Vietnamese crossover EV comes fully loaded and promises a knockout price.
Vietnamese EV brand Vinfast is making sure it takes no half measures with its India entry that’s right around the corner. While the larger VF7 will be the first model to be launched, this VF6 is arguably more significant. It will operate in what is the hotbed of the Indian EV space right now, the midsize crossover segment, currently populated by the likes of the Creta Electric, Curvv EV, BE 6 and Windsor.
With competition like that, Vinfast knows it has to work doubly hard to make an impact, and to that end, it has loaded the VF6 up with features and a healthy specifications sheet. And with local assembly right from the get-go, there’s the promise of an aggressive price as well. Will that be enough to let this interesting Vietnamese EV make its way onto your shortlist?
2025 Vinfast VF6 exterior design and engineering – 8/10
Well-proportioned, with a muscular and distinctly crossover shape.
The ‘V Face’ LED DRL signature running the width of the nose will make this instantly recognisable as a Vinfast and does well to establish the new brand’s identity. The bumper houses the headlamps as well as a low-set honeycomb grille, which also includes the radar module for the ADAS system.
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V-Face LED DRLs will make it instantly recognisable as a Vinfast.
The VF6 is 4.3 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.6 metres tall, with a generous 2.7-metre wheelbase, which is bang in the centre of midsize SUV territory. The VF6 has been raised for India, giving it 190mm of ground clearance, and Vinfast has opted to go with 18-inch wheels and taller tyres rather than the 19s you get in other markets. Both these changes help add some road presence to a vehicle that has a distinctly rounded crossover shape, something that hasn’t always worked in India.
Plastic cladding surrounds the wheel arches, and the brushed silver window lining leads to a unique C-pillar styling feature. The body panels are muscular and well-sculpted, with shoulder lines that lead to a high-set rear LED element, with split tail-lamps placed lower down.
Gets a raised ride height for India, giving it a ground clearance of 190mm.
Under the small rear window sits a 423-litre boot with a relatively narrow loading area. Under its floor is a tray to hold charging cables, tools, and more (there is no frunk), but if removed, Vinfast could potentially fit a space-saver spare tyre.
2025 Vinfast VF6 interior space and comfort – 6/10
Space is just adequate for the car’s size; design is uncluttered.
Vinfast has gone for a clean, uncluttered interior design for the VF6, and central to that is the absence of any instrument cluster or driver’s display. What you get instead is a low-set dashboard giving you a clear view out the front, apart from a tall, freestanding 12.9-inch touchscreen that sits proud of the dashboard at the centre. More on this later.
Interior has clean, uncluttered look, thanks to absence of instrument cluster.
The front seats are comfy (and ventilated), with power adjustment for the driver’s side. The gap between the dashboard and the console between the seats gives a sense of space in an otherwise dull all-grey cabin, and while build quality seems robust, a few basic-feeling plastics are on display.
Also improving the sense of space is the large fixed glass roof that truly feels edge to edge, extending behind the rear passengers’ heads. Though not present here, Vinfast says some form of heat insulation will be introduced by the time the car goes on sale in India.
Rear-seat comfort is good, but space isn’t as much as rivals.
Rear-seat space is decent, though not quite as much as you get from others in the segment. Comfort, however, is good, with generous cushioning, a flat floor and a seating position that isn’t overtly ‘knees up’.
2025 Vinfast VF6 features and safety – 9/10
Loaded to the teeth, but there’s an over-reliance on the touchscreen.
As mentioned before, the Vinfast VF6 is loaded with features, but the execution of some of them leaves a little to be desired. Driver essentials like speed, range, drive state, state of charge and safety warnings are displayed in the top right corner of the touchscreen, but for India, Vinfast has been sure to include a heads-up display as part of the standard equipment. This takes some getting used to when you’re on the move.
Basic functions, including headlights and mirrors, are operated through the screen.
The steering wheel is compact with a few essential control buttons on it, and the AC vents are inlaid horizontally in the floating dash. The only buttons you’ll find on the console are for drive selection, which call for a firm prod to activate, as well as a shortcut key that was configured to toggle drive modes. All other functions are in the touchscreen, including climate control, regen modes, headlights and even mirror adjustment. It’s not user-friendly, especially as the icons for these are far too small.
Still, the list is long, and highlights include dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, a heads-up display, a panoramic glass roof, vegan leather upholstery, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and connected car tech.
