2024 VinFast VF 8

The VinFast VF 8 is one of many new EVs from up-and-coming automakers. This Vietnamese SUV has a stylish design, an outstanding warranty, and quick acceleration from its dual-motor powertrain. Unfortunately, that’s about where its virtues end. The VF 8 has been plagued with general quality problems and complaints of poor ride quality, and its range lags behind its top rivals. Most drivers in the market for an electric SUV should shop around before settling on the VinFast VF 8.

The VF 8 challenges America’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y, and other SUVs like it, including the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of Electric SUVs, including the VinFast VF 8 (briefly).

The shorter-range City Edition models that were part of the VF 8’s debut for the 2023 model year have been dropped for 2024.

The pricing of the VF 8 is pretty similar to the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach E, and it’s more affordable than luxury EVs like the Mercedes-EQ EQE SUV and the BMW iX.

Before buying a VF 8, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Since it’s still a new model, it’s too early to predict the resale value of the VinFast VF 8.

The VinFast VF 8 is powered by a 349-horsepower electric powertrain matched with all-wheel drive. That’s the powertrain in the base Eco trim. The Plus trim has an output of 402 horsepower.

We’ve only driven a pre-production model of the VF 8, and only very briefly, in Vietnam. It was quick and quiet, similar to other EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E. But we didn’t get enough time behind the wheel to give a complete evaluation.

However, reviews from other outlets that have thoroughly tested production VF 8 models are unanimously negative. Some of our colleagues in the automotive press have said the VF 8 has “the worst body control of any modern car” they’ve tested and called this SUV “terrible, especially when you put the VF 8 in Sport mode, and the steering becomes so overboosted that it’s borderline uncontrollable.”

It’s rare to see such universally negative reviews of any modern car, making the VF 8 hard for us to recommend over its terrific competition.

The VF 8 has a clean interior design so minimalist that it doesn’t have an instrument cluster in front of the driver. This might take some getting used to, but many generations of Prius drivers did just that. The center stack carries a sizeable 15.6-inch touchscreen and gear shift buttons for an uncluttered look. Overall, the VF 8’s passenger cabin features materials and design commensurate with the vehicle’s price tag.

Some reviewers who have tested the production VF 8 have complained that some essential functions in the interior simply didn’t work. There are reports of turn signals, driver assist features, climate control, and the navigation system being so buggy you can’t use them and sometimes not working at all.

Cargo space is limited in the VF 8. It has 13.2 cubic feet of room behind the back seats and a 2.7-cubic-foot “frunk.” That’s significantly less cargo room than the similarly sized Ford Mustang Mach E and Tesla Model Y, which have more than double the cargo room in the back.

With its prominent V on the nose and V-shaped front sculpting, the VF 8 is immediately identifiable as a VinFast when viewed head-on. The body was designed by Pininfarina, which has a history of designing gorgeous bodies for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and others. There’s a hint of Italian heritage in the design of the VF 8, despite being a Vietnamese car.

Standard dual-motor powertrain
Like the Tesla Model Y, every variant of the VinFast VF 8 has a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain. It has an impressive 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds and makes up to 402 horsepower.

Front trunk
Although the VinFast VF 8 has a front motor, it still has room for a front trunk, or frunk, under its hood.

Pininfarina design
The body of the VF 8 was designed by the legendary Italian design firm Pininfarina. It gives an exotic edge to this practical electric SUV.

Vegan leather seats
The cabin of the VF 8 has premium materials like vegan leather seating, and the customizable ambient lighting adds to the upscale feel.

15.6-inch screen
The high-tech infotainment system in this SUV has a 15.6-inch screen, an AI-powered voice assistant, over-the-air updates, and a Companion app that links to your phone.

Highway Assist
The Highway Assist feature uses semi-autonomous driving technology with features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist to make highway driving safer and more relaxed.

The range estimates for the VinFast VF 8 are just OK for a dual-motor electric SUV. The Eco model gets a 264-mile range, and the Plus trim gets 243 miles of range. The Telsa Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach E, and Chevy Blazer EV have maximum range estimates of over 300 miles.

VinFast claims the VF 8 can charge from 10% to 70% in as little as 31 minutes with DC fast charging. Third-party testing shows that it takes about nine hours to give the battery in the VF 8 a full charge with Level 2 charging at home.

VinFast offers a choice of a free home charger plus $1,000 credit for installation or three years of unlimited charging on affiliated public networks.

Both trims of the VinFast VF 8 use an 87.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack.

The EPA has only published efficiency ratings for the now-discontinued City Edition of the VF 8, which used a smaller battery pack. Their ratings of 87 MPGe for the Eco model and 80 MPGe for the Plus trim are unimpressive compared to rivals. They still have low estimated fuel costs of about $66/month for the Eco and $75/month for the Plus, but most competitors use electrons more efficiently, making them cheaper to run.

10-Year/125,000-Mile Warranty

An impressive 10-year/125,000-mile warranty backs the VinFast VF 8. According to VinFast, mobile techs can perform most services at your home.

Safety

The VinFast VF 8 is well-equipped with standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Check the websites of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the latest safety ratings. As of this writing, neither has crash-tested the VinFast VF 8.