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Early Media Views and Reviews on VinFast
While there have been many EV start-ups recently, perhaps none have sprung to prominence as quickly as the Vietnamese brand VinFast. In a short time, the company has released various models, including the head-turning VF8 and VF9.
As these SUVs hit American roads, it’s interesting to see what some media outlets have to say. Let’s look at some early media views and reviews.
What People Are Saying about the VinFast VF8 and VF9
Autoguide
Autoguide says there is much to like about the 2023 VinFast VF8. They also say it bodes well for a new company to produce a solid first EV in a much shorter time than an established brand.
Hot Cars
Hot Cars says the VF8 can be a fierce competitor alongside established options such as the Mustang Mach-E.
Motor Trend
Motor Trend loves the elegant, modern styling (from design house Pininfarina), competitive pricing, and powerful drivetrain.
CNet
CNet believes VinFast will likely emerge as a global force in the EV world, including in America. The VF8 is the right vehicle at the right time to take advantage of the compact crossover segment.
Detroit Bureau
The Detroit Bureau thinks that the VF8 will have a lot to offer for a reasonably affordable price. With a support program that can minimize the inconvenience by providing service in the consumer’s driveway, this newbie EV “could be a true breakout,” according to the Bureau.
Kelley Blue Book
Andy Bornhop of Kelley Blue Book loves the fact that the VF8 has an all-wheel-drive as standard. He champions the expected range of 316 miles and highlights the attractive Italian styling.
Your Review
Are you excited about the VF8 and VF9? Do you intend to buy one of these new SUVs, and what interests you the most? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or drive by VinFast to see them for yourself.
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Hi, just curious following the KBB comment: which of the cars has a range of 316 miles?
I’m personally really looking forward to the VF9 extended range as it’s the only reasonably priced full size SUV so far. Can’t wait to get my hands on it
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In the past two days, the car reviews from Motor Trend and The Autopian are indicative of the same problems I have experienced with my recently delivered VF8. The Motor Trend headline says it all, “Return to Sender”. When you realize that VinFast has fired their top production folks in Vietnam and many of their administrative people in the US, it is a little disturbing and is reminiscent of the rats jumping the ship before it sinks.
I have made numerous attempts to notify the sales department of the many same issues we are experiencing with this car and I have to compliment the LA based service team on their promptness and support to try and correct these issues. Many things in this car are still are working correctly and the supposedly pending software updates may or may not correct them. In the meantime, the numerous alarms/alerts keep going off.
We’re only into our first month of the 24 month lease and I’m going to give VinFast another month to fix all these issues that should have never come over in the car from the factory in the first place. It’s clear their current PDI procedures were taken from the Yugo playbook.
If the Motor Trend article is correct, those early adapters of this ill-conceived City Edition will be able to trade out for the “real car” I signed up for after the first year. I just wonder where the VinFast PR agency is?? Are they like the upper management and just hiding their heads in the sand and hoping this will just go over?
As anyone in the car business knows, your best sales people are the current owners who will “proudly” show off their new car to their neighbors and friends. Frankly, I’m reluctant to show off this car……and as the MT writer said, return to sender.
These quality issues can not be a surprise to the upper management of VinFast Automotive. Do they even bother to read these actual consumer reviews? Are the moderators of this forum told to not pass along any “bad news or reviews”?
The early car reviews quoted above this reply are nothing more than fluff. My prediction is the 999 initial unwanted “City” models will either end up at the bottom of the ocean as reef protectors or in one of the automotive museums next to the Edsel, Yugo or Bricklin
Sorry VinFast, I had to tell it like it is at this point………
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Hi Leon Rosen,
We at VinFast appreciate your constructive feedback. We’ve been keeping a close eye on our community’s discussions – I have got to say it is a gold mine of invaluable information and we are happy to know we have such dedicated and passionate members. We know we’ve had a bumpy start, but we are committed to turning this around and make our vehicles better than ever. The upcoming software update, FSR 9.6, is expected to resolve multiple existing issues for the VF 8 City Edition. We are currently finalizing the last steps of the development and testing process to release the update to the public on May 16, which is only a few short days away. If you have any questions, we are only a phone call away – just dial 1-833-503-0600. Have a great weekend!
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Hi Leon, Just wondering if you received any software or hardware updates since your last post, If you have, can you please share if anything has improved.
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Gabriel,
Software updates were done but the car still had issues to the point that this car was returned back to the factory and my lease has been terminated. My wife was afraid to drive it because it won’t start after going to the grocery store and we had to leave it in the parking lot.. The service folks are great but having to work on this car numerous (9) different times is problematic. The software is still a problem.
I left a more detailed review about 7 weeks ago but the Vinfast moderator decided to “remove” it because they must of thought it was too critical. They need to understand if they are going offer up an owner’s forum, they can’t just decide on deleting non faltering comments. Censorship is not a cool thing in the US. Just because Vietnam is a communist country, not liking to read bad reviews is not the way to solve problems.