Buttons for drive selection require a firm prod to activate.
Vinfast says it’s going after a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating and, to that end, has spared no expense on the safety kit. The VF6 gets 7 airbags as standard, an electronic parking brake, a 360-degree camera array, park assist, automatic headlamps and wipers, as well as ADAS with Level 2 autonomy.
2025 Vinfast VF6 range and efficiency – 8/10
WLTP figure doesn’t sound generous, but range for India could improve
While a smaller battery is offered overseas, the Vinfast VF6 in India is offered in its Plus guise, which means a 59.6kWh battery, which is good by segment standards. Vinfast has said that due to tweaks made to the powertrain for India, we’ll have to wait for the MIDC or ARAI official figure to get a more accurate idea of what Indian buyers can expect. But, for reference, the Vinfast VF6 range on the WLTP cycle for this model sold overseas is 480km on a full charge.
European-spec VF6 has a WLTP-certified range of 480km.
As for charging, Vinfast hasn’t specified times or speeds, but the car will come with a CCS2 DC charging port. AC fast charging can be done at speeds up to 7.2kW.
2025 Vinfast VF6 performance and refinement – 8/10
Strong performance with drive modes that make a difference.
This being the VF6 Plus variant, it gets the more powerful 204hp motor, and that puts it on the higher end of the segment. All that power and 310Nm of torque are sent to just the front wheels, and under hard acceleration in Sport mode, this can result in some torque steer and a bit of shudder through the steering wheel.
| Vinfast VF6 powertrain specs | |
|---|---|
| Motor power | 204hp |
| Motor torque | 310Nm |
| Battery capacity | 59.6kWh |
| Drive layout | FWD |
| 0-100kph | 8.89s |
| AC charging | Up to 7.2kW |
Still, acceleration feels strong, and Vinfast claims a 0-100kph time of 8.89 seconds, which is pretty brisk. Apart from the initial hesitation, power delivery feels strong and easy to deploy. However, our time with the car was brief and the conditions limited to a small stretch of Vinfast’s test track, so we’ll have to wait until we drive it in India for a full performance review.
In Eco and Normal modes, it feels far more relaxed in its power delivery, making it easy to use in everyday driving. While regen modes are present – Off, Low, Medium and High – they didn’t feel particularly strong or obtrusive. Refinement appeared to be good in the controlled environment we were in, with only the synthesised acceleration sound being heard in the cabin.
Performance in Sport mode is quite brisk.
2025 Vinfast VF6 ride comfort and handling – 8/10
Has an almost European heft to its dynamic setup.
Again, with the time and conditions of this early preview being very limited, a proper dynamic evaluation will have to wait, but early impressions are promising. There’s a reassuring heft to the steering that doesn’t come at the cost of easy manoeuvrability. What’s more, the drive modes have an even greater effect on the steering weight than on the acceleration. It feels a little artificial, but the steps up in weight are clearly perceptible.
The VF6 holds its line confidently at high speeds remarkably, at a level that you don’t expect in this segment. The level of stability and control from the suspension feels firm and heavy, like that of a European car, which is only a good thing.
2025 Vinfast VF6 price and verdict – 7/10
Promises to be competitively priced even with its long features list.
The recipe for the VF6 for India is a potent and compelling one indeed; Vinfast has made sure of it. And with local assembly right from day one, the price should be competitive, too; we expect it to be in the region of Rs 22 lakh (ex-showroom) for the single, fully loaded VF6 Plus variant. In fact, the brand promises it will be more than that; it will be aggressive, and that’s sort of a USP for Vinfast, a brand that’s known for entering new markets and establishing itself quickly and competitively.
First impressions from the limited preview have us excited and optimistic.
Apart from the car itself, Vinfast will be bringing the full might of its parent conglomerate Vingroup to India, starting with a service network and a charging network, with the possibility of an app-based taxi service, hotels, hospitals, housing and even schools further down the line. They’re taking India seriously, and they want you to know it.
But back to the car; is it as competitive as it needs to be? In our limited preview, some flaws stood out, notably its unintuitive interior control scheme and rear-seat space that isn’t quite up to segment standards. But there’s no doubt a robust level of engineering has gone into the car. Moreover, it’s heartening to see how many India-specific changes the brand has made, many of which will filter into international markets further down the line.
More when we get to drive the car in India, but for now, consider us excited and optimistic.
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