5 large SUVs from popular car brands in Vietnam

Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado are large, affordable SUVs that can carry 7 people but are priced on par with luxury cars in the Vietnamese market.

With a price range of 2-3 billion VND, most Vietnamese users will think of luxury but compact cars such as Mercedes GLC, Land Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 or BMW X3.

Others want spacious vehicles that can accommodate seven adults. The top choices in this segment are seven-seat SUVs, imported as a whole, such as the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot or Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.

Ford Explorer (VND 2.18 billion)

Ford Explorer is a "newbie" in the large SUV segment in Vietnam, priced at 2.18 billion VND. The car is officially imported from the US. Explorer is a spacious 7-seat SUV, equipped with many modern features such as massage seats, memory position combined with heating and cooling system, sunroof, MyFord Touch infotainment system, Sync 3 connection.

12-speaker Sony 500W sound system, DVD screen, wireless headphones for rear seats. Hands-free trunk opening thanks to sensor.

Ford Explorer is reasonably priced compared to its competitors. Photo: Han Nguyen.

The car model is officially imported in Vietnam using a 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder EcoBoost turbocharged engine, 273 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and maximum torque of 420 Nm at 3,000 rpm.

6-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4-wheel drive. Safety technology includes 10 airbags, terrain control, automatic parking, lane departure warning, 180-degree camera, ABS, EBD...

With a price range of over 2 billion VND, Ford Explorer is the best choice in the segment because of its full features, not cut down like imported models from Thailand or Indonesia.

Honda Pilot (VND 3.5 billion)

Honda Pilot is a formidable rival of Ford Explorer in Western countries. However, this car model is not yet officially imported in Vietnam but through private dealers.

In all dimensions, the Pilot is larger than its younger brother, the CR-V, so it has enough space to comfortably seat 7 people.

Honda Pilot is not officially imported so the price is high. Photo: TNTBros.

The Honda Pilot is equipped with a 3.5-liter, V6 engine, with a capacity of 280 horsepower and a torque of 355 Nm. Although the capacity is much larger than the Explorer, the Pilot also has a higher capacity of only 7 horsepower, in return, this engine is quite fuel-efficient, only about 11.8 liters / 100 km.

The Pilot Elite version is equipped with a 9-speed automatic transmission, the regular version uses a 6-speed transmission. In Vietnam, the Pilot is "screaming" by private dealers for up to 3.5 billion VND.

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (VND 2.33 billion)

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is a large SUV, the older brother of Fortuner. The car is officially imported in Vietnam with a price of 2.33 billion VND.

The car uses a 2.7-liter, 4-cylinder inline engine, maximum capacity of 164 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and torque of 246 Nm at 4,000 rpm.

Toyota Prado is poorly equipped but easy to resell. Photo: Toyota.

The active safety system on the car includes ABS, BA emergency braking, EBD electronic balance, active traction control, 7 airbags. However, the car lacks hill start assist, off-road speed selection or blind spot control. The car also does not have automatic parking like the Ford Explorer.

Mazda CX-9 (VND 1.86 billion)

The CX-9 is Mazda’s largest SUV. In Vietnam, the CX-9 costs 1.86 billion VND. Currently, the Vietnamese version has reached the end of its product life cycle, so Mazda has removed it from its product portfolio. At the end of 2016, Mazda only sold 79 units in the Vietnamese market, while its younger brother, the CX-5, is always out of stock.

The Mazda CX-9 has been discontinued to make way for a new version.

The CX-9 is equipped with a 3.7-liter V6 engine, with a maximum capacity of 274 horsepower and a torque of 367 Nm. The CX-9 is sluggish because it uses an engine that is too large, consumes too much fuel, and has a price that is too high compared to competitors such as the Pajero Sport or imported Fortuner.

Touareg GP

Volkswagen Touareg GP is sold for 2.88 billion VND in Vietnam. This is a 7-seat SUV, the largest in the product portfolio provided by Volkswagen.

The car is equipped with a 3.6-liter FSI V6 gasoline engine, 280 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, maximum torque of 360 Nm at 3,200 rpm, 8-speed automatic transmission.

Volkswagen Touareg GP imported from Germany so the price is high. Photo: Volkswagen.

This model shares the same chassis with the Audi Q7 but has a more affordable design. In return, the interior space is extremely spacious, comfortable for 7 adults on long journeys.

Notable equipment on the car is the 4Motion 4-wheel drive system, distributing 40% power to the front axle and 60% to the rear axle.

According to Zing