In less than a year of commencing its India operations, Vinfast has swiftly secured a slot in the list of the top-five bestselling EV makers in the country. Aiming to strengthen its position, the Vietnamese carmaker will soon introduce its third offering in the country. It’s called the VF MPV 7, which, as its name clearly suggests, is an electric seven-seater MPV that’ll take on competitors like the Kia Carens Clavis EV, Mahindra XEV 9S and BYD eMax 7 head-on.
Interestingly, this model is sold as the Limo Green in its home market. In India, however, that nameplate will be reserved for fleet operators, and the VF MPV 7 will cater to private buyers. While both versions are fundamentally identical, the fleet-spec Limo Green will feature minor cosmetic tweaks, fewer features and, crucially, a lower price point.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 design and engineering - 7/10
As far as road presence goes, the VF MPV 7 does a great job. It is larger than the Kia Carens Clavis EV in every dimension and looks more proportionate too. Other specifications of interest include a substantial 2.8-metre wheelbase, which is longer than that of the Mahindra XEV 9S, and a generous 183mm of ground clearance.
In profile, it isn’t pretending to be anything other than a people-mover. However, its signature LED daytime running lamps (DRLs) upfront, 19-inch alloys, chrome window line and signature connected LED tail-lamps certainly infuse some much-needed flavour.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 interior space and comfort - 7/10
Like the VF6 and VF7, the VF MPV 7’s cabin adopts a rather minimalistic design approach, and although functional, it lacks the sense of occasion of the Kia Carens Clavis EV’s interior. That said, the textured hard plastics feel good to touch, and the fit and finish is quite nice, too. The flat-bottomed steering and the padded (leatherette) central and door armrests add a premium touch, as does the expensive-looking frameless mirror, which has a manual day-night function. The silver speaker grille styling could, however, polarise opinions.
Taking centre stage is a 10.1-inch touchscreen, which embeds the speedometer, air con controls, outside mirror controls, drive modes, regenerative braking settings, and more. The user experience, however, leaves a lot to be desired. In the absence of a conventional instrument cluster or a head-up unit, you have to take your eyes off the road to check vehicle speed. Also, it doesn’t allow you to adjust your mirror on the move, which is a bit inconvenient. Our test car had wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and while an aftermarket dongle can address the need for wireless connectivity, sound quality from its four speakers left a lot to be desired.
Storage areas are plentiful, including a dedicated area to stow your phone, cup holders, a deep central console, a lower storage area with USB Type A and C charging ports, and generous door pockets.
The front seats are broad, and they are excessively cushioned, but they don’t offer adequate lateral support. Power adjustment, as well as a seat ventilation function, would have been welcome.
The middle row is very spacious, and the seat is placed higher than the front row, giving passengers theatre-like seating. Although, like the front, the cushioning feels excessive, especially in the thigh-support region, which is meant to compensate for the short squab but feels a bit protrusive. Passengers have the option to slide the seat and recline the backrest to a comfortable angle. There are three adjustable headrests, too, as well as a flat floor. And while the cabin is wide enough to seat three adults abreast, the seat itself is narrow, so the outer passengers will have limited support. Also missing here are window sunshades and a central armrest.
To access the third row, the middle row tumbles down (60:40), although the mechanism doesn’t feel as effortless as the Clavis’s. Appreciably, headroom in the last row is generous, even for tall adults, despite the seat being placed higher than the middle row. That, along with the large quarter glass, gives the passengers an airy feel. Also, there’s a step beneath the middle row to tuck your feet, which ensures that occupants seated here don’t feel cramped, like they do in the Mahindra XEV 9S. The backrest also reclines up to a certain degree for comfort, and passengers have access to roof-mounted rear AC controls as well as air vents.
The VF MPV 7’s boot, at least on first impression, seems to be as large as the Clavis EV’s. The latter, however, gets a front luggage area too, which the VF MPV 7 misses.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 features and safety - 6/10
This version gets kit like auto LED headlamps, 19-inch wheels, leatherette upholstery and a 10.1-inch touchscreen, to name a few. However, it lacks goodies like a sunroof, ventilated and powered front seats, rear sunshades and an instrument cluster, among others, which the competition offers. While Vinfast says the VF MPV 7 is ADAS-ready and that even a 360-degree camera can be easily fitted (in the next update), these features are unlikely to be available at launch.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 performance and refinement - 7/10
The Vinfast VF MPV 7 will draw energy from a 60.13kWh battery, which powers a 204hp/280Nm electric motor that drives the front wheels. What you notice almost immediately is that acceleration doesn’t feel overwhelmingly responsive. In fact, power delivery is gradual, something owners will appreciate. Still, if you insist, it will sprint to 100kph from a standstill in a shade under 10 seconds. There are three drive modes too – Eco, Normal and Sport – and on first impressions at least, there’s little difference between them. Interestingly, it’ll max out in Eco mode at a speedometer-indicated 140kph, while it’ll accelerate to a little over 160kph in the other two modes.
There are three levels of regenerative braking, and you also have the option to turn it off. Deceleration, even in the strongest setting, doesn’t feel very aggressive, and while it comes down to a crawl at around 5kph, there is no single-pedal drive mode.
Refinement, however, didn’t seem to be this car’s strong suit. The motor whine comes through prominently, and even wind noise at legal cruising speeds seems a bit excessive.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 range and efficiency - 8/10
While the Vietnamese version has a claimed range of around 450km (NEDC cycle), Vinfast is confident that the VF MPV 7 will have a real-world range of over 500km in India.
As far as charging goes, its battery supports up to 80kW of DC fast charging speeds, which means it is capable of charging from 10 to 80 percent in merely 30 minutes.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 ride and handling - 6/10
The high-speed ride and stability were certainly impressive. However, some minor imperfections did reveal a slightly busy low-speed ride. Body roll felt a touch excessive, too, and your passengers are likely to be tossed around the cabin while making quick direction changes. Its steering felt sharp and infused confidence at the dead centre position, but from there on, it felt rather slow-geared and seemed to lack the Kia’s precision or consistency. Braking performance, though, felt strong and predictable.
It’s worth noting that our drive was limited to the company’s test track. Vinfast claims the India-spec version will feature softer suspension tuning better suited to ‘bumpy’ road conditions.
Vinfast VF MPV 7 price and verdict - 7/10
The VF MPV 7 gets the fundamentals right – space, practicality and a claimed 500km range. Add to that a 10-year warranty, free charging until 2029 and EV transition incentives, and the ownership proposition begins to look compelling.
Yes, its functional approach and lack of features may deter buyers seeking a tech-laden experience. But if Vinfast prices it aggressively, as expected, the VF MPV 7 could carve out a sweet spot between petrol-automatic MPVs such as the Maruti Ertiga/XL6 and the more premium electric offerings like the Kia Carens Clavis EV and Mahindra XEV 9S.
Pricing will be announced on the 15th of this month, but all signs point to a strong value proposition, one that could make this MPV hard to ignore.
Lenny D'sa
Gavin DSouza
Hormazd Sorabjee
