Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour

Upon entering the Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour, you will definitely admire its luxurious interior design. There are only a few hard plastics inside the MPV. Its light gray leather seats with gold piping offer supportive cushioning to ensure that you and your family are relaxed all throughout the trip. Drivers of the higher variant have a 10-way power seat with lumbar adjustment as well as a massage function for elevated comfort. Both the driver and front passenger’s seats inside the higher variant have heating and cooling functions and adjustable winged headrests that provide great ergonomics. 

This MPV comes with a premium cockpit that offers a 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster, a leather-wrapped multifunctional steering wheel, and an electronic gear shift with manual mode. Aside from these, it is also equipped with a 10.25-inch LCD infotainment display that has an Android and IOS-compatible Carbit link, Bluetooth system, and 1 USB external source with charging function at the front. It is linked to a 6-speaker audio system (4-speaker setup as standard). 

Sadly, the infotainment system lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto–the same issue in the Dongfeng Forthing Friday. But, overall, the U-Tour’s cabin offers a great balance of luxurious comfort and convenience.

The Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour showcases a sophisticated appearance with a little hint of aggression coming from its front fascia. Its facade looks very similar to the 1st-gen Lexus LM’s. Its grille is reminiscent of the latter’s spindle-like grille in the early 2020s. At the front, it sports automatic LED headlamps and DRLs as well as the brand’s lighted ‘Atmosphere’ logo on its grille. 

Walking around this vehicle at night is enjoyable because its side view mirrors emit the Forthing lion logo as a welcome lighting. Meanwhile, at the back, it has a through type LED taillamp, which adopted a strip shape similar to the taillamps of other modern vehicles. 

The Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour line is 4,850 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, and 1,715 mm in height. It has a 2,900 mm wheelbase. The higher variant, Noble, runs on 18-inch 3-toned alloy wheels, while the lower variant, Lux, runs on the 2-toned counterparts.

The Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour utilizes a combination of a MacPherson Independent Suspension at the front and a Trailing-Arm Torsion Beam Suspension with Coil Spring at the rear. Its chassis is equipped with three intelligent EPS modes: Cosy, Standard, and Sport. Hence, this has above average road dynamism for an MPV. Although, its absorption of bumps and other road imperfections can still be improved moving forward. Overall, this MPV is comfortable to drive and light to maneuver. 

The Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour line is powered by a 1.5L Turbocharged engine that produces a maximum power output of 197 PS and a maximum torque of 285 Nm. It runs on 7-speed dual clutch transmission (wet type) and offers three drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. It has a front-wheel drive configuration.

It is important to emphasize that this MPV is not a performance car in any way. Hence, its power delivery is just enough to ensure that you and your family will arrive at your destination efficiently. If needed, this MPV still has the ability to overtake or accelerate quickly. Fuel consumptions considered, both variants are feasible daily vehicles in the city. Similar to the Forthing Friday, it also has great NVH suppression. Consequently, you and everyone on board can enjoy a quiet and relaxing drive with this MPV. 

The Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour is equipped with standard safety and security features. However, only its Noble variant comes with various advanced driver assistance systems such as warning systems for forward collision, lane departure, and door opening, blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, and intelligent high beam control.

This MPV utilizes ventilated discs for front braking and solid discs for rear braking. Its braking setup is equipped with an auto brake hold and comes with an electronic parking brake.

The Dongfeng Forthing U-Tour definitely deserves attention. Features-wise, it is packed and well-equipped for a 7-seater MPV. It also offers a luxurious cabin that exudes a premium feeling that you won’t get from other MPVs within its price range. However, in terms of affordability, it is at a disadvantage compared to other locally-available MPVs like the Toyota Avanza and the Suzuki Ertiga. Hence, in our opinion, it can be a more competitive choice among consumers if its pricing is adjusted moving forward.