Dongfeng Car Review: Rugged Pickup for Off-Road Exploration

Dongfeng car engineering starts with real users and real terrain; in this review we speak as the manufacturer behind the Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 to show how it meets work and adventure in one pickup.

Why the Dongfeng Car Z9 Matters for Real Users

We built the Z9 for a new generation of off-roaders who also run businesses and projects. Many customers split their weeks between farms, forestry, or construction sites and their weekends between overlanding, long road trips, and camping. They need a practical truck that does heavy lifting and still makes travel easy. The pain points are clear: true durability, confident towing, safe cabins, and smart tech that simplifies long days.

The Z9 answers those needs with professional-grade validation and thoughtful utility. A dedicated proving-ground program covered the equivalent of 2 million kilometers of structural durability checks, so the chassis and body keep their shape under repeated load. Users who tow camping trailers or work equipment will appreciate the flexibility; this is an off-road pickup for camping trailers and for weekday hauling without compromise.

• Broad user fit: farmers, forestry, fishery, construction, small-business owners, overlanding and touring
• One vehicle for weekday work and weekend exploration
• Manufacturer-validated durability for long service life

How Engineering Powers Off-Road Freedom in Dongfeng Car

Freedom off road comes from traction, geometry, and calm control. We specify hard-core hardware so you can climb, ford, and maneuver with confidence. An Eaton differential lock adds grip when surfaces split. Tank-turn assists tight pivots in constrained trails. Crawl mode helps you place the truck over rocks and ruts without drama. Together, these features keep momentum controlled and predictable.

In demanding terrain, the Z9's fundamentals show. It handles a maximum 100% grade and fords water deeper than 800 mm. Ground clearance reaches 240 mm, with suspension travel ranked among the top three in class. Towing capacity exceeds 3.5 tons, so moving gear or a trailer is straightforward. Steering precision matters on both trails and tarmac; our “three parts suspension, seven parts tuning” philosophy is led by a professional team that spent three years refining response and comfort to deliver high-end ride quality.

• Eaton diff lock, tank-turn, and crawl mode for technical trails
• 100% max grade, >800 mm wading, 240 mm clearance, top-tier suspension travel
• >3.5 t towing for trailers and equipment
• Nissan-standard tuning across 137 objective metrics; D-EPS electric power steering
• 0.16 s steering response, 1,650 mm wide track for stability and passenger-car-like control

These numbers translate to confidence when you tow a caravan into a remote campsite or carry tools to a hillside jobsite. It is also a heavy-duty pickup for farm and construction, but one that stays quiet and composed on long highway stretches.

Safety, Space, and Smart Tech: the Dongfeng Car Advantage

Safety starts with structure. The Z9 employs a five-star collision-target body with a class-leading frame: 97% high-strength steel in the frame and a 190 mm frame-rail section height for stiffness. The passenger body uses 70% high-strength steel, including 1,500 MPa steel in the cab, and achieves 20,000 N·m/deg torsional rigidity. This reduces twist on rough roads and helps the cabin maintain protective integrity. Six airbags come standard - front, side, and a one-piece side curtain covering both rows - bringing passenger-car safety thinking to a pickup.

Lighting and vision support the driver in poor conditions. The headlights are the widest, farthest, and brightest in class and add an ultra low-beam mode for close-range clarity. For tight sites, a 540° panoramic view system makes surroundings visible, and every trim in the lineup includes EPB and Auto Hold as standard to reduce fatigue in traffic or on slopes.

Inside, long days feel simpler. A 12.8-inch central display anchors multi-screen linkage for maps and vehicle data. The cabin is flexible: seven second-row configurations, 28 storage locations across the vehicle, and up to 970 L of flat cargo space. Rear seating offers up to 0.87 m² of space with a large door opening angle, plus a 90° second-row design that eases loading bulky items. An opening panoramic sunroof brightens the cabin on long tours.

• Five-star safety target body; 97% high-strength-steel frame
• 70% body high-strength steel; 1,500 MPa cab steel; 20,000 N·m/deg torsional rigidity
• Six airbags (front, side, full-length curtain)
• Extra-wide, long-throw headlights with ultra low-beam mode
• 540° surround view, EPB + Auto Hold standard across the lineup
• 12.8” display with multi-screen linkage; flexible second row; 970 L flat cargo; panoramic sunroof

Call to Action: If you're ready to bridge weekday work with weekend adventure, book a test drive of the Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 at your nearest Dongfeng car retailer today. Ask for towing and off-road demos to experience the diff lock, crawl mode, and panoramic visibility on a controlled course. For fleet or small-business buyers, request a tailored quote that includes safety and durability documentation from our 2-million-kilometer program.