After we first drove the VinFast VF8, we weren’t impressed. Our headline mentioned 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 Reviews’ current expertise, nevertheless, the VinFast VF8 continues to be half-baked, uncompetitive and likewise possibly price leasing when you’re into that kind of factor.
To be clear, Client Reviews didn’t hate all the pieces in regards to the VF8. The truth is, it appreciated the styling, spacious cabin and lengthy guarantee. The listing of complaints, alternatively, is for much longer, although, together with the ability supply, brakes, regenerative braking programming, trip, steering and suspension tuning. And whereas it could appear like it may well run with the electrical crossovers supplied by the competitors, Client Reviews isn’t assured the inside supplies will maintain up.
Testers additionally plan to control 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 executed earlier than a mid-cycle refresh if issues begin to wear down or break.
Client Reviews tends to maintain its criticisms as skilled as doable, so it doesn’t often come out and blatantly trash a automobile. Nonetheless, strains reminiscent of, “The Vietnamese automaker rushed to the U.S. market with a luxury-inspired EV crossover—and it reveals,” and, “It looks like a knockoff of an honest automobile,” are lots devastating even when they don’t go so far as to name the VF8 a steaming pile of crap. Different selection quotes embrace:
The trip high quality is greatest described as unsophisticated. That is expressed by stiff impacts, abrupt rebounds, and pitching motions that expose a suspension that’s quick on physique management or absorption.
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If you sit in it, the inspiration seems to have come from images, quite than a bodily automobile.
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All drivers discovered the steering to be among the many worst available on the market, placing it behind even the Chevrolet Blazer EV.
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Some plastics are with out texture, as we frequently see on pre-production components.
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The display is like an unorganized iPhone, making it very troublesome to interpret whereas driving. That is significantly necessary when the absence of bodily buttons means all the pieces is completed by the display or voice instructions, even adjusting the mirrors and steering wheel. Even worse, the steering wheel can solely be adjusted when the car is in Park.
That mentioned, regardless of the VinFast VF8’s $50,000-plus price ticket, you may get some extremely tempting lease offers. The bottom mannequin is at the moment 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 inexpensive each day driver. Simply don’t purchase one for something near MSRP.
