Foton Gratour iM6 introduced at PIMS 2018

MANILA: It has been raining cars recently. This time around, joining the festive season at the PIMS 2018 is Foton. The Chinese automaker that is a subsidiary unit of the BAIC Group has launched a 7-seater MPV that will supposedly take on the likes of Toyota Innova and others in the segment. The not so large 7-seater comes with the title of 2019 Foton Gratour iM6. Pricing, however, has not been revealed yet.

The Foton iM6 might not be as attractive or compelling like the Toyota Innova, but it doesn’t look any worse either. It’s somewhere in the middle. There is a big multi-slat front grille that sits between upswept projector-style headlamps with turn indicators embedded in them. There are thin and horizontal foglamps as well on the front bumper.

Inside, you will find a 10.1-inch touchscreen unit that comes with AM/FM Radio, Bluetooth, USB, and SD Card connectivity. The steering wheel has got audio and telephone control buttons mounted on it. Keyless entry and power adjusted ORVMs also make their way to the 2019 Gratour iM6. The 3-row seating is wrapped in leather.

At the rear, there is a large back window and a pair of huge wrap-around taillights. There is also a stop-light equipped spoiler. The wheels in the MPV are 15-inch alloys with 195/60 tires. In terms of dimensions, the latest offering by Foton measures 4700 mm in length, 1780 mm in width, and 1820 mm in height. The wheelbase and ground clearance measure at 2760 mm and 168 mm, respectively.

Powering the mid-size 7-seater is a 1.5-litre turbocharged inline 4-cylinder mill that can make 144 PS of max power and a peak torque of 150 Nm. Power is delivered to the wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. Absorbing all the bumps and undulations are MacPherson struts at the front and a five-link non-independent suspension at the back. The 2019 Gratour iM6 comes with a wide array of safety features that include dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, an over-speed alarm, and parking sensors along with a reverse parking camera.