You probably already know electric Chinese giant Dongfeng Motors for the adorable and absolutely bang-for-buck Dongfeng Box hatchback; or alternatively, for the sleek 007 sedan.
Now, the state-owned carmaker has widened its portfolio even further with a new member that could potentially hold the most appeal out of the entire family yet: The Dongfeng Vigo. First teased at roadshows and at both 2025 iterations of The Car Expo, the compact electric SUV was officially launched during the 2026 Singapore Motor Show.
At 4,306mm long, 1,868mm wide and 1,654mm tall, the Dongfeng Vigo has a slightly smaller footprint overall than segment-heavyweights including the BYD Atto 3 and MGS5 EV. Nonetheless, it promises to go toe-to-toe with them in terms of practicality, with a 2,715mm wheelbase that should still translate to a fair bit of legroom in the second row.
With a single motor sending 99kW and 230Nm of torque to the front wheels, the Vigo — like its main rivals — also qualifies for a Category A COE, but is sprightlier than them both, with an on-paper century sprint timing of 9.5 seconds.
Powering the SUV as well is a 51.87kWh LFP battery, which offers a claimed range of up to 471km on a full charge, and supports DC charging at an impressive peak rate of 167kW for a 10-80 per cent recharge in approximately 18 minutes.
Interestingly, Dongfeng has made specific mention of the car’s refinement on the move; it apparently boasts 37 layers of sound insulation all over, while its silent powertrain only emits an ‘ultra-low’ 18dB.
It’s worth noting that the Vigo also has slight edges over your typical compact electric SUV right at the rear. Its 500-litre boot, for starters, can rival those of SUVs one segment above. But even more alluring is its dual-tailgate opening, charmingly dubbed the ‘Heaven and Earth Gate’ by Dongfeng, which can support a load weight of up to 150kg.
Dongfeng Motors’ authorised local dealer Volt Auto imagines that this could serve up a good dollop of extra utility for drivers, including the likes of tailgate picnics, camping applications, or outdoor activities. For good measure, the Vigo comes with 3.3kW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality too.
Elsewhere, expect the Vigo to continue Dongfeng’s penchant for offering plentiful features at arguably bargain pricing.
Standard equipment includes the likes of six-way powered front seats, ventilation for the driver’s seat, 256-colour ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, and a 50W wireless fast-charging tray up front.
Unsurprisingly, the Vigo’s dashboard gets a good spread of digitalisation too, thanks to an 8.8-inch digital driver’s display, and a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto support.
On the move, the Vigo offers plentiful safety assistance features too, including a Lane Departure Warning System, Lane Keeping Assist and Road Traffic Sign Recognition. It’s not a large car by any measure, but also still comes with a handy 540-degree camera (effectively a surround-view monitor that can turn the car’s body transparent) to take the stress out of parking.
While the Vigo already marks a rather appealing new entrant to the Dongfeng lineup in Singapore, don’t expect the brand to stop there.
Apart from previewing models from its MHERO and Voyah sub-brands at the Motor Show, Dongfeng also took the chance to showcase the 008 – a mid-sized three-row electric SUV with seating for six.
Ostensibly targeted at the likes of the Jaecoo 8, first impressions of the Dongfeng 008 point to a premium-positioned SUV, with individual captain’s chairs on the middle row that come with ventilation, powered seats across all rows, as well as plush, soft-touch materials throughout the cabin.
No word has been given yet on the official arrival of the 008, but Volt Auto has included the SUV among its “upcoming models” in Singapore, which also include the MHERO 2 and Voyah Dream.
| Car model | Launch price as of 11 January 2025 (including COE) |
| Dongfeng Vigo Essential 51.87kWh | $166,888 |
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This article was first published in sgCarMart.
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