EV – Ewing VinFast of Plano

March 1, 2025March 20, 2025

VF8 vs Honda Prologue

More and more buyers are comparing the VinFast VF8 to electric offerings from older, more established brands. This is because the VF8 is only a couple of years old at this point. We have looked at so many EVs up against the VF8, and so far, none of them have been able to offer more than the VinFast does for its amazing lease price, and none of them can match the warranty. With that said, let’s welcome this week’s challenger, the 2025 Honda Prologue.

The Honda Prologue is similar to the VF8 in that it is a first-time offering from Honda. Buyers can choose the Prologue in three trim levels: EX, Touring, and Elite. All models have an 85-kWh battery that delivers different power depending on the trim level. EX and Touring models come standard with single-motor front-wheel drive that puts out 212 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. If buyers choose to option their EX or Touring with all-wheel drive or spring for the AWD-only Elite trim, they will get a dual-motor setup with 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft of torque. While the top Elite trim gets 273 miles of range, the FWD EX and Touring will deliver 296 miles, which falls to 281 when equipped with AWD. Honda says that any Prologue trim level will charge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes when using a Level 3 DC fast charger.

Honda prices the base Prologue EX FWD from $47,400, with the Touring FWD coming in at $51,700, and the Elite has a base price of $57,900. If you’d like an EX or Touring model with all-wheel drive, Honda adds an additional $3,000 to the starting price. In testing by Car and Driver, the Prologue Elite was able to get to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. They have yet to test the base models with less power, but it’s obvious they will be quite slow.

Now, we come to the familiar challenger in the red and yellow shorts (the colors of the Vietnamese flag): the VinFast VF8. There are just two trims available so that customers won’t get confused with all sorts of packages and options: the Eco and Plus. The VF8 Eco has a base price of $47,325, and the Plus trim starts at $51,800. Both VF8 trims have dual motors with 87.7-kWh batteries, giving Eco models 349 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque and 402 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque for the Plus trims. While the Honda makes AWD an option, VinFast offers it as a standard feature on all VF8 models. The EPA says drivers can expect 264 miles for Eco models and 243 miles for Plus models between charges. According to VinFast, the VF8 will reach 60 mph in just 5.9 or 5.5 seconds for the Eco and Plus, respectively. Charging times are similar to the Honda, with about 35 minutes to charge from 10-70% on a DC fast charger.

Amazingly, like the VinFast, the Prologue has a Head-Up Display (HUD). Not so amazingly, though, it’s only available on the top Elite trim, whereas the VF8 comes standard with HUD no matter which trim you choose. So, good try, Honda, but we’ll have to deduct some points for you not offering HUD as a standard safety feature that buyers need with the ever-growing number of distractions in a car. VinFast understands that anything can happen the more you take your eyes off the road to look at other screens, including for directions. With a proper Head-Up Display, every piece of information you need is right in your eyeline.

Speaking of screens, the Honda Prologue comes standard with an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen display that compares unfavorably to the VF8 with its 15.6-inch touchscreen display. While the Honda also has an 11-inch digital gauge cluster display, VinFast forgoes this as all of the information can be seen and accessed on both the infotainment screen and the standard HUD.

As always, there is one specific feature that is standard on the VF8 that you can’t get on any other EV: Sony RIDEVU. With RIDEVU, owners can watch as many as 2,000 TV shows and movies on the in-car 15.6-inch infotainment system when the car is parked. Or, if you are driving, passengers can watch content on a device connected to the in-car Wi-Fi.

Honda recommends that you tow no more than 1,500 lbs with your Prologue, making it a little difficult to travel with a camper or anything of the sort. The VF8, however, offers up to 4,000 lbs of towing ability when properly equipped, which makes the VinFast a much better option for families that enjoy a good outdoor vacation where they can bring a boat, jet skis, camper, or anything like that. It’ll be easier to tow a U-Haul if you need to move between homes, cities, or states.

Both the Honda Prologue and VinFast VF8 offer solid lease specials, however, with a twist. Buyers can lease the base EX with AWD Prologue for just $279 per month… with $3,099 due at signing. The Elite trim offers a 36-month lease for $407 a month with $3,312 due at signing. Sadly, those are just okay leasing deals. VinFast is currently offering the VF8 Eco for $279 per month for 24 months, with $974 due before you drive off. Or, if you would like the top Plus trim, that will cost just $1,024 down with a $329 monthly payment for 24 months.