I think Vinfast has most of the right pieces for the VF8 to make it a desirable car in the US against many of the new EV models coming to market; however, they have no brand name or loyalty and their positive automotive reviews are non-existent. Somebody at corporate needs to hire a PR agency that can counter attach the negative reviews along with fixing all of their production issues before the cars leave the factory and get delivered.
Holding owner parties/get togethers is not the answer……
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As more reviews get published, I have yet to see any recent ones that are positive. Most touch on the poor suspension with too much “bouncy body motions” on the VF8. Unless Vinfast can tell me different and explain why, I don’t see how a software update can fix this. Not sure how many problems a software update can fix. While I had high hopes for Vinfast to succeed, my hopes have been deflated with all the negative reviews. I’m also concerned that Vinfast may not be around for 10 years to service their cars. If they can’t produce a quality car, no one will buy and it will be a huge financial drain for them to stay in the US.
Another concern is if I purchased a car and months later Vinfast lowered the price due to a competitive environment, will Vinfast offer a rebate due to the drop in car value? Tesla SUV model Y is priced at $47,500, battery inclusive. This price was lowered multiple times.
Lastly, on May 12, Vinfast posted on their website a press releases announcing the 2nd shipment arriving but only having a Certificated range of 264 for Eco and 243 for the Plus, much lower than expected. Press release also noted pricing for the Eco at 46K and $51,800 for the Plus. 3 days later and nothing has been updated on Vinfast website. These changes should be done when press releases are posted.
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Hi Gabriel Rodriguez,
Thank you for voicing your concern with the VinFast Community! At VinFast, we consider user reviews to be an invaluable source of feedback as they point out opportunities for us to improve our products. I know we have had a rough start, but through tireless innovation, I am confident that we can make a great comeback.
Currently, VinFast has no plans to drop prices. If there is going to be a price drop, we will be sure to let you know via our official channels and our website at vinfastauto.us along with details on rebates if applicable.
Lastly, details for the Standard VF 8 trims have been published on our website accordingly. Please visit vinfastauto.us for the most updated prices and ranges.
If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call to 1-833-503-0600. We are available 24/7 to assist!
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Hello. I test-drove a VF8 recently in Los Angeles and found it is better than my Tesla model 3 (and much better than my (ex) BMW i3 and Nissan Leaf). I have made a deposit for one and am impatient to have one shipped to Hawaii soon!
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Hello, Thanh Huynh!
Thank you for being a valued customer and showing interest in our company and product. We truly appreciate your honest feedback for our VF8 and thank you for being one of our reservation holder.
We are currently trying our best to expand our deliveries to other states residents. We will provide further updates to you as soon as we have any official information.
Please feel free to reach out if you still have questions. You can also contact us at 1-833-503-0600 and we will be more than happy to assist! Have a great one!
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I posted this on Facebook but figure i should share here as well.
It’s been more than 2 months since I picked up my VinFast VF8 City Edition Plus from Del Amo Showroom in Carson, California. I used to hate driving, but driving an electric vehicle like VF8 has been my favorite part of the day.
I have been enjoying every moment of driving this car down the streets, so when not-so-nice articles coincidentally published on the same day VinFast announced their public listing I feel the need to speak up as a current VinFast VF8 driver.
Some people might come at me for calling myself an owner, so I decided to use a neutral noun for people like me who have leased the 2023 VinFast VF8 City Edition; hence the term “drivers” instead of owners.
Let’s dive into some statements about VF8:
1) Quite a few journalists experienced carsick while driving VF8:
**Well, it took me 37 years, 72 days, 9 hours, and 30 minutes, but it finally happened: I got carsick for the very first time. I’d been driving the VinFast VF8 for less than an hour when my inner ear sounded the alarm and politely (read: urgently) requested I stop to get some fresh air. On the shoulder of a scenic road in San Diego County, I paced around the VF8 wondering what the hell was going on. But I wasn’t the only one in a state of confusion and nausea. My passenger wasn’t feeling so hot, either. ([2023 VinFast VF8 City Edition First Drive Review: Yikes (insideevs.com)](https://insideevs.com/reviews/666877/2023-vinfast-vf8-city-first-drive/)
** The VinFast VF8 has the worst body control of any modern car I’ve ever driven. Over a 90-minute drive, the 5600-lb SUV never stopped bobbing, swaying, and bucking, producing near-constant head-tossing motions. Riding in the passenger seat, I became car sick for the first time in years. When I switched seats with the driver, he felt queasy, too, even though he says he’s never been the type to get car sick. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Simply Unacceptable (roadandtrack.com)](https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a43875030/2023-vinfast-vf8-first-drive-unacceptable/)
=> My VF8 has almost 2,300 miles. I have sat in the driver seat, front passenger seat and even in the backseat with my kids and have never experienced motion sickness. Other VF8 drivers in California who have driven 1,000 to 5,000 miles haven’t felt carsick either.
