PBA player Prince Rivero with celebrity wife Lesley Martinez and their son Luka, with the VF 6 that launched at the VinFast booth in MIAS 2025
Vietnamese EV maker VinFast made its first appearance at the 2025 Manila International Auto Show, unveiling its new VF 6 subcompact SUV and launching a three-pronged strategy on charging, resale, and financing to win over Filipino drivers.
The shift toward electric mobility is steadily picking up steam, and that was plain to see at this year’s Manila International Auto Show (MIAS), which logged a record-breaking 170,900 visitors. In the thick of it was Vietnamese EV maker VinFast, which made its debut at the country’s biggest auto event after entering the Philippine market last year.
If you swung by their booth hoping for updates, you didn’t go home empty-handed. The big reveal was the VF 6, a subcompact SUV that now joins the local lineup alongside the VF 3, VF 5, VF 7, and VF 9. Starting at PHP 1.419 million for the Eco trim and PHP 1.610 million for the Plus, the VF 6 comes with a class-leading warranty: seven years or 160,000 kilometers, whichever comes first (from mini to full-size).
Plenty of visitors paused to check it out. Among them was basketball player Prince Rivero, whose 6’3” fit comfortably inside the subcompact SUV. “The acceleration is really on point,” he said after a test drive with his wife. “Here in the Philippines, it’s really hot and gasoline is expensive, so the EV features are really convenient for us. And as a starter family car, the VF 6 is going to be perfect.”
Just nearby, flight attendant Aila Panganiban shared her thoughts on the VF 6 and VF 7, both offering nearly 500 km of range per charge (NEDC standard). “I love the new style of VinFast cars compared to other cars in the Philippines,” she said. “The prices of VinFast cars are very good and affordable.”
For those already familiar with Vietnam’s booming automotive sector, VinFast’s presence at MIAS was hardly surprising. “I knew VinFast was a big deal over there,” said Leica, an office worker who had visited Vietnam, where the company recently became the top-selling brand of 2024.
“Right now, I drive an ICE vehicle, but I’m also considering switching to an EV. Some models like the VF 3, VF 5, or the new VF 6 are perfect for city driving, especially on the narrow, crowded streets of Manila,” said Leica.
But VinFast’s pitch at the MIAS 2025 went beyond just shiny sheet metals. The company knows they also need to tackle the hard questions of EV ownership, so they rolled out a three-pronged pitch.
First, the company is offering free public charging at VinFast’s stations through 2027, reducing immediate operating costs and reassuring potential buyers. The brand is working with global charging network operator V-GREEN, which aims to develop 15,000 charging ports nationwide this year alone. For context, as of March 2025, the Philippines has a total of over 900 public charging stations.
Next: resale. To ease concerns about long-term value, VinFast introduced a buyback program that guarantees up to 90% of the vehicle’s original price, depending on how long it’s been owned. This applies across their entire lineup, not just premium models.
And third, financing. The brand announced partnerships with local heavyweights like BDO and EastWest to provide more flexible payment terms, aiming to ease one of the biggest hurdles for buyers: the high upfront cost.
VinFast is also working on making itself easier to find. Six distributor deals are already in place, with more than 60 new showrooms planned across the country this year.
The message from VinFast was clear: their vehicles aren’t just appealing electric options. By systematically dealing with the usual suspects—charging access, resale concerns, and financing—the company is trying to make the perceived risk more tolerable for potential buyers. With car prices rising and fuel costs unpredictable, VinFast’s triple play might just convince more Filipinos that now’s the time to go electric.
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