When it comes to vehicle warranties, so far, no one can even come close to how good VinFast customers have it. The base, bumper-to-bumper warranty covers you for 10 years or 125,000 miles, and the battery comes with a 10-year, unlimited-mile warranty. What does Honda think is appropriate for Prologue customers? A simple 3-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Another EV bites the dust in the warranty department.

We have now seen the VinFast VF8 come out ahead of offerings from Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Genesis, Rivian, Volkswagen, BMW, Tesla, and now Honda. While these are all nice EVs, it just goes to show how hard VinFast has worked to provide a first-ever model that can compete so easily with vehicles from some of the best automotive brands in the world.

Why Choose Ewing VinFast

At Ewing VinFast of Plano, we have the best prices on dozens of new VinFast EVs and used cars. Our well-educated sales staff and finance department will happily assist you with your EV questions and needs. Our fantastic service department will ensure your vehicle stays in the best condition.

We look forward to serving you.

February 20, 2025February 11, 2025

What Is One-Pedal Driving in an EV and Why Does it Matter?

VinFast VF9 Driving in front of the Eiffel Tower

If you have driven a VinFast VF8 or VF9—or any other EV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or some hybrid vehicles—you may have noticed a feature that allows you to drive with just the accelerator, meaning you rarely have to touch the brake pedal. What is this, what is it called, and why does it matter? Simply put, the feature is called one-pedal driving. Let’s take a look at why it’s good for electric cars and for you as an EV owner.

Two Pedals Become One

When you drive a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you obviously have two main pedals: the gas (also known as the throttle or accelerator pedal) and the brake. While electric cars like the VinFast VF8 and VF9 still have a brake pedal, as soon as you let off the throttle pedal the vehicle immediately begins to brake. Why is this? It’s because of one-pedal driving. The electric motor causes the car to slow down in this case, because it’s technically not being used to generate thrust or acceleration but instead to reverse the torque direction of the battery system.

Regenerative Braking

When your VinFast starts to slow down when you let off the accelerator, the vehicle recovers some of that energy (normally lost in conventional friction braking systems) to be reused by the battery as extra charge. This is known as regenerative, or regen, braking. Regen braking can be adjusted from low to high via the 15.6-inch infotainment display. There’s also a Creep Mode. The more regen braking, the faster the car will slow down when you let off the accelerator pedal. When the system is set to the lowest regen braking, the car will coast like a normal gas-powered car. Oh, and yes, your brake lights come on even if you don’t touch the brake pedal. At any point when you have the regen braking turned up and you let off the throttle, the brake lights will illuminate.

Adjusting the Regen Braking

How much or how little regen braking you prefer is entirely up to you as the driver. A lot of first-time EV drivers will set the regen to the lowest setting to get used to it, because it can be alarming the first time you let off the gas pedal and the car starts slowing down instead of coasting. So, it’s best to gradually ease your way into getting comfortable with the system. You may want to turn the system down in stop-and-go traffic, where coasting could be more beneficial. Turning on Creep Mode will allow your VinFast to move forward slightly when you release the brake, like in a gas-powered car.

Do You Really Need a Brake Pedal?

If you use one-pedal driving, then what is the brake for? Well, you still need to apply the brakes in emergency stopping situations, because while the car will come to a complete stop when you let off the accelerator, it will not do so with the same urgency as slamming on the brakes in a panic situation.

Why Choose Ewing VinFast

We look forward to serving you.

January 20, 2025January 14, 2025

First-Time Electric Car Driver? Here’s What You Need to Know

Some people find it quite daunting to go from one car to another, so it’s natural that some would even be worried about moving from a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle. After all, if you’ve only been used to pulling up to a gas station, pumping gas, and then driving home, it makes sense to be a little nervous about the adjustment to buying an all-electric VinFast VF8 or VF9. However, it won’t stay that way for long as you will get used to the new norms of an EV.

Wait A Second… Where Is the Shifter?

A VinFast doesn’t have a shifter. Instead, the VF8 has buttons for Park, Neutral, Reverse, and Drive where the shifter would be to make the transition easier and more comfortable. In most EVs, you just get in and either press a start/stop button or just put your foot on the accelerator pedal and go on about your day. VinFast, however, is committed to making the move to EV simple.

Immediate Torque

Once you start driving, you’ll notice an immediate surge of power and torque. Unlike an I.C.E. (internal combustion engine) car, there is no pause between pushing the gas pedal and the movement of the vehicle. So, be careful. Push that pedal a little softer for the first few hundred miles to allow yourself time to get used to the instant performance.

