Partner Content with VinFast and Al Tayer Motors
The Tesla Model Y is the electric SUV most UAE buyers measure everything else against. VinFast’s VF 8 offers a premium package for tens of thousands of dirhams less. So how do they really compare?
Ask almost anyone in the UAE to name an electric SUV and the Tesla Model Y comes first. It’s the country’s most recognised EV. VinFast, Vietnam’s largest carmaker, wants to change that. It positions itself around premium accessibility: high-end features at prices that open the segment to more buyers. Its VF 8 targets the same buyer. Here’s how they compare.
How much do they cost in the UAE?
Price is where the gap is widest. The VF 8 starts at AED 115,900 for the Eco and AED 125,900 for the Plus, both including VAT, through Al Tayer Motors. The Model Y opens at AED 174,900 and climbs to around AED 210,000 for the Long Range all-wheel-drive trim.
So even the top VF 8 comes in around AED 49,000 below the entry Model Y.
Which one is quicker?
Both trims use a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup as standard. The Eco makes 349hp and reaches 100kph in 5.9 seconds. The Plus lifts that to 402hp and dips below 5.5 seconds. The Model Y, by contrast, starts as a single-motor rear-drive car doing 5.9 seconds. To get all-wheel drive and a 4.8-second sprint, you must pay for the pricier Long Range AWD. So VF 8 buyers get four driven wheels from the entry point.
What about range and charging?
On paper, Tesla leads. VinFast quotes 493km for the VF 8 Eco and 476km for the VF 8 Plus, though both figures use the older, optimistic NEDC test. The Model Y claims up to 622km on the tougher WLTP cycle.
In daily use, though, that gap barely registers. The average person in the UAE drives 30 to 50km a day, so both cars cover a week of commuting on a single charge. The VF 8 packs an 87.7kWh battery and charges from 10 to 70 per cent in about 31 minutes on a fast charger. For most owners, range isn’t the deciding factor it once was.
Which cabin feels more premium?
The VF 8 makes its strongest case inside, styled by Italian design house Pininfarina. The Plus adds vegan leather, 12-way power seats, and ventilated seats front and rear. You also get a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof, and a 15.6-inch touchscreen paired with a 10-speaker system. The Model Y takes the opposite approach, routing nearly everything through one 15.4-inch screen with no instrument display.
Buyers who like physical richness prefer the VinFast; fans of simplicity lean Tesla.
The interior of the VinFast VF 8 has a premium feel.
What are the financing deals?
Al Tayer’s current VF 8 offer includes a 0.99 per cent finance rate and a “buy now, pay after six months” option. It also bundles a five-year or 100,000km service contract and 10-year roadside assistance. On top sits a 10-year, 200,000km vehicle warranty and a 10-year, unlimited-mileage battery warranty. Tesla’s battery cover runs eight years. For a challenger brand, that long guarantee is a deliberate reassurance play.
Convenience is part of the pitch too. Al Tayer and VinFast run the UAE’s first “At Your Door” charging service with PlusX Electric, a DEWA-approved operator. A portable charger comes to your home on demand, and lease customers get it built into their rate.
Is VinFast a brand you can trust?
This is the real question, and based on evidence from around the world, it’s a categorical yes. VinFast was Vietnam’s best-selling car brand in 2025, taking 29 per cent of its home market and outselling Toyota and Hyundai. In August 2025 it also opened its first plant outside Vietnam, in Tamil Nadu, India. Within six months of its India launch, it became the country’s fourth best-selling EV brand, ahead of Hyundai, Kia, and BYD.
Owners are being won over too. On VinFast’s own community forum in the US, one VF 8 owner wrote that after “a lot of test driving and research, for me the VF 8 is the best all around EV, their warranty is unmatched.”
Another, three weeks into ownership, summed it up simply: “In general it’s been a great car for the price. No regrets in leasing the car yet.”
So where does that leave the VF 8?
Until now, the Model Y has been the UAE’s most popular EV and an obvious default. The VF 8 changes that calculation. It’s far more affordable, better equipped, all-wheel drive as standard, and backed by an unusually long warranty. It’s a strong contender and a genuine alternative to the car most UAE buyers have reached for by habit. On this evidence, it deserves a place on any shortlist and a test drive.
For a closer look and to compare the VinFast VF 8 with other cars for your own particular circumstances and preferences, you can go to Drive EV.