=> To be fair, some people in the passenger seat did complain about this point but never in the driver’s seat.
2) No warning while ADAS is active:
** The car never once warned me to put my hands back on the wheel, and covering the driver-facing camera behind the steering wheel did nothing. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=>This point is not true at all. Every 15 seconds if hands are not on the steering wheel, it will beep and alert on both the 15.6” screen and the HUD.
3) Annoying Speed limit warning:
** The speed limit warning system is equally obnoxious. Fully engaged, it beeps wildly every time you exceed the speed limit or your set variance by 1 mph. You can turn that off, but you can’t turn off the beeps that ring out every time the speed limit changes as you drive down the road. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> This point is somewhat true. By default, it beeps at you for going 1mph over speed limit. However, you can adjust the offset to 10 mph max and turn off chimes in the settings. Please note that whenever it doesn’t detect a speed limit sign, it will beep at you if you go even at 10 mph.
4) Cabin noise:
** Then there’s the interior noise […] The tire and road noise, though, would make an old Honda blush. [2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> I don’t find this car loud. Noise level is the same as my Subaru Forester.
5) Bricked car:
** Yep, I tried two Vinfast V 8 City Edition cars and both bricked their driver-assist systems. Mind you, the cars were both still drivable, but with a big, fat Service Required icon. ([Review: Don’t buy the 2023 Vinfast VF 8 City Edition (greencarreports.com)](https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1139636_2023-vinfast-vf-8-city-edition-test-drive-review?fbclid=IwAR3wG_rgT4ZJh6oJcvPRryTdGu_iUWIWDdhnpD9K8n46a_IS0ie1G92L_fk)
=> It might be true that the “Service Required” is on, but the car isn’t “bricked”. False alarms are something that VF should work on. From drivers’ experiences, VF driver assist system is quite stable.
6) No one-pedal driving:
** There is no one-pedal driving here, but there are two levels of brake regen. The strongest setting will slow the car down appreciably, leaving it to creep at 5 mph or so until the brake pedal is applied. ([Review: Don’t buy the 2023 Vinfast VF 8 City Edition (greencarreports.com)](https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1139636_2023-vinfast-vf-8-city-edition-test-drive-review?fbclid=IwAR3wG_rgT4ZJh6oJcvPRryTdGu_iUWIWDdhnpD9K8n46a_IS0ie1G92L_fk)
=> If you’re comparing the aggressiveness of high regenerative braking like Tesla then it would be a Yes, but to say “there is no one-pedal driving here” is not true. VF’s high regen with Creep mode off can be slowed down to a stop with proper planning. My husband and I were able to one-pedal drive with VF8 on city streets.
7) Brake doesn’t release until step on accelerator:
** Put the VF8 in reverse to back out of a spot, and the whole car shudders violently. The parking brake doesn’t release until you step on the accelerator, and once you do, there’s no hold function, so you’d better keep Creep mode engaged so it’s always sending power to the motors. Disable Creep, and the car will roll away in gear. I nearly rolled backward into another car at an intersection like someone learning to drive stick. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> Releasing brake by stepping on accelerator is 1 way, but we can also manually release the brake by pressing the emergency brake button below steering wheel.
8)Drive mode Normal:
** Our car defaulted to Normal drive mode, High regenerative braking, and Creep mode on […] Barely touch the pedal, and the car leaps forward, but lay into it, and there’s a pause followed by a slow build of power. [2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> Your vehicle leaped forward because Creep mode was on. Turn off Creep mode then the car won’t move forward.
9) Cheap materials:
** But then you get inside and things fall apart. Not literally, though I did almost break one of the seat adjustment toggles, and the center console lid on one of the display cars was halfway popped off. The entire door panel flexes when you pull the handle from inside, and the seats are as stiff as they are flat. ([2023 VinFast VF8 City Edition First Drive Review: Yikes (insideevs.com)](https://insideevs.com/reviews/666877/2023-vinfast-vf8-city-first-drive/)
=> This is totally unhinged. VF built and material are quite good and solid. No current VF8 driver complains about this.
10) Bad steering:
** Steering, too, is the worst I’ve experienced on a production car. There is zero feel. Not zero feel in the hyperbolic way some people use to describe modern BMWs or boring CUVs, zero feel as in no relation between what I felt happening as I turned the wheel and what the wheels were actually doing. The turn in was relatively lazy and then somewhere in the ratio it gets sharper, but with no complementary change in force required. Mid-way through a corner, the nose would suddenly tuck in and upset the balance of the car, which was already listing over in unpredictable ways. Anything more than a dawdling pace felt sketchy. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Simply Unacceptable (roadandtrack.com)](https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a43875030/2023-vinfast-vf8-first-drive-unacceptable/)
=> Have good control overall but the turning radius still cannot compete with my Subaru cars.
