Initial impressions are mixed. VinFast estimates the Eco will hit 62 mph (100 kph) in 6.5 seconds; the sprint drops to 5.5 seconds for the Plus. We haven't had a chance to verify those figures at our test facility yet, but a gut check leaves us no reason to doubt them. Those are respectable times, and the VF 8 City Edition has no problem merging on the highway or slotting into a gap in the city.
Just don't put it in Sport mode. In Sport, the accelerator pedal becomes so sensitive the car feels undrivable unless you are extremely ginger with your inputs. Small dips can make the VF 8 City Edition lurch forward, making it hard to be smooth or drive with any finesse. Leave it in Normal. There's more than enough power, and the car never feels jittery or like it's amped up on amphetamines.
Problems persist the longer you're behind the wheel. The brakes are very uneven, with seemingly nothing happening when you first hit the pedal. Then about halfway down, the brakes grab and the nose dips as the weight shifts forward. Again, it makes for a very uneven driving experience. While the VF 8 City Edition does offer regenerative braking and in theory one-pedal driving, the regen itself was so weak that we constantly used the brakes anyway.
Steering and overall handling are no better. The steering is quick, so small inputs are all you need to change lanes or navigate a winding road. The problem is that it's completely devoid of feel, so you have very little sense of connection to the car. It's fairly easy to park, but the steering saps any sort of enjoyment from the driving experience.
The VF 8 City Edition's suspension tuning feels simultaneously too stiff in a straight line and too soft in a corner. The vehicle's approximate 5,700-pound curb weight is a lot of mass to deal with, but rivals do a much better job of making their EVs feel smaller and lighter than they actually are. Turn in a corner and the VF 8 City Edition exhibits lots of body roll, leaning hard as the car struggles to manage its weight. On tighter roads it can induce a bit of car sickness. This EV feels quick, but we would prefer to drive just about anything else in this class.