To be honest, the Vietnamese brand Vinfast has disappointed us so far. After numerous announcements, the market launch in Germany has been repeatedly delayed. At least one model is now on the market: the VF 8. The 4.75 metre long mid-size SUV has only been sold in homeopathic doses in Germany so far. Vinfast has now announced a small electric SUV, the VF 6.
The all-electric model is described as the second Vinfast model after the VF 8. This conceals the 5.10 metre SUV called the VF 9, which has long been available to reserve but not to order. The KBA statistics show only 36 new registrations for Vinfast up to and including July, including 31 VF 8s and one other model - well, at least Aiways was outperformed. And Vinfast seems to be on the rise, as it didn't even appear in the registration statistics last year.
But enough of the negativity and back to the VF 6, which is due to be launched on the European market this year, according to the manufacturer. Its strengths include good standard equipment, numerous driver assistance systems and a generous warranty.
The newcomer is categorised by Vinfast in the B-SUV segment, i.e. in the segment of the Opel-Vauxhall Mokka Electric. At 4.24 metres in length and 1.59 metres in height, the car is slightly larger than the latter. Information on the boot volume is not yet available.
There are two options for the drive: The Launch Edition and the Plus version offer a 204 PS front-wheel drive powertrain with 310 Nm of torque, while the Eco model is limited to 177 PS. This makes the car significantly better motorised than the Mokka, which offers a maximum of 156 PS. All versions are equipped with a 60 kWh LFP battery, which, according to the press release, provides a WLTP range of 235 or 255 miles.
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This means that the VF 6 is slightly better than the electric Mokka, which has a maximum range of 253 miles. On the Vinfast website for the VF 6 , only 237 and 248 miles are mentioned, but these figures are probably no longer up to date. A footnote states that homologation is expected to take place in Q2 2024 - which already ended at the end of June.
The design of the VF 6 was created by Torino Design in Italy. The front is typical of the brand with its eye-catching V-design. Depending on the equipment variant, 17 or 19-inch aluminium wheels are also fitted. So far, Vinfast has only sent a single picture (our cover picture). You can see what the car looks like from the rear on the website. There is also a photo of the interior. It shows the 12.9-inch touchscreen in the centre and below it buttons for activating the P, R, N, D and B transmission modes.
Instead of an instrument display, there will be a head-up display. Vinfast also mentions a Wi-Fi hotspot, adaptive cruise control (ACC), a panoramic sunroof and high-quality seat upholstery. Prices have not yet been announced. As a reference, the Mokka Electric is available from £29,495 OTR.
Like Kia, Vinfast offers a seven-year or 160,000 km (100,000 mile) warranty. The French workshop and accessories chain Mobivia, which has 1,200 service workshops in France and Germany, is responsible for servicing and repairs. In addition, an announced partnership with Bosch will provide access to 700,000 charging points in 30 European countries.
The bottom line
Despite favourable prices, Vinfast's business in Germany has not yet really taken off. This is probably due to the brand's low profile, the small number of showrooms, but above all to the fact that high-class vehicles were introduced first. With an affordable model, sales figures could finally increase.
Source: Vinfast (per E-Mail)