{"id":49533,"date":"2023-05-12T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=49533"},"modified":"2023-05-12T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T15:00:00","slug":"vinfast-vf-8-city-edition-first-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=49533","title":{"rendered":"VinFast VF 8 (City Edition) first drive: A solid start, but there’s always room for improvement"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\"VinFast<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

As flagship VF 8 models continue to make their way over to North America, Electrek<\/em> was invited to VinFast\u2019s<\/a> first media drive event, and I was one of the first to experience the limited run City Edition SUV. While there is certainly room for improvement, VinFast is off to a promising start with the VF 8 \u2013 below are my thoughts.<\/p>\n

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Table of contents<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\"VinFast<\/figure>\n

Background and first impressions of the VinFast VF 8<\/h2>\n

Since we first started covering VinFast back in 2021, the VF 8 has been a flagship model on our radar. It originally debuted in the US<\/a> at the LA Auto show as the VF e35, but was rebranded a year later<\/a> to the model name we recognize today.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had plenty of other VinFast news to cover in the two year plus span since the VF 8\u2019s debut, including plans for US manufacturing<\/a> and an IPO that appears closer than ever<\/a>. This past fall, VinFast successfully delivered its first batch<\/a> of VF 8 SUVs to the US, although customer deliveries were initially delayed<\/a> due to some software issues (more on that later).<\/p>\n

To date, VinFast has delivered the City Edition of its VF 8 SUV to customers in California and Vancouver, while we await deliveries of Standard version<\/a> whose cargo boat just reached the Benicia Port, near San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, I was one of the fortunate media personnel to be invited to VinFast\u2019s first US drive event and experience the City Edition of the VF 8. Here\u2019s what the SUV is packin\u2019.<\/p>\n

VinFast VF 8 specs and pricing<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s start with pertinent details so you\u2019re well versed in VinFast\u2019s first mid-size SUV inside and out before you hear my impressions. As I previously mentioned, the EV currently exists in two iterations \u2013 City Edition and Standard. Of those editions, the VF 8 comes in two available trims \u2013 Eco and Plus.<\/p>\n

Since the Standard versions aren\u2019t yet available in the US, I was given a VF 8 City Edition Plus for the day to cruise around Southern California. Here are some important specs pertaining to the configuration I drove:<\/p>\n