Vinfast's MPV7 | Photo Credit: VinFast

While India’s EV ecosystem still has some catching up to do with the developed world, the ambitious Vietnamese manufacturer, VinFast, certainly wants a slice of India’s electric MPV pie. Vietnam is just days away from making its cities EV-only, and with a massive market share and production capability in its home country, VinFast sees potential in the Indian MPV space, too. Enter the MPV 7, a spacious, practical, family-oriented electric MPV. It will go directly up against the Mahindra XEV9S, the BYD eMax 7 and the Kia Carens Clavis EV. So how does it stack up against the competition?

At first glance, the MPV 7’s silhouette isn’t particularly attention grabbing. It’s got the sensible look and stance that you’d expect from an MPV. The signature ‘V’ logo adorns the front and rear, and creates a sense of flow with the rest of the car’s lines. It is larger than its Kia counterpart in terms of dimensions and has a longer wheelbase than the Mahindra. Although nothing really stands out visually, the MPV 7 does have a rather proportionate overall look.

Take a step in and the doors have a substantial feel to them. The cabin itself sticks with VinFast’s minimalist theme, and feels decently spacious and uncluttered. There’s also sufficient storage spaces distributed around the cabin. The dash, central and door armrests have leatherette upholstery, which gives the cabin a premium feel. However, the door plastics are quite hard and thin, and lack a solid feel to them. The central console features standard fare with a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Here’s where you’ll find the speedometer, air-con controls, outside mirror control and a host of options to tailor your driving experience. Aside from three drive modes (Eco, Normal & Sport), you can also toggle the amount of battery regen and creep capability.

Jump into the second row and the sense of spaciousness continues. The seats also have a slide and recline function to further customise comfort. The last row, while spacious in its own right, still felt a bit cramped for my 5’ 10” frame in terms of leg room. There’s also decent luggage space considering the three rows of seats; with the two rows folded down, there’s a massive 1500 litres of boot space. The front, however, does not have a storage bin despite having ample space for it. VinFast said it could offer it as an aftermarket accessory if there is enough market demand.

Get a move on and the familiar EV responsiveness greets you at the pedal. It’s pleasantly nimble for a car of its stature. The Vinfast VF MPV 7 draws power from a 60.13-kWh battery, which powers a 204-bhp/28.55-kg-m electric motor that drives the front wheels. The tall stance, as expected, does entail a certain amount of body roll, but overall there weren’t any jolts or unexpected behaviours with a bit of spirited driving. Braking is gradual and strong, and everything was predictable, as a family car should be. NVH levels in the cabin were decent, too, though it must be mentioned that we drove MPV 7 made for the Vietnamese market on a perfectly surfaced test track.

region centric

The Indian version of the MPV 7 will come with three adaptations for the Indian market. The AC will be a more powerful unit to deal with the hotter driving conditions, the suspension will be softer and have more travel to cope with rough roads, and the ADAS will be set up to deal with denser traffic. I did find the lack of a HUD or a conventionally-located speedometer to be a major safety issue. Having to shift your line of sight all the way to the central console is definitely something that should not have been overlooked.

Bookings for the MPV 7 are already open at dealerships and online, with a ₹21,000 booking price. It will be launched on the 15^th of April and deliveries will commence the very same day. While VinFast currently has 50 showrooms and 130 workshops pan-India, it aims to take that number to 75 showrooms and 230 workshops by the end of 2026. Overall, the MPV 7 is a subtle, sensible and practical car that isn’t too flashy or screaming for attention. With solid build quality and reliability, owning one should be a fuss-free experience.

@TheMotorGram

Published on April 10, 2026