Why's Everyone Saying The Vinfast VF MPV 7 Is Overpriced: We Explain
Vinfast has launched its latest product in India- the VF MPV 7, an electric MPV. It comes in just a single variant, priced at Rs 24.49 lakh, ex-showroom. The launch also sparked a lot of online chatter. Many were disappointed by the pricing and bluntly called the VF MPV 7 ‘overpriced’. But, is it really overpriced? Let’s discuss in detail.
First things first, the VF MPV 7 competes primarily with three-row EVs. This is a relatively less-crowded space and has the likes of Mahindra XEV 9S, BYD eMAX7 and Kia Carens Clavis EV. The eMax7 is much pricier and starts at Rs 26.90 Lakhs. The real competition comes from the other two models.
The range-topping GT-Line and X-Line trims of the Carens Clavis EV cost Rs 24.99 lakh each, slightly higher than that of the VF MPV 7. But for that price, offer a lot more than the VF MPV 7. The best-selling XEV 9S, on the other hand, has a slew of variants priced in the range of Rs 19.95 lakh- Rs 29.45 lakh. The mid-spec Pack Two Above 70 kWh trim costs Rs 24.45 lakh, ex-showroom. Again, it offers way more than the Vinfast electric MPV.
The VF MPV7 comes with basic features. It gets adjustable headrests and 3-point seat belts for all seats, leatherette upholstery, a 10.1-inch central touchscreen that has a lot of vehicle functions integrated into it, tilt- and telescopic-adjustable steering wheel, column-mounted drive selector, four power windows with one-touch operation, automatic climate control, rear parking camera, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and a wireless charger.
Notably, it lacks features like a sunroof (rivals come with large panoramic units!), ventilated seats, powered tailgate, 360-degree camera and ADAS. It doesn't come with a frunk. This is where things start to sound wrong! The feature list and cabin experience of this EV would not justify its price tag. It feels like a taxi trim sold to private buyers. Worse still, Vinfast can't even introduce stripped out base trims of the VF MPV 7 given the fact that the current, overpriced version is already quite stripped out, and basic.
On the other hand, the Clavis EV and XEV 9S come tech-laden. The Clavis EV gets two 12.3-inch screens functioning as the infotainment unit and instrument cluster respectively, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, level 2 ADAS, air purifier and an 8-speaker BOSE audio- most of which are missing on the Vinfast. It also offers Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) (and Vehicle-To-Vehicle (V2V)) charging abilities. It even has a 25L frunk.
The XEV 9S makes life even tougher for the MPV 7. Mahindra had surprised everyone by giving its first electric three-row SUV a disruptive price tag. The Pack TWO Above 70kWh mentioned above gets three 12.3-inch displays (instrument cluster, infotainment unit and front passenger entertainment screen), 360-degree camera with blind spot monitor, ADAS suite, 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio, dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, 6-way power adjustable driver seat with manual lumbar support and memory function, and more. There's even a 150L frunk on offer. And like the other Born Electric Mahindras, the XEV 9s offers a lifetime battery warranty, a key selling point.
Clearly both the Kia and the Mahindra are better kitted than the Vinfast.
Let’s take a look at the powertrains now. The Clavis EV comes with a 51.4 kWh battery pack and an electric motor that can make 169hp and 255 Nm. It takes 8.5 seconds to do the 0-100kph sprint. It supports charging speeds of up to 100 kW and claims a range of 490 km.
The XEV 9S’ aforementioned variant has a 70kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 600 km and an electric powertrain that makes 241hp and 380Nm. This battery pack can support DC charging speeds of up to 160 kW. Mahindra even offers a lifetime warranty on this battery pack- which is a great bonus when it comes to EV ownership.
The VF MPV 7 comes with a 60.13 kWh battery pack that can support DC charging speeds of up to 80 kW, and has a claimed range of 517 km. The electric motor makes 204hp and 280Nm, and the vehicle is claimed to do 0-100 kph in under 9 seconds. Again, behind rivals as battery capacity is usually the single most important factor for EV buyers.
The Vinfast falls behind the other two with its DC charging speed as well. At 80 kW peak charging speed, it barely keeps up. These further make the price seem odd. The absence of multiple variants covering price points, adds to this feeling.
Another difference is in the number of airbags. The Clavis EV offers six whereas the XEV 9S comes with up to 7 airbags. The VF MPV 7, however, gets just four.
Next comes the expectation factor. Vinfast was unknown to most when it first entered the Indian market in 2025. It, however, surprised many with the launch of its first two products- the VF6 and VF7. Both these were priced aggressively.
This pricing strategy earned them attention, eventually leading to conversions. It also set the expectations for the VF MPV 7 launch- that the carmaker would give it a disruptive pricing.
Forget disruptive, the electric MPV ended up getting a ‘hardly competitive’ price, disappointing many. This also added to the online chatter.
So, are there reasons left to still consider the VF MPV 7 or is already dead-on-arrival? Well, Vinfast may have got the pricing wrong, and that may have taken a lot of appeal away from the product.
The carmaker is, however, trying its best to make up for the same by introducing offers, bonuses and other benefits to buyers.
It is offering an incentive of Rs 2 lakh for buyers who choose to exchange an internal combustion vehicle for a Vinfast EV. But this obviously won't apply to those looking to add an EV as a second car, or wanting to buy it as their first car.
The company has also committed a 75 percent buyback value on the VF MPV 7. Additionally, a 3-year free maintenance, 7-year vehicle warranty and a 10-year battery warranty are also offered on the e-MPV. Buyers can also avail free charging at V-Green EV charging stations until March 31, 2029- roughly 3 years.