First Drive: Midsized VinFast VF8 Electric SUV May Be Smart to Lease, But Not to Buy
The Vietnamese automaker rushed to the U.S. market with a luxury-inspired EV crossover—and it shows
VinFast is the latest automaker to enter the U.S. market with ambitious plans. Started in 2017, this young Vietnamese company has been selling models overseas for a few short years. Now, it has introduced its stateside products: the VF8 two-row midsized SUV, followed by the VF9 three-row midsized SUV.
Who Is VinFast?
VinFast is part of a major conglomerate that has divisions focused on AI, healthcare, real estate, tourism, and education—each with “Vin” in the name. These include VinAI, VinBrain, VinBus, VinCom, VinHomes, and VinUniversity.
Initial showrooms have been focused on California, with service centers sprinkled mostly along the coasts. VinFast expects to soon sell in a dozen states, including Connecticut, home to our Auto Test Center.
Its first model on sale, the VF8, is an attractive crossover styled by famed Italian design house Pininfarina, whose work has shaped Ferraris and sporadic models from other brands for decades. The exterior is so at home with the current crop of competitors (looking much like the Mercedes-Benz GLC) that it fails to distinguish itself in the manner of more distinctive startups Fisker, Lucid, and Rivian. The interior draws clear, and admitted, inspiration from BMWs. The net effect is a fresh contender that fits right into the market without visually standing out.
Launching a new automotive company is a massive, high-stakes undertaking. Only a few introduced in the past 50 years have endured, with Tesla being the most notable. Others have sold cars for less than a decade or have bowed out, like Fisker.
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
Driving the First VinFast EV Offered in the U.S.
The VF8 is offered initially in two configurations: Eco ($46,000) and Plus ($51,800).
The Eco has 348 hp and a 264-mile EPA-certified electric range, whereas the Plus has 402 hp and a 243-mile range. The company claims the VF8 can be charged from 10 to 70 percent in 31 minutes on a DC fast charger.
The company prides itself on rapid vehicle development, aiming to outpace legacy automakers with just two- to three-year timelines from design to production. That is quite ambitious, when established corporations take about twice that time. Legacy automakers also benefit from deep knowledge bases for all manner of benchmarks, from vehicle dynamics and safety equipment to small things like appropriate door weight, steering resistance, and feel for controls.
Ultimately, this is a key part of the story: It is clear from the VF8 that we rented from the automaker that a slower pace might have allowed more refinement.
Members can now read our initial assessment of the VF8.
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What we rented: 2024 VinFast VF8 Plus AWD
Powertrain: 402-hp, dual electric motors; 87.7-kWh battery; 1-speed direct drive; all-wheel drive
MSRP: $51,800
Options: VinFast Blue paint ($990), Saddle Brown interior ($990), floor mats ($125)
Destination fee: $1,200
Total cost: $55,105
