That’s because making a car from scratch is hard. Very, very hard. And making one that’s priced competitively and ticks all the boxes that the majority of customers want is even harder.
The VinFast VF8 may be the ultimate proof of that. It's a brand-new electric car from a brand-new company, and one with reportedly very deep pockets. But for an inaugural effort, it just doesn't seem positioned to dethrone the likes of Tesla, Hyundai, Ford, and others.
And after turning his eyes to Fisker and the Tesla Cybertruck, ace tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (aka MKBHD) is here to try out the VF8. And he doesn't have outstanding things to say, though he says he would take one over a Fisker Ocean.
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Vietnam's VinFast wants to break into the EV space
A newcomer to the EV world, VinFast is Vietnam's first automaker and a member of the communist country's largest private corporation. But the fact that it's a first-time effort really shows in the VF8's quality and capabilities, reviewers say.
When we tested the VF8, the whole experience was summarized in a single word in the headline: “Yikes.” Other respectable publications questioned whether or not the VF8 would succeed in the United States seeing how the Vietnamese EV was more expensive than its main rivals such as the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Ford Mustang Mach-E, but had a harsher ride and a seemingly never-ending stream of chimes and bongs.
In the video embedded at the top of this page, MKBHD mentions that the VF8 is sufficiently roomy, especially for the second-row passengers, but asked what the purpose of the transmission tunnel was, seeing how this is, in fact, an EV that doesn’t have a prop shaft going from the transmission to the rear wheels.
Overall, he says the interior is fine, but that the vegan leather “isn’t the best.” The head-up display also gets a nod from the YouTuber, but that’s about where the praise ends.
Gallery: 2023 VinFast VF8 City Edition: First Drive
Just like the journalists before him who tested the VF8, Brownlee says the EV is nowhere near the driving dynamics of its competitors and that the car constantly bings and bongs. To fix the latter, he just disabled everything that could be disabled on the central touchscreen.
However, with all this being said, MKBHD would take the VinFast VF8 over the Fisker Ocean, which he called “the worst car he’s ever reviewed,” because the VF8 has fewer bugs.
Currently, VinFast is asking $47,200 for the entry-level VF8 Eco, which has an EPA-rated range of 264 miles, 19-inch wheels, and a dual-motor setup that makes a total of 349 horsepower, while the battery has a capacity of 87.7 kilowatt-hours.
By comparison, the dual-motor Tesla Model Y retails for $50,630 (destination and order fees included), but it’s also eligible for the $7,500 tax credit which effectively lowers the price to $43,130–that’s $4,000 less than the VF8.