11) EPA rated mileage:
** Multiple articles reported the EPA range 207 and 197 for Eco and Plus Trims.
=> Driving my Plus trim for more than 2 months, I’ve gotten 2.8 – 3 miles/kWh ~ roughly 229 – 246 miles per full charge.
12) Unable to listen to radio if hasn’t put on seatbelt:
** Myriad other systems on the car did work, but in suboptimal ways. It starts the moment you get in and continues until you get out. Sit down in the driver’s seat, and the screens come on, but no functions work until you buckle your seat belt and put your foot on the brake. So no listening to the radio or turning on the fan without your seat belt on. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> I’m not sure how to say this but our family is able to do plenty of things without seatbelt: karaoke, listen to radio, turn on fan etc.
=> Let’s just say there are certain things you can do once you are assigned as the primary driver profile on VF8. VinFast as primary driver profile still limits you from doing certain things.
=> With confidence, I can affirm you that the car with a VinFast driver profile doesn’t get to experience the full potential of the infotainment.
13) Navigation has to be hotspot from a phone rather than the car’s wifi itself:
** The only way I can get the native navigation system to work in my tester is to hotspot the system off of my drive partner’s phone. I repeat, I have to give the car internet to use the built-in navigation system. ([2023 VinFast VF8 City Edition First Drive: Just Don’t – The Autopian](https://www.theautopian.com/2023-vinfast-v8-city-edition-review-it-breaks-do-not-buy/)
=> Primary profile has to be transferred into owner’s profile to properly activate a whole bunch of features including internet and navigation.
14) Seat heaters and seat ventilation:
** The seat heaters get dangerously hot if left on too long, and the seat ventilation on our car was so weak it took several attempts to determine if it was working at all. On another car, they apparently worked great but were extremely loud, a poor trade-off. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> I’m not sure what went wrong here. My seat heaters and seat ventilations work properly and not loud as described.
15) 360 cam:
** Outward visibility is otherwise quite good, which matters because the 360-degree camera system is terrible. The resolution is akin to security camera footage from the ’90s, and the latency is as bad as online gaming in the same time period. ([2023 VinFast VF8 First Drive: Return to Sender (motortrend.com)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-vinfast-vf8-electric-suv-first-drive-review/?fbclid=IwAR02zyeCYZ3x5fguUHqhWvtrV9xfhgHUT7SnQeOzJl9gRSu1DsOz3JjoQ6o)
=> The 360 camera offers both surround view (big screen) and the top down view (small screen). In my experience, the top down view has been extremely useful to park in tight spots.
Something to mention as someone who’s driven VF8 for more than 2 months:
· VF8 is an eye-catcher and a conversation starter. I have shown off my car to any VinFast-curious.
· VF8 does take a long time waking up from deep sleep. If not properly warmed up, yellow and red warnings will appear affecting the drive.
· VF8 can be integrated with Alexa and Google Home. We have been able to command Alexa to open/ close garage door remotely, to turn on/ off lights in the house and etc.
· Both VinFast’s AI and Alexa or Google Home are on at the same time. VinFast’s AI is on the top of the screen while Alexa or Google Home will show at the bottom of the screen. This means you can command either VinFast AI or Alexa/Google Home.
· VinFast should transfer profile to new owner on delivery date, so new owners can fully experience all features.
· VinFast customer service is very responsive to any request. They’ll provide loaners or reimburse car rentals while car is being serviced.
All in all, there are areas for improvement for VinFast VF8. With future OTA updates, I believe this first gen VF8 and the full range VF8 will be greatly enhanced.
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Hello Natalie! Thank you for being a valued VinFast reservation holder, we appreciate your support for our company.
Your feedback is highly appreciated and will help us to improve our product and service quality. Thank you for sharing your experience with VinFast.
Please feel free to reach out if you still have questions. You can also contact us at 1-833-503-0600 and we will be more than happy to assist! Have a great one!
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I wrote my negative experience comment and I cannot find my comments any more. This forum is junk and only used to promote Vinfast that biased.
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hi anh Hung
What kinds of issues are you having?Bạn cần đăng nhập để tương tác với nội dung này: Đăng nhập.
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Lots of issues Natalie.
It is difficult to seek my post on this community. I am sorry that I did not see your question until now.
Vinfast replaced my car with another VF8 recently and it seems to work much better now.
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Good to hear that. No worries, the notifications only show up when you go to this forum. It is understandable that you missed my reply.
Are you on fb? We have a private group of owners from Vietnam, California and Canada.
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