We’ve been talking a lot about up-and-something Vietnamese carmaker VinFast lately, but, sadly, for not the best reasons. Our review of the VinFast VF8 was, um, troubled, and the company’s launch into the American market hasn’t exactly been going great. Outside of America, though, things look a bit better for the company, and I say that not because of any in-depth evaluations or assessments of their technology or business models, but because their newly-launched VF3 small electric SUV just looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Too bad it’s just for the Vietnamese market, at least right now. Ah, hell, let’s be honest, we’re not going to get these things. Dammit.
I’m cross, quite cross indeed, about this because this is exactly the kind of fun, tiny SUV that I think would be fantastic to have, even here, in vast, cheese-covered America. But that’s not going to happen. Hell, VinFast says this may become the “national vehicle” of Vietnam, just to rub it in, I guess.
Look at this little boxy thing: everyone is comparing it to the similarly plucky-adorable Suzuki Jimny, but that Jimny is nearly three feet longer! That’s half a six foot party sub!
The styling of the VF3 is actually a good bit more involved and refined than the Jimny, even if the two share very similar boxy proportions. I mean, take a look at this thing:
Look how the body panels appear to be sort of tucked into the lower part of the body formed by the bumpers, fenders, and lower body rails. Those intaglio cutaways help keep the boxy body still somewhat lean looking. The B pillar is disconnected from the roof, forming a sort of aircraft-like tail graphic, and the rear tailgate has a black panel with taillights integrated into it, keeping everything from looking too slabby.
The boxy body should maximize interior space well, like a Japanese Kei car, and the interior does look pretty comfortable, if a bit dark and monochromatic:
Whatever that material is on the upper dashboard surface is, I like it. Also, VinFast claims it’s a five seater! I hope you like whatever four people you get shoved in here with. [Editor’s Note: The much-larger two door Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco are only four-seaters. -DT]
The VF3 is an all-EV design, and if I had to guess, it’s front-wheel drive with all the drive hardware under that stubby hood, and the battery pack forming the floor. Of course, VinFast hasn’t released details on that, or any relevant information like range or price. Range-wise, I’d guess about 100-150 miles?
VinFast says it’ll be taking orders in September and delivering in 2024. Maybe they’re just announcing this to distract everyone from the mess that was the VF8 launch? If so, I’m okay with that.
Love it. Bring it to the U.S. It’s the anti-(EPA) footprint rig.
It looks sorta like a Toyota FJ Cruiser scaled down to Suzuki Jimny size. I like it actually… it’s certainly WAY more interesting that Vinfast’s current offerings, which are predictably generic. But like everyone else, I’ve not read a single positive thing about Vinfast’s initial efforts, so the odds of me having one ever, assuming that it someday exists, seem very slim.
And I agree with Space: I too and tired beyond caring of black interiors too. One of the most interesting things about Volvo’s upcoming EX30 is that it comes with a choice of four different interior colors, none of which are black. I think the blue one is my favorite, though the green is awful tempting too. I’m so tired of black interiors that I routinely poke around the net looking for a Volvo, almost any model of old Volvo, equipped with the “Atacama” interior which would actually be better described as “shocking orange.” Here’s the video where I first saw it: Doug DeMuro reviewing a 2004 S60R featuring the unusual exterior/interior combo of Flash Green metallic over Atacama (orange). I still can’t stop thinking about it.
I did find a Volvo Wagon for sale with this combo, but it was priced at least twice what it was actually worth (in regular, boring colors) and it had something like 170,000 miles on it already. And it was on the other side of the country. 🙁
Well the dealership on Pine St. in SF is still empty, they had two wrapped cars in there for a week I think several months ago and now the place is dead. They are done.
I’m tired of black interiors.
Maybe I’m just having a jaded day today, but I’m not that impressed by it. It looks like it would be a safety-dodging quadricycle, the front end is too similar to the Jimny’s face to be a coincidence and the rear end looks like they had to squeeze the clay model in across a narrow corridor. The sharkfin rear pillar is what every other car of the past decade has. In fact, aesthetically it’s just a Jimny with a few normal-car design tropes added and a section of length removed. IDK man, I just don’t think this is it.
Come on. Yes Vinfast pretty pretty pictures but if they actually produce a car they can make for sale, and sell it for $100,000 they would have to sell a million to cover the investment. AINT GONNA HAPPEN BROTHER.
It looks like a 2-door Jeep Renegade. With electric pep, that could be fun! #HooptieX
Still, longevity is hard to come by for EV startup companies, so I’m not holding my breath.
Vinfast isn’t a startup, though. They’re part of a massive supercompany that puts the Japanese and Korean supercompanies to shame. You go to a Vin group grocery store in a Vin group designed and built car to buy a Vin group tablet for your kid at the Vin group school, and look up Vin group printed coupons on your Vin group smartphone before going to the Vin group point of sale terminal so a graduate of the local Vin group college can ring up your purchase on your Vin group credit card.
This isn’t an exaggeration by the way. VJSC is like one of those fake companies in a videogame that manufacturers everything. Except they’re real.
Interesting
I do like that dash material: looks monochromatic tweed-like. Makes me realize how accustomed we are to an expanse of plastic
I mean the car is much smaller than their current model, hopefully it will be lighter and will get more range? or it will be as useful as a ChangLi.
But since it is for their domestic consumption, it will probably do okay. People in Asia don’t need the range that Americans do.
Why is this called the VF3? Are they planning an even smaller VF1 or VF2? How much smaller can you go?
They can do “quadracycle” which is a vehicle class in Europe eg Microlino https://microlino-car.com/en/microlino or Ligier https://www.brandt.fi/en-en/product-brands/ligier-mopedcars
One advantage of these things is the battery is so small, you don’t really need fast charging.
Hey Torch, this is totally off-topic, but have you seen Nokia 101? It’s obviously a Finnish mini-series but there are some amazing cars in it. I don’t even know what the hell most of them are. I figured I’d find a quiet article to mention it so you’d see it!
Boxy is back, baby!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/AlzUamhCEAEVJ8I.jpg
Does that sub have banana peppers? You know, for scale?
Does VF3 mean Vaporware Forever x3?
It would have been nice if VinFast attempted to launch in this market with something that’s actually unique, such as this VF3. Anything to distinguish the brand and bring in oddballs like us to promote the brand with blind enthusiasm for our weird Jimny-esque EV. Or even something similar but a bit larger. Bringing over generic crossover destined to be ranked dead last by every publication in the U.S. wasn’t a sound strategy.
I think it’s the same philosophy of why half of the radio stations play the same thing. Everyone does the same marketing and then aims for the same “sweet spot”.
Especially if it was still cheap enough after federalization (which they only have to do the safety half of, emissions being a nonissue for EVs) to reflect how cheap a “national car of Vietnam” would have to be.
I’d say it looks like a great little surf wagon, but Charlie don’t surf.
WTH, man???
“Charlie don’t surf” is a line from “Apocalypse Now.” Which is well worth watching, if you haven’t.
I have never understood people who like that film, maybe it’s because I’m a vet but it’s just a mess, the directors cut too, just a mess.
Remember the “Surf Vietnam” travel ad in “2015” Hill Valley in Back to the Future 2?
I would let others be guinea pigs. No way that I would trust this brand given how awful what they make currently is.