Range Anxiety

As you drive, though, you will start seeing your range go down. Like any car, your driving range is a product of how you drive. Drive more relaxed and don’t do a bunch of 0-60 launches, and you can count on a steady driving range. Treat every traffic light as a drag strip tree, and you will see that range fall quite a bit. The common term for watching your range drop as you drive and being worried about running out of charge before getting to a charger is called “range anxiety.” While gas stations are still more prominent, there are EV chargers nearly everywhere at this point, especially when traveling on the highway. Any time you input a destination into your navigation, your VinFast will route your trip to keep you close enough to chargers every step of the way. So, while range anxiety was a really big deal 10-15 years ago, it’s much less of an issue now.

Regenerative Braking

One of the beauties of having an electric car is using one-pedal driving, which means you rarely have to touch the brake pedal. Instead, because electricity is an on-off thing, once you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, no energy is used to move the car. The brake lights come on automatically, and the vehicle starts to slow down as if you were tapping the brakes. Whenever you take your foot off the throttle or push the brake pedal, you are using Regenerative Braking. Regenerative braking captures the energy lost while braking and sends it back to the vehicle’s battery system to recover the energy. Driving in stop-and-go traffic can actually help to increase your vehicle’s range.

A Quiet Place

The final point to make about what you need to get used to when owning your first EV is silence. EVs are much, much quieter than gas-powered cars because there is less noise being made within the vehicle. In fact, tire manufacturers and VinFast engineers have developed parts of the car to be less noisy so as not to disturb you in the cabin. So, you will notice less harsh road noises from the tires, less wind noise, and the like. But this could lead to you getting annoyed with how hard people breathe in the passenger seat… something you didn’t notice before you got an EV.

Why Choose Ewing VinFast

We look forward to serving you.

January 15, 2025January 14, 2025

VinFast VF9 vs Tesla Model X

When it comes to electric SUVs, Tesla is kind of the OG in this department with the Model X. It has enjoyed a number of years as the premier luxury electric SUV. However, that’s slowly but surely been changing since its debut in 2015. With vehicles like the VinFast VF9, the Model X is aging in comparison. Or is it? Let’s compare the two in this week’s versus.

Meet The Tesla Model X

Like the VinFast VF9, the Tesla Model X only has two flavors for buyers: the Model X and the Model X Plaid. Unlike the VF9, though, it is pricey. How pricey? Well, here’s where it gets weird: Tesla says the Model X has a starting price of $65,990… but then, in fine print, it mentions, “Includes any applicable federal tax credits and estimated gas savings.” So, that means you can add back the $7,500 federal tax credit to better understand the base price, but what are the estimated gas savings? That’s just deceptive practices. Car and Driver says the Model X starts from $81,630, while MotorTrend says it is priced from $79,990. Tesla says the Model X Plaid retails for $88,490, but the car magazines say $94,990 and $96,630, respectively. Short of calling or going to a Tesla dealer and asking, the price is anyone’s guess.

Powertrain Options

When choosing the base Model X, buyers will get a dual-motor and all-wheel drive with an output of 670 horsepower, according to Tesla, and 713 lb-ft of torque, according to Car and Driver (Tesla does not list torque for the standard model). However, the tri-motor Model X Plaid features a massive 1,020 horsepower and 1,050 lb-ft of torque. Those are wild power numbers, which makes sense since the Plaid can reach 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, while the standard model is a bit slower at 3.3 seconds. The EPA says that the standard Model X has 329 miles of range with 20-inch wheels. However, Tesla says this number drops to 322 when optioning the 22-inch wheels. The Plaid model has 314 miles of EPA-estimated range with the standard wheels, while the optional 22s will force that range down to about 300 miles.

Meet The Honest VF9

Finally, we come to the star of the evening, the VF9, which is available in either Eco or Plus trim levels and starts from $71,000. Eco models will give buyers a healthy 330-mile driving range, and Plus models offer 291 miles, which makes the VF9 about equal to the Model X. Like the Model X, all VF9 models come standard with all-wheel drive, and both also use dual-motor setups. The 123 kWh battery pack provides 402 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. This gives the VinFast plenty of oomph, with a claimed 0-60 of roughly 6.5 seconds. The VF9 comes standard with a Head-Up Display (HUD), something most other vehicles can’t attest to, so drivers never have to take their eyes off the road to see navigation information, range, music, and more.

