VinFast VF MPV 7 Drive Experience: Another Segment Disruptor?

Pleasing the entire family is never an easy task. And in a country like India, where each member can have stratospheric standards for products they own, building an electric MPV is surely a job that is easy to take on but extremely difficult to ace. VinFast seems to have taken up that very challenge with their third offering in the country, the VF MPV 7, a three-row vehicle aimed at providing space and an eco-friendly mode of transportation. But will it be able to impress everyone, from the youngest to the wisest member of an Indian family? I had a chance to drive the left-hand-drive version of the vehicle at the company’s test track in Vietnam to get an early taste of what is to come.

VinFast VF MPV 7: Exterior Design & Dimensions

The exterior design is one of the strong suits of the VF MPV 7. Part of it is due to the vanity of the VinFast brand being new to our eyes, and part of it goes to the distinctive light signature. While we are in the middle of the ‘connected light apocalypse’, the VinFast cars still manage to look unique. The rest of the design is clean, smart and well done. Panel gaps are consistent, the paint quality feels premium, and the all-black version looks badass. I am sure this colour will have a lot of takers when the MPV comes to India. Though I will admit, the slab-sided rear of the MPV 7 does look awfully similar to the Tata Harrier.

I feel that the design also manages to mask the size of the vehicle well. You might not think that this is a very big vehicle when you look at it. But once you look at the numbers and compare it to other three-row electric MPVs, you will realise that the VF MPV 7 has the longest length (4,740mm) and wheelbase (2,840mm) of the lot. Another big number on the side of the MPV 7, literally, is the size of the alloy wheels – 19 inches. These big aero-style alloys complement the large proportions of the vehicle and do look smart. Overall, the VF MPV 7 is surely going to please those who desire a car that draws praise and attention from onlookers.

VinFast VF MPV 7: Interior Space & Features

Just like other VinFast cars, the VF MPV 7 adopts a minimalistic dashboard design with only the steering wheel and a touchscreen in sight. There isn’t a separate instrument cluster display; instead, you can monitor the speed by looking at the top right corner of the 10.1-inch infotainment screen.

The steering wheel does have a few buttons for controlling the media and setting the cruise control. I am not a fan of putting functions in the touchscreen and do wish that carmakers would drop the trend soon. It did surprise me when I realised that there is no wireless smartphone connectivity on board, and you have to use a cable instead. The quality of the speakers was not amazing either. The cabin also lacks a premium feel, mostly due to the abundance of hard plastic surfaces and an almost completely black colour scheme. While there is no power adjustment for the front seats, I do like that the cushioning is nice and sofa-like.

Over in the second row, you get a decent amount of room, even if you are on the taller side. The leg room and knee room are generous, and you can slide the 60:40 split seats back and forth to customise the space. Once again, the seats are well-bolstered, and combined with a good recline angle, can be a great place to relax on longer journeys. Yes, the VF MPV 7 does have a raised floor due to the batteries, but the bolstering is rather good to avert some of the discomfort.

Also Read: Mahindra XEV 9S vs Kia Carens Clavis EV - Fam Jam

As is the case with most three-row vehicles, space is at a premium in the last row. What makes things trickier is that the floor is raised even higher in here. It is best suited for children. What I do not like is that the floor is substantially higher here as well. So, your knees are pointing right at the roof, and there is no underthigh support to speak of. However, the seat cushion is again impressive, and the long wheelbase and overall length do mean that you still have some room to sit with decent space for shorter journeys.

The sliding middle row bench means that you have the flexibility to create more room. It is still a place best suited for children, though. You get a cup holder on each side, but sadly, no charging ports. Thankfully, there are AC vents on either side and even blower controls mounted on the roof, which can be a big blessing on hot days. Overall, I would say that despite the issue caused by the raised floor, the overall experience in the third row is still very good.

VinFast VF MPV 7: Driving Experience

With 201bhp and 280Nm to boot, the VF MPV 7 is no slouch. It picks up speed in a steady manner, and on the test track, it was able to reach 160km/h with three occupants inside the car. Not that anyone would be taking this family mover at those speeds, but it is good to know that the raw power is present in the package. It can even sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in around 10 seconds. This front-wheel-drive system is paired with a 60.13kWh battery pack that has an MIDC range of over 500km. This figure is not too bad and should be good enough for everyday use, and some highway runs between cities. 

Also Read: VinFast MPV 7 India Launch on April 15; Pre-Bookings Now Open

One of the crucial abilities of a family mover should be to make the drive comfortable for all the occupants. While the test track we drove on was mostly smooth, and we could not properly test the suspension, I did feel a slight gentleness to the damping. The company told us that they will further calibrate the system to be better suited for our road conditions when the vehicle is launched in India.

VinFast VF MPV 7: Verdict

The VF MPV 7 surely has the hardware to go fast and cover long distances. It even has a decent amount of space and practicality on the inside, thanks to its size. But I do think that the feature set, in the package we drove, feels a touch behind the competition. We are seeing MPVs with ADAS, multiple screens, large sunroofs and more. Having said that, the company seems confident that they have a strong base and can add features to the MPV later on. My only fear is that by then it should not be a case of too little too late. Pricing will also play a crucial role in this conversation, as a really aggressive pricing strategy could still work in favour of the VF MPV 7.