The all-electric Vinfast VF MPV 7 has been launched at Rs 24.49 lakh as the Vietnamese brand’s third offering in India. With this three-row e-MPV, Vinfast is looking to strengthen its position in India’s electric car market. We recently drove the Vinfast VF MPV 7 in Vietnam to find out if it is a good package. Here’s a detailed account of all the positives and negatives we encountered during our time with the VF MPV 7. Let us start with the pros.
500km+ claimed range
The 60.13kWh battery pack is claimed to offer up to 517km of range
Vinfast has equipped the VF MPV 7 with a 60.13kWh battery pack, claiming an ARAI-rated range of 517km. This is likely to translate to over 400km of range in real-world driving conditions, which is good for its Rs 24.49 lakh price tag. In comparison, the higher-spec variants of the Kia Carens Clavis EV, which have a similar price tag, cover 27km less than the VF MPV 7. Moreover, the Vinfast EV also gets some battery regeneration modes to slightly recuperate lost energy.
The VF MPV 7 supports up to 80kW DC fast charging, which allows a 10-70 percent top-up in 30 minutes. Vinfast also offers a 3.5kW portable charger with the vehicle.
Impressive cabin space
All three rows of the e-MPV offer plenty of space, even for tall passengers
The Vinfast VF MPV 7 is a three-row EV with 7 seats, all of which offer ample headroom, legroom and knee room, even for tall passengers. The seat rows are laid out in a theatre-like raked setup and therefore do not hamper visibility. The second row supports a 60:40 split and can be reclined and slid fore and aft for maximised space and comfort.
To access the third row, the middle row seats can be tumbled down with the pull of a latch. The rearmost seats can be folded in a 50:50 split and also reclined for increased comfort. To improve foot room, Vinfast has even added a step beneath the middle row so that last-row passengers are not cramped for space. This, along with the large quarter glass panels, ensures that the third row does not feel claustrophobic.
With all three rows up, the Vinfast VF MPV 7 offers a 216-litre boot, which seems similar to that of the Kia Carens Clavis EV.
Now, let’s take a look at where the Vinfast VF MPV 7 could improve.
Rear-seat cushioning feels excessive
A little too much cushioning on the seats hampers comfort
While cabin space is offered in plenty, Vinfast has cushioned all the seats excessively, which hampers comfort. The most cushioning is on the thigh-support region, which feels protruding and not particularly comfortable. The seats also lack defined contours, hindering lateral support, especially on bends and turns.
Moreover, the Vinfast VF MPV 7 skimps on some passenger comfort features offered by rivals, including powered and ventilated seats, window sunshades and a centre armrest in the second row. The addition of these could have definitely enhanced its in-cabin experience.
Misses out on several features
No instrument cluster, sunroof or wireless phone charger
The Vinfast VF MPV 7 lacks a dedicated driver’s display and physical controls for important car settings, such as outside rearview mirror (ORVM) adjustment and HVAC controls. A 10.1-inch touchscreen, placed at the centre of the dashboard, manages instrumentation duties too. In our opinion, a head-up display (HUD), offered with the smaller VF6 and VF7 e-SUVs, would have been more convenient for drivers.
Other missing features are a sunroof, a 360-degree camera, an ADAS suite and a wireless phone charger, all of which have become mainstream in the Indian automobile space, especially in EVs.