After we first drove the VinFast VF8, we weren’t impressed. Our headline stated it was “merely not prepared for America,” and the criticism solely obtained worse from there. VinFast clearly rushed the event course of and didn’t have a remotely aggressive product to supply. Supposedly, the Vietnamese automaker deliberate to enhance the VF8 over time, so it needs to be higher now than it was initially. Primarily based on Client Stories’ latest expertise, nonetheless, the VinFast VF8 remains to be half-baked, uncompetitive and likewise possibly price leasing should you’re into that type of factor.
To be clear, Client Stories didn’t hate the whole lot in regards to the VF8. Actually, it favored the styling, spacious cabin and lengthy guarantee. The checklist of complaints, alternatively, is for much longer, although, together with the facility supply, brakes, regenerative braking programming, journey, steering and suspension tuning. And whereas it might appear like it could possibly run with the electrical crossovers provided by the competitors, Client Stories isn’t assured the inside supplies will maintain up.
Testers additionally plan to regulate seat consolation, how the rear seats fold, extreme highway noise, the precise performance of the cargo space, the controls, the infotainment system and the motive force help options. Software program can finally be up to date and will hypothetically get higher, however there isn’t a lot that may be accomplished earlier than a mid-cycle refresh if issues begin to wear down or break.
Client Stories tends to maintain its criticisms as skilled as doable, so it doesn’t normally come out and blatantly trash a automobile. Nonetheless, traces akin to, “The Vietnamese automaker rushed to the U.S. market with a luxury-inspired EV crossover—and it reveals,” and, “It seems like a knockoff of a good automobile,” are a lot devastating even when they don’t go so far as to name the VF8 a steaming pile of crap. Different alternative quotes embody:
The journey high quality is finest described as unsophisticated. That is expressed by way of stiff impacts, abrupt rebounds, and pitching motions that expose a suspension that’s brief on physique management or absorption.
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Whenever you sit in it, the inspiration seems to have come from images, relatively than a bodily automobile.
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All drivers discovered the steering to be among the many worst in the marketplace, placing it behind even the Chevrolet Blazer EV.
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Some plastics are with out texture, as we regularly see on pre-production components.
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The display screen is like an unorganized iPhone, making it very tough to interpret whereas driving. That is notably vital when the absence of bodily buttons means the whole lot is completed by way of the display screen or voice instructions, even adjusting the mirrors and steering wheel. Even worse, the steering wheel can solely be adjusted when the automobile is in Park.
That stated, regardless of the VinFast VF8’s $50,000-plus price ticket, you will get some extremely tempting lease offers. The bottom mannequin is presently going for $199 a month with $0 down, whereas the upper trim prices $249 a month. With costs like that, possibly the VF8 actually is price as an affordable every day driver. Simply don’t purchase one for something near MSRP.
