Dongfeng isn’t a loud name in the EV space despite having a few electrified and full-electric offerings. Their underrated Nammi is a good car for the price that really brings out the fun in every drive. Now, they are following that up with another unique entry to the EV space.
The Dongfeng Vigo EV is a subcompact crossover that banks on its unique design cues more than anything else. Will that be enough to woo you into their fold? Or is its price of PHP 1,458,000 enticing enough?
At first glance, the Vigo looks like any Chinese EV. It has a minimalist aesthetic, sharp corners, aero-style wheels, and good stance overall. Its size is close to the Coolray or HR-V. Where it deviates from the rest is at the rear.
It’s not a powered tailgate – even better. Here at the back is a split-open tailgate that lets you open just the upper half if you need to get something. The bottom half doubles as a wider pseudo-bench so that you have a better place to sit on when you hangout anywhere, during car meets, or some quick snack from the drive-thru. There’s even a cut for your drinks or tumblers at the cladding of the tailgate’s bottom section.
500L of space is available at the back with the floor having 2 levels. You can have it flush for more cargo, or higher so that it’s flat together with the rear seats when folded. This, together with the split-open tailgate, makes the Vigo EV ready for barkadas and young professionals that are all about that work-life balance.
The Vigo has a 51.87 kWh battery giving you 471km of range in a single charge. There’s 163 PS of power and 230 Nm of pull, making it quite lively on the streets. It takes 7hrs to charge from 0-100% with its 6.6 kW charger, or 18 mins from 30-80% DC fast charging. It even has Eco, Comfort, and Sport modes for a more customized driving experience.
The cabin looks plain, just like the Nammi, but that’s the charm of this EV. There’s a 12-inch touchscreen at the center of the dash, an 8.88-inch instrument cluster, and all physical buttons only on the steering wheel. The rest are on the touchscreen which is commendable. I mean, at least you only have to look for functions in 2 places. The center console is also worth noting with its sci-fi platform design, as if the 50W wireless charger at the end is the command center of a spaceship.
The only drawback I’ve seen here, apart from the lack of physical buttons for the aircon, is the lack of support for Android Auto. Aside from that, Apple users will have fun driving this thing in and out of the city.
At the back there’s a single vent for air circulation, together with an illuminated USB-C port and a cubby hole. The doors have its distinct pattern that emits the ambient lighting for rear occupants, giving you a premium vibe especially at night.
Dongfeng fitted the Vigo with all the safety features you’ll need for everyday driving and more. It has 6 Airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, ABS, Hill-Start Assist, and Tire Pressure Monitoring.
ADAS or Advanced Driver Assist System is also complete. It has Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, and Intelligent High Beam Control among others.
The Dongfeng Vigo is very minimalist in that it only comes in 3 colors – orange, green, and white. It has a warranty of 5 years or 150,000 km and 8-years or 170,000 km for the battery.
