VinFast VF6 First Look Review; Worthy Rival To The Creta EV?

The VinFast VF6 was launched with a lot of fanfare alongside its bigger sibling, and while we are keen figuring out how it drives, we can take a closer first look at it and bring out our initial impressions of the car. After all, it is priced rather interestingly, competing for a spot in your garage against various combustion-powered rivals.

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Also read: Maruti Victoris vs Tata Curvv - Coupe or Regular Design?

VinFast VF6 First Look Review Design

The VF6 follows a conventional modern SUV design language and it also features trending elements. The headlamps are mounted below the DRLs, and there is no grille to be seen here given its EV powertrain, thus also giving the car a cleaner, sophisticated look. There is also a full-length DRL strip across the length of the bonnet, further adding a futuristic appeal.

From the sides, the VF6 can pass off as a regular modern SUV. However, the charging port at the front fender will give away its electric drivetrain. The twin-slat alloy rims sit on 18-inch rubber. It also gets conventional pull-type door handles, which are nice to look at compared to the flush-fitting door handles that are now becoming a common sight.

At the rear, the VF6 continues with a full-length DRL strip running across the length of the tailgate, along with the tail lamps mounted below. The tailgate has also been styled rather differently, with multiple creases to break up the mass evenly. Overall, the VF6 carries a conventional, road-going SUV design that should work fairly well on our roads.

VinFast VF6 First Look Review Battery And Charging

The VF6 comes exclusively with the 59.6kWh battery pack, which comes with an ARAI-claimed range of 468km. However, the Wind variant comes with a slightly lower claimed range of 463km on a single charge. The battery can be charged from 10-70 per cent in a claimed time of 25 minutes.

To further lure in buyers and early-adopters, VinFast is offering free charging at VGreens outlets till July 2028, along with free maintenance for three years. Furthermore, there are two battery warranty options to choose from; a 7 year/1,60,000km term or a 10 year/2,00,000km term. Sounds quite interesting if you ask us.

VinFast VF6 First Look Review Powertrain

The VF6 is powered by a single electric motor mounted on the front axle, with the power and torque output varying depending on the variant you choose. The base variant of the VF6 is the Earth variant, which churns out 174bhp and 250Nm of torque, while the other two variants produce a higher 201bhp and 310Nm of torque. It also sprints from 0-100kmph in a claimed time of 8.9 seconds. That's marginally slower than the Creta Electric with the 51.4kWh battery pack, and faster than the Curvv EV with the 45kWh battery pack.

The Earth variant's figures are in-line with most of the VF6's rivals, both direct and indirect, while the higher variants do go a step further. That said, we can expect the VF6 to move forward with the urgency that is associated with electric cars, with the higher variants likely to be even zippier than the base Earth variant.

VinFast VF6 First Look Review Interior And Features

The VF6s interiors come with different upholstery options, depending on the variant you choose. The Earth variant comes with an all-black interior theme, while the Wind variant comes with Mocha brown interiors with vegan leather upholstery. Some standard features include rain-sensing wipers, a 360-degree camera, seven airbags, regen modes, drive modes, wireless smartphone connectivity, and a tyre pressure monitoring system among other things. The Earth variant exclusively comes with a 12.9-inch infotainment touch screen, automatic A/C, a 6-way powered-driver seat, cruise control, electronic parking brake, and auto-hold among other things.

The Wind variant further adds on things like 8-way power-adjustable front seats with ventilation, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, pollution filter, Level 2 ADAS suite, an 8-speaker sound system and a head-up display among other things. The Wind Plus variant further adds on a fixed glass panoramic roof.

The features list appears quite impressive, with even the base variant offering a power-adjustable driver's seat, but strangely enough it misses out on ventilation, which is surprising enough considering its price tag. Also, while heated ORVMs are a thoughtful touch, we doubt if they will be of much use unless you live in the northern mountains, where winters can be quite extreme.