VinFast VF 3 vs. the competition

VinFast Philippines has launched the VF 3 just recently. Its arrival meant that car buyers in the market for a small electric vehicle (EV) now have an option that comes in a robust, masculine packaging — unlike others that appear to have been designed to look cute or friendly.

On that note, we take a look at how the VinFast VF 3 fares against its competitors in the country’s budding small electric car segment.

But before we begin, here’s a quick glance at the VinFast VF 3.

VinFast VF 3

Outside, the VinFast VF 3 appears to take inspiration from small yet capable cars like the Suzuki Jimny or S-Presso, and the Jeep Renegade, due to its somewhat body design and squarish dimensions.

It wears halogen headlamps, which are set on its horizontal grille with chrome trims and the VinFast logo in the middle. Below is a chunky plastic bumper, which wraps around the fore of the vehicle and connects to its likewise beefy wheel arches.

The side profile of the three-door EV is highlighted by large windows, blacked-out pillars, black door handles, black side sill garnishes, a set of 16-inch wheels wrapped in 175/75 series tires, and the aforementioned dark wheel wells.

At the back, the VinFast VF 3 gets a decent-sized glass, halogen taillamps set in a trim that mimics the design of the grille, a manual tailgate, and a large bumper.

It is available in nine youthful colors, namely Summer Yellow, Iris Berry, Rose Pink, Zenith Grey, Electric Blue, Crimson Red, Aquatic Azure, Infinity Blanc, and our favorite, Urban Mint.

Inside, occupants are greeted with a modern-looking cabin that evokes a similar minimalist appeal as its exterior. The flat-bottom steering wheel is made out of hardwearing plastic with the company’s emblem set in the middle. The dashboard follows a monochromatic tone — with plenty of hard plastics — accentuated by silver-colored air conditioning vents. At the center is a 10-inch display linked to a two-speaker sound system.

The seats, which can accommodate up to four occupants, are covered in fabric upholstery and have decent bolstering. It also has an air conditioning system with cabin filtration and an electronic parking brake.

Power comes from a single electric motor set onto the rear wheel axle paired with an 18.64 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery. Together, the electric powertrain system can dish out some 43 horsepower (hp) with 110 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque.

All-electric range is about 215 kilometers (km).

The VinFast VF 3 is offered in a single variant. It is priced at P745,000 without a battery subscription and will cost P645,000 when purchased with a battery plan.

For car buyers who are looking for other emissions-free alternatives, below are some of the available options.

Jetour Ice Cream

The Jetour Ice Cream EV is another small electric car that offers would-be owners sustainable driving with a small footprint.

At the fore of the adorable three-door EV are halogen headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights and turn signals. Its short bonnet is decorated with the carmaker’s logo and is adorned with a grille with narrow vertical slats.

Its flanks have body-colored door handles and side mirrors, as well as blacked-out pillars. There are also repeaters installed above the fenders, which lack the bulky plastic arches offered by the VinFast VF 3. Likewise, it does not have door garnishes and offers a bare, yet beautiful surface.

It rides on 12-inch wheels shod in 145/70 series rubber.

The rear end of the Jetour Ice Cream features a modern design with a large flat glass with an integrated spoiler and a third brake lamp at the top, two halogen lamps that echoes the design of the headlights, and a pair of fog lamps.

The Jetour Ice Cream is available in four pastel colors, which are Matcha, Strawberry, Vanilla, and Blueberry.

Its cabin shares the same cute theme with a multi-functional D-shaped steering wheel. Past it is a colored LCD instrument panel accompanied by a digital infotainment screen, which doubles as a monitor for the reverse camera.

The seats are covered in fabric upholstery with available room for four.

Propelling the Jetour Ice Cream is a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) at the rear with a 13.9 kWh battery. In unison, the powertrain dishes out a little over 26 hp with 85 Nm of pulling power, making it ideal mostly for city driving.

The maximum range — according to the local wing of the Chinese carmaker — is up to 170 km.

It is priced at P699,000.

DFSK Candy

launched not too long ago, the DFSK Candy is yet another small EV that offers EV buyers a charming all-electric mover.

Its front end is equipped with angular headlamps connected by a long horizontal light bar. It has cute indentations on its cheeks and dons a lower grille with large openings.

Like the aforementioned Jetour Ice Cream, the DFSK Candy also has a plain-looking side profile with body-tone appointments. It does, however, get black side mirrors and a dark-colored B-pillar. Surprisingly, the small car comes out of the factory with roof rails as standard.

It gets 13-inch wheels slapped with 145/60 radial tires.

The backside of the three-door car receives styling cues that mirror the features of its front end. That said, it has angular taillights and vent-like designs on each of its sides.

It also gets a somewhat small rear glass with a high-mount stop lamp and two more lights installed at the rear bumper.

Available colors are Pink, Blue, Green, and White.

The interior of the DFSK Candy looks like a mix of both the VinFast VF 3 and the Jetour Ice Cream. Found here is a linear dashboard offered by the former, while a two-part instrument cluster and infotainment unit (seen from the latter) provides the driver his or her own display for checking relevant driving information.

A multi-functional, flat-bottom steering wheel; physical air conditioning controls, and a manual parking brake is also present.

The seats, which are covered in fabric, allows for various folding orientations and allows would-be owners some level of flexibility when hauling daily necessities.

Fitted on the rear axle is a PMSM matched to a 16.8 battery. The said setup produces 40 hp with 100 Nm and delivers emissions-free driving of up to 220 km.

The DFSK Candy is offered in four variants and has a starting price of P658,000.

Also read:

VinFast PH reveals VF 5 pricing

VinFast PH introduces VF 3

VinFast extends reach to Middle East