2025 Vinfast VF 9 Review: Moments of Goodness

Sophomore slump or comeback of the year?

To say the Vinfast VF 8 launch wasn’t smooth would be like saying the Ever Given had a bad March back in 2021. The industry doesn’t gang up on a single vehicle often, but that was certainly the case for the VF 8. It simply wasn’t competitive: not in range, refinement, or even in price—and the latter would have almost made the rest acceptable. Is the VF 9, the brand’s three-row EV SUV, more of the same?

Not quite. The added development time for the flagship model has produced a vehicle that is more cohesive and consistent than the brand’s initial offering. Unfortunately, with a sticker basically equal to that of the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, the other other 9 still doesn’t measure up.

If nothing else, the VF 9 looks good. Long, wide, and low, it doesn’t pretend to have much off-road capability with a high ride height and the knock-on effect that would have on range. The Pininfarina-penned lines are modern and distinctive, with stylish full-width lighting elements and V-shaped elements. The window line has a unique crossover at the C-pillar I like, as well. Easily the most unique features are the twin pass-throughs in the nose. Vinfast hasn’t robbed the VF 9 of a grille like so many other EVs; instead, the holes in the nose feed into a massive hood scoop that helps with aerodynamics. It’s a surprisingly exotic feature on a big people mover.

This tester rolls on sharp 21-inch alloy wheels; a more intricate 22-inch option is available.

No matter which trim you get, the VF 9 comes with a large 123.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack and all-wheel drive via dual electric motors. Outputs are healthy: 402 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately like the VF 8 the 9 is a girthy thing, tipping the scales at over 6,300 pounds (2,858 kilograms), so the official acceleration quote puts the Plus trim at 6.5 seconds 62 mph (100 km/h). Is that slower than everything else in this segment? Yes. Is it still plenty quick for what’s meant to be a large family hauler? Also yes.

The numbers only tell part of the story, however. The pedal calibration in the VF 9 is some of the oddest I’ve experienced in an EV. Burying the go-pedal sees a distinct two-step power delivery, like the engineers thought buyers might want to reminisce about the tired five-speed autos of the early aughts. Regenerative braking is also all over the map, even when staying to one setting (and, unlike some competitors, the VF 9 will stick to the selected setting after power cycling). Sometimes it was strong, other times I needed to keep my foot hovering over the brake pedal. At least that has a good, consistent feel.

Despite its large battery pack, the VF 9 Plus tested here is rated at just 287 miles (462 kilometers) of range. Consumption is a high 50 kWh per 100 miles (or 30.9 kWh per 100 km) per official figures, but the big green beast consistently beat those numbers. So that’s good. DC fast charging is capped at an okay 160 kW, so expect longer charging times than the 800-volt Kia and Hyundai.

Given that chunky curb weight, it should come as no surprise that the VF 9 is not a sporty drive. And that’s fine. Like any EV the weight is down low, so it doesn’t feel as heavy as the curb weight suggests—just heavier than its competition. There is reasonable weight to the steering and a pleasant directness, making it easy to place on the road despite its girth. That confidence disappears at low speeds however, as the VF 9 has an atrocious turning circle on par with a Tacoma Trailhunter. I couldn’t maneuver around underground parking lots without making regular three-point turns.

Nibbling away at driver confidence are the Vinfast’s two control stalks behind the wheel. They’re the self-cancelling sort like older BMWs, which would be fine if they didn’t have an arbitrary activation point. It was hard to find the difference between a “soft” three-flash signal and a repeated one, and attempting to cancel early often resulted in the other turn signal going off. Having a wiper stalk that operates the same way is just frustrating when trying to find the correct setting for the rain at hand.

The VF 9 is at its best when—surprise surprise—it is treated as a family hauler. While those big wheels make for more road noise than expected, the Vinfast is otherwise calm and collected on the highway, the air suspension keeping it in check. A huge glass roof lets natural light pour into the cabin, and I never felt like I was roasting during the late summer days.

The front seats are merely okay in terms of comfort. They’re generously sized and look good in the quilted faux-leather here, but a flat cushion holds them back from being true road trip champions. It’s a similar story in the middle row, and the extra-thick seatbacks are noticeable. Despite the VF 9’s large size, the third row is easily one of the worst I’ve installed myself in: the cushions are way too low, so anybody back there beyond grade-school kids can rest their chin on their knees. At least the second-row captain’s chairs tumble forward to maximize ingress and egress, though that creates challenges for those with car seats.

Another odd comfort foible: the running boards along the side of the VF 9 are essentially useless given the low seating positions, but they extend the step-out distance. All week long, I kept smacking my calves into them.

After the expressive exterior, the cabin of the VF 9 is a little disappointing. The dashboard design itself is fine, lacking flair and still relying on the big-tablet approach Tesla first popularized. Soft touch materials line most of what is immediately in the driver’s line of sight, though should they poke around a bit they’ll find brittle plastics elsewhere. There are cars at half the price with nicer cabin materials.

Vinfast’s button shifter doesn’t actually save space over a traditional one, and I found Park to require a serious jab to ensure the SUV wouldn’t roll forward or back during parallel parking.

Oh boy. While the 15.6-inch touchscreen inside the VF 9 is pretty sharp, housing most of the functions within it leads to mixed results. Some of the menu groupings aren’t the most intuitive, though I’d argue anybody who is spending more than a week with the VF 9 will pick it up in due course. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both present and wireless; that’s more than we can say about some other EV startups (or even established legacy automakers. Looking at you, Chevrolet.)

But the rest is less good. The exterior cameras are all awful resolution and framerate, so parking is more stressful than it needs to be. The 14-speaker audio system is only okay. Massaging seats in the first two rows are a premium perk, but they make a racket. It’s also very strange that the second-row passenger can adjust the driver’s seat heating, ventilation, and massage. That won’t be misused ever, nope. Seat adjustments are saved to a user profile, but should you or someone else adjust the seat in any way, there’s no way to actually go back to the original memory setting.

There is a useful head-up display because the VF9 lacks a proper instrument cluster. No, having to look to the center screen for basic driving info is not a win, nor is it safer.

All the foibles of the VF 9 would be forgiven if buyers could snag it for a significant discount over the competition. But that’s simply not the case.

In America, the VF 9 currently comes only in the Plus trim, priced from $64,100 including destination. Canadian pricing is $81,190 CAD, and the Eco shaves $4,000 CAD off that sticker. The only options here were the captain’s chairs ($1,250 / $1,550 CAD) and pretty Deep Ocean paint ($1,500 / $1,750 CAD). That gives this an as-tested price of $66,850 or $84,490 CAD. That amount of coin can put American EV shoppers in a swanky Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited, but it’s the Canadian pricing that feels truly outrageous as it’s actually more than the Hyundai’s top Calligraphy trim. No wonder Vinfast Canada is offering a full $10,000 CAD on the hood of the VF9 right now.

In isolation, the 2025 Vinfast VF 9 was a solid if unremarkable three-row—okay, more like a 2.5-row—SUV. It’s far from perfect, but its strengths include a sharp exterior design, good road manners, and a useful range. Add in its (pre-discounts) price and it’s very difficult to recommend the VF 9 over the more established, more consistent competition.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.