Automotive Engineering - September 2023 - 19

ROAD READY
fitfully, diminishing confidence in its
abilities. Shut off any system you like:
Everything defaults to " on " when you
restart, including a speed-limit monitor
that also nags whenever the prevailing
limit changes. The Vinfast's hapless
voice " assistant " should be reported to
HR, taking its sweet time responding to
commands or failing to properly execute
them. The Vinfast also trails
would-be rivals in performance. An underdamped
suspension produces a
woozy, unsettled ride in an electric SUV
that can top 5,700 lb. (2585 kg). A
" sport " mode boosts acceleration but
brings with it a hair-trigger throttle.
Not all is lost. The brake pedal blends
mechanical and regenerative operation
in pleasingly transparent fashion, though
Vinfast should add the one-pedal driving
mode by which many EV drivers swear.
The steering - while lifeless even by EV
standards - combines with the skateboard
platform's low center-of-gravity to
allow confident control through corners,
on energy-saving Goodyear tires and
optional 19-inch alloy wheels. The headup
display flashes crisp, informative
readouts. The VF8's paint jobs looked
striking and professional, though panels
gaps weren't great, inside or out.
And for all its aural ADAS annoyances,
the Vinfast's adaptive cruise control and
highway assist systems worked quite
well, pacing traffic and steering the VF8
with aplomb even on winding suburban
roads (a Volvo or GM might blanch at
The VF8 is
Vinfast's first
U.S.-spec
model. It is to
be followed by
a larger VF9
and a pair of
compact SUVs.
how Vinfast allows you to select a selfsteering
mode in virtually any situation.)
Even the most esteemed brands can
suffer bugs and problems when launching
an all-new model. But here, the
most ominous bit was the utter lack of
consistency among roughly a dozen
VF8s that weren't prototypes, but ostensibly
production-spec, customerready
cars. Some journalists reported
one set of issues with their test vehicle,
while others reported completely different
issues. And all had overlapping
glitches, including the infernal beeping
and chirping, and an evident lack of
polish and quality control. The clear
takeaway was of a rushed, underbaked
model that had skipped crucial steps in
development.
Software not the culprit for all
The glass-half-full takeaway suggests
many of these bugaboos are softwarerelated
and could be swiftly addressed via
OTA updates even after owners take possession
- the way Tesla addresses many
issues. But other problems, including the
underdamped suspension and rackety
interior, demand going back to the drawing
board for retuning and added sound
deadening - essentially hardware matters.
The VF8 isn't a screaming bargain,
The VF's cabin materials and finishes don't match the appeal of similarly-priced EV rivals.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
either, despite a come-hither monthly
lease price of $414 for the Eco model
and $528 for the more-powerful Plus.
Consumers determined to buy a VF8
- currently in California stores only -
will see a heady $50,200 base price for
the VF 8 Eco and $57,200 for the Plus.
A Tesla Model Y, so superior that it
might come from another, Musk-settled
planet, starts from $47,490. To allay
worries over quality and reliability,
Vinfast offers a comprehensive 10-year,
125,000-mile warranty. The company
intends to launch a larger, three-row
VF9 in coming months, followed shortly
by the compact VF6 and VF7.
For Vinfast, any chance of success
begins with delivering capable, highvalue,
fully competitive models to market.
As constituted, the VF8 is not that
vehicle. For Vinfast, it's time to roll up
sleeves, open eyes to the brutal competition
on these shores and convince
American consumers that it's for real.
Lawrence Ulrich
September 2023 19
BOTH IMAGES: VINFAST

Automotive Engineering - September 2023

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