailer swing control
• Electronic stability control
• Electronic parking brake
• Electronic throttle control
• Rear parking sensors
• Collision automatic fuel cut-off
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Seatbelt warning system

Its host of driver assistive technologies are:

• Lane departure warning system
• Cruise control system
• 360-degree view dashboard camera
• 540-degree view camera

Verdict

As the name suggests, the Changan Hunter is ready to take names in the local pickup truck market.

It drives like a decent crossover, has more than sufficient creature comforts, and is priced less than the P2-million mark (which usually is the price range for the lower to upper middle variants of its competitors) — all these without sacrificing its utilitarian character.

At the time of posting, the model’s 4x4 Knight trim is priced at P1.97 million.

Want to have a Changan Hunter in your garage? Better have a look at the Zigwheels Philippines-exclusive promo for the vehicle first.

Here’s what some members of the Zigwheels Philippines team have to say about the Changan Hunter 4x4 Knight posted on our YouTube channel.

Also read:

BYD Shark 6 DMO vs. Changan Nevo Hunter REEV

9th PIMS: Changan PH previews Hunter REEV

Changan Hunter REEV to be retailed in PH soon?

Connect with us through our various social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZigWheelsPhilippines

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zigwheelsph/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zigwheels

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZigWheelsPhilippines/