2024 VinFast VF 8

VinFast is a relatively new Vietnamese automaker. In the U.S., it sells all-electric SUVs, including the two-row VF8 and the three-row VF9. These vehicles are built in Vietnam, but VinFast plans for factories in the U.S. So far, the company has had growing pains. The VF8 has only a two-star passenger-side frontal crash test rating from NHTSA, which the agency says indicates a higher risk of head injury in a crash. These days, scores below four stars are exceedingly rare. In addition, the VF8 we drove lacked refinement, and its active driving assistance features occasionally behaved oddly. Since so few VinFast cars have been sold in the U.S., Consumer Reports does not yet have any data on the brand’s reliability or owner satisfaction. Usually, we caution buyers to avoid cars that are brand new to the market as it can take awhile for a manufacturer to work the bugs out.

There's a new electric vehicle company in town: VinFast with its home base is in Vietnam, and it plans to invest in a manufacturing plant in North Carolina. Two SUVs are first introduced, the VF 8 and VF 9. The VF 8 features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. The Eco version has 349 hp, and the Plus trim has 402 hp. Standard and long-range batteries are available. VinFast says the VF 8 Eco with the standard battery has a 293-mile estimated driving range and a 5.9-second 0-to-60-mph time, while the Plus will have an estimated 278-mile range and less than 5.5-second 0-to-60 time. VinFast has a unique twist on pricing, with a battery subscription on top of the vehicle's purchase prices, tailored to the buyer's expected usage. A key upside to their battery approach is that VinFast provides a lifetime battery warranty covering all maintenance and repair costs, and will replace the battery free when charging capacity dips below 70 percent. This should reduce some concerns among shoppers. A full suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features includes AEB, LKA, adaptive cruise control, lane changing assist, and driver monitoring to make sure the driver is alert while hands-free driver aids are in use.