VinFast VF8

The VinFast VF8 is still VinFast’s most important car. It was one of the first models the Vietnamese automaker sent overseas, and years later it’s still the one carrying the brand’s reputation in markets like the US and Canada — while a completely reworked version has already been shown off back home.

For now, buyers outside Vietnam are getting the version that’s been around since 2023, just with running updates. It’s a five-seat midsize SUV with dual-motor all-wheel drive standard across the lineup, styled by Pininfarina, and sold in two trims: Eco and Plus. Eco is tuned for range, with 349 horsepower. Plus trades some of that for output — 402 horsepower — plus heated and ventilated seats front and rear, a panoramic sunroof, and a hands-free liftgate. Battery capacity is listed inconsistently across sources: VinFast’s US materials point to an 87.7 kWh usable pack, while some spec databases cite a larger 93.4 kWh figure that may reflect a different market’s configuration or a gross-vs-usable discrepancy — worth confirming against VinFast’s own build sheet for a given region.

EPA range runs from 235 to 264 miles depending on trim and wheel size, and the Plus will do 0-60 mph in about 5.8 seconds. DC fast charging takes the battery from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 31 minutes under good conditions — though owners have reported that a cold battery without preconditioning can cut that charging speed substantially, which is worth knowing before a winter road trip. US pricing starts at $39,900 before destination and tax. In Canada, the lineup actually runs three trims instead of two, with a Plus Performance model adding a stronger 300 kW motor setup — a reminder that VinFast still tunes its lineup differently market by market, something to check before assuming a spec sheet from one country applies to another.

That inconsistency is part of the VinFast VF8’s story so far. Reviewers have generally found it improved a lot since its rocky 2023 launch, but still a step behind class leaders like the Model Y or Ioniq 5 on refinement and software polish. It reads less like a finished product and more like a company still learning in public.

Which is exactly why the next-generation VF8 matters. VinFast revealed a fully redesigned version in Vietnam in May 2026 — new chassis, frequency-selective dampers on both axles, and a “Tech Fluid” design language with a 12.9-inch center display. The Vietnam-market launch configuration is notably smaller than what’s sold abroad today: a single front motor making 170 kW and 330 Nm, paired with a 60.13 kWh battery good for up to 500 km on the NEDC cycle. Pricing there starts at 999 million VND, roughly $37,900-38,000 depending on the day’s exchange rate. Pre-orders opened May 27, with deliveries expected from late July 2026.

VinFast hasn’t said whether this new generation replaces the current export VinFast VF8, when it might reach the US or Canada, or whether an AWD/long-range version is even planned for those markets — industry speculation points that direction, but it isn’t confirmed. Until VinFast says otherwise, what’s on dealer lots in North America is still the outgoing car, and anyone cross-shopping it should treat the redesigned Vietnam model as a preview rather than something they can order today.

VinFast VF8 Photos

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