6 Years Since the First VinFast Fadil Was Delivered: A Quick Rise to the Top as the ‘Sales King’, Still in Demand as a Used Car

On June 17, 2019, VinFast officially handed over the first Fadil cars to customers, marking the first step of the Vietnamese automotive brand into the domestic market. Fadil was initially positioned in the A-segment, a highly competitive segment with accessible pricing, alongside established names such as Hyundai Grand i10, Kia Morning, and Toyota Wigo.

First Steps in a Dynamic Market

At the time of Fadil’s launch, Hyundai Grand i10 was leading the A-segment with 22,068 units sold in 2018, also ranking among the best-selling cars in the overall market. Kia Morning maintained stable sales (11,528 units in 2018), while Toyota Wigo was a new entrant. The market was already crowded with long-standing models offering competitive pricing.

In this context, the introduction of Fadil was considered a bold move. The VinFast brand was new and had no products in the market yet. Despite the challenges, Fadil had advantages in its sturdy chassis inherited from the Opel Karl (GM Europe), a more powerful 1.4L engine compared to its segment peers, and flexible sales policies offered by VinFast.

Rapid Growth Fueled by Flexible Policies

In its first year, 2019, VinFast did not disclose the total sales figures for Fadil. However, in the last two months of that year, the model sold 3,271 units, ranking second in its segment. Just a year later, in 2020, VinFast Fadil overtook Hyundai Grand i10 to become the “King of the A-segment” with 18,016 units sold. Furthermore, Fadil also excelled as the third best-selling car in the overall market, following Toyota Vios (30,251 units) and Hyundai Accent (20,776 units).

In 2021, VinFast Fadil officially claimed the title of “king of sales in the entire market,” with 24,128 units sold, ending Vios’ seven-year reign. Fadil’s success was remarkable, especially considering the challenges faced by many brands due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global chip shortage. The model’s breakthrough was largely attributed to VinFast’s aggressive sales policies, including interest rate support, registration fee incentives, flexible financing options, and extensive after-sales care.

Production Halt and Lasting Impressions

In 2022, despite VinFast’s shift towards electric vehicles, Fadil maintained its strong performance with 10,677 units sold, ranking second in the A-segment in Vietnam, closely behind Hyundai i10 (10,752 units). Even after production ceased in July 2022, Fadil retained its position.

Still a “Hot” Choice in the Used Car Market

Although VinFast Fadil has been discontinued for almost three years, it remains a sought-after model in the used car market. On used car selling platforms, Fadil’s price ranges from VND 290 million to VND 340 million, depending on the version and vehicle condition.

“VinFast Fadil has good liquidity in the used car market,” said Mr. Nguyen Kien, owner of CarAZ Auto, with many years of experience in the used car business. “There is a high demand for this model, and it is easy to buy and sell. Fadil’s advantages include its stable performance, good resale value, and remaining official warranty,” he added.

VinFast Fadil was the first commercial model introduced by VinFast, playing a pivotal role in building trust in the Vietnamese automotive brand. Its success paved the way for other models such as Lux A2.0 and Lux SA2.0, and later the electric vehicle lineup, including VF e34, VF 5, VF 6, and VF 8.

Although it was only on the market for three years, Fadil established itself as one of the most successful city cars in the history of Vietnam’s automotive industry. For VinFast, Fadil marks an important milestone in its transition from gasoline to electric vehicles.