Vinfast VF6 and VF7 review, first drive

India Today

2 days ago

We were in Vietnam to experience the two cars engineered for the Indian market at the company's sprawling mother plant in Haiphong, another coastal industrial town on the coast in north Vietnam, near the large financial hub of the country, Hanoi.Vinfast VF6: DesignThe VF6 is the smaller of the two SUVs that Vinfast will be launching in India and is similar in size to an SUV that all of us know very well, the Hyundai Creta. The VF6 is just shorter than the Creta but has a larger wheelbase, is broader but lower. Overall the looks are of a crossover rather than an outright SUV, but then again some may prefer the more rounded appearance of the VF6. It is a nice looking crossover, riding on large 18inch wheels. There is the signature V upfront formed by a light strip that is distinct both during the day and prominent at night and the same pattern is repeated at the rear as well though the V at the rear is not as raked. There could have been more flair to the DRLs as well as the headlamps, but at least the VFs will carry the distinctive insignia of the brand as well as the individual DRL patterns, that in the case of the VF6 are a couple of horizontal lines under the headlamp. In a day and age where electric vehicle designs are breaking the mould and are disruptive, the VF6 conforms. There are no sharp edges to the vehicle, just a fluid smoothness.advertisementVinfast VF7: DesignThe VF7 on the other hand is more angular, has sharper edges and a bit more flair with a pronounced sporty roof and minimalistic glasshouse on a very chunky body. The front V signature is more upright like in the rear and both the tail lamp and the front DRLs have a lot more panache. In length the VF7 is shorter than even the MG Hector and the Mahindra XUV700 but is exactly the same width as the XUV700 but not as tall. While both the VF6 and 7 are based on the same skateboard platform and designed in collaboration with the same Italian design house, they are distinctly different vehicles.Vinfast VF6: Powertrain
As far as the powertrains go, the VF6 will be available only as a 2WD version with a 59.6kWh battery that will be driving a 150kW motor mounted on the front axle. With the motor producing a peak torque of 310Nm, the VF6 will be no slouch and have a sub 9-second 0-100kmph time. The VF7 will be available as both a FWD and an AWD version with the 2WD version having the same motor as the VF6, with an additional motor doing service at the rear on the AWD version. The power and torque figures on the AWD version would increase to 260kW and 500Nm respectively. The 0-100kmph acceleration times on the more powerful variant would come down to 5.8 seconds from 9.5 seconds for the 2WD variant.Vinfast VF7: PowertrainadvertisementThe battery would also be larger, moving to 70.8kWh for both versions of the VF7. Though MIDC range is yet to be disclosed, one can see that in other markets the VF6 has a claimed range of just under 400km (399km WLTP) while the VF7 has a claimed range of just under 450km (431km-450km WLTP).Vinfast VF7: InteriorThe larger wheelbase as well as the fact that they are both built on a dedicated electric platform means that there is a lot of space in the vehicle – both in terms of leg room and shoulder room. And both the vehicles are loaded with tech – to the gills. Conspicuous by its absence is an instrument panel with a state-of-the-art projection heads-up display taking its place in both vehicles. A large 12.9 inch infotainment display that also performs some of the functions of the IP takes centre-stage on the dashboards of both the 6 & the 7. That apart both the vehicles have large boots albeit with a puncture repair kit in place of a spare wheel. In India though there may be a space saver or even a full-sized spare. All the bells and whistles that one associates with premium cars are all there on both as are all the ADAS features. There are even 7 airbags on the cars and the Vinfast engineering team assures us that the cars will get a 5 star rating at BNCAP. Both the cars also have rather large panoramic sunroofs but that's where the similarities end.Vinfast VF 6: InteriorsadvertisementThe VF6 feels spartan and cheap. From the plastics to the convenience features, there is a touch of austerity that is not warranted with a car that has so much tech. Missing are go to features like a wireless charger. The VF7 on the other hand has an upmarket premium feel with all the features one can think of and then some more.Vinfast VF6 and VF7: VerdictWhile the Vf6 could do with a sprucing up of the interiors and the addition of some India-specific user facing features, there is hardly very little to call up the VF7 on. Both the SUVs are well rounded products but are not disruptive in neither the design nor the styling or in the product content. And whether or not Vinfast is able to make a success of them in India will finally depend on how quickly the company is able to build up its brand and what the vehicles are priced at. The brand may have a few other disruptions up its sleeve like the warranty, free charging and the network. Vinfast should at the end of the day have more than a few compelling answers to my question of Why should I or anyone buy a VF? Just having really good products is not good enough in this very competitive Indian market.advertisementSubscribe to Auto Today Magazine