Sony RIDEVU Is Amazing

Something that neither Tesla nor any other EV on the market can lay claim to is Sony RIDEVU. RIDEVU allows passengers in the VF9 to watch 2,000 different Sony-owned movies and TV shows either on the main infotainment screen when the vehicle is in park or on any device that is on the in-car WiFi. The 2025 VF9 offers drivers and passengers a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen display plus six standard USB-A ports with one 90-watt USB-C port, which means two per row. Buyers who opt for captain’s chairs will find two extra USB-A ports in the center console.

Safety First

VinFast believes in giving drivers the latest and best safety features as standard. No matter whether you get a VF8 or VF9, your VinFast comes standard with Traffic Jam Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Highway Driving Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Centering Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Automatic Emergency Braking, Intelligent Speed Recognition, Traffic Sign Recognition, Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Detection, Door Opening Warning, Front Automatic Emergency Braking, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Front Parking Assist, Rear Parking Assist, backup camera, Automatic High Beam, and a 360-degree Surround View Camera system. All VinFast VF9 models feature 11 airbags as standard safety equipment.

A Warranty vs Kind of a Warranty

When it comes to protecting your investment, VinFast goes all out. Every VinFast model comes with a 10-year, unlimited-mile battery warranty, as well as a 10-year, 125,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The Tesla, however, only gets a 4-year, 50,000-mile basic warranty and an 8-year, 150,000-mile battery warranty. No one’s really keeping score here, but that seems like a win for the VF9.

Which To Get…

Ultimately, which one should you choose, the Tesla Model X or the VinFast VF9? It’s your money, and you should spend it as you see fit. But, since you asked, when taking into consideration the odd pricing alone, the Tesla Model X doesn’t seem too honest. And then, once you look at the battery warranty, you notice it is 150,000 miles versus unlimited miles for the VF9. If you just want to show off at traffic lights, maybe the Tesla is the best car for your needs. However, if you want a vehicle that’s focused on quality over bragging rights, then perhaps the VinFast is the right car.

Why Choose Ewing VinFast

We look forward to serving you.

January 10, 2025January 14, 2025

How Does Fast Charging Affect Battery Health

New VinFast App for iPhone and Android Smart Phone

A battery is a battery, whether it’s in your phone, a camera, or a car. Like every other piece of technology, batteries will slowly degrade over time. It’s perfectly normal and natural. However, there are things you can do to mitigate battery degradation in devices. While it is rare, sometimes batteries can lose some of their abilities more quickly, which is why VinFast has the best battery warranty in the business with its 10-year, unlimited-mile warranty.

Learning How to Charge

Remember back in the day when cell phones were first coming out? It was recommended to charge them to full, then let them fully discharge on their own, and then from there, you could use them as normal. Well, now, especially with lithium-ion batteries in EVs and smartphones, it is recommended that batteries always charge between 20% and 80% most of the time. This is why car manufacturers like VinFast tell you the charging speed is between 20% and 70 or 80%.

Should You Be Worried About Battery Degradation?

It can be tricky to know the best practices because, simply put, you are just trying to live your life and drive your car as you need to. One thing people are starting to ask is how much your VinFast is affected by charging the car via a Level 3 DC fast charger. That charger carries the most kilowatts to charge cars more quickly. In the case of a VF8 or VF9, that’s about 25 minutes to get you up to 70%. But does it hurt your battery life? Well, yes… kind of. Should you worry about it? That depends.

Where is it Best to Charge?

No matter what, it is always easiest and cheapest to charge at home. So, say you use 50% of your battery range by driving to and from work every day. When you plug into your home charger, which hopefully is a VinFast Home charger, the car and the charger will communicate. This will get you up to 80% at a reasonable rate and then relax the charge on its way up to 100% so as not to put too much strain on the battery. It is important to note that your EV is very smart and works hard to protect the battery system in your car.

Some Studies Show Promising Results

Luckily for EV owners, some studies show that using fast chargers can have negligible degradation effects over time. That being said, if you do lots of long-distance traveling and utilize Level 3 chargers, not only will you be spending more money to charge your car, but over time, this could contribute to your battery health dwindling from 100% of capacity down to 90 or so percent after a couple of years of doing this. That means that your maximum range will drop by 10%.

When In Doubt, Charge at Home

There is still plenty of testing to be done to determine how batteries will last over time when charged more quickly and subjected to heat and stress. This is why it’s always best to charge your VinFast at home as much as possible.

Why Choose Ewing VinFast

We look forward to serving you.