Leapmotor C10 review

Driving position

With electric SUVs being all the rage, the Leapmotor C10 needs to stand out, and we think its light and airy cabin helps here.

With the different seating positions, you’ll always feel like you’re driving a taller SUV thanks to maximum visibility (though some alternatives have slimmer A-pillars).

That being said, it would be nice to have lower positions for those who prefer a slightly sportier drive. You always feel pretty elevated, above even the steering wheel and centre console, rather than being enclosed by it.

We’re not saying it’s like driving a van, but there are certain traits that do feel slightly similar.

The front passenger seat is fixed height-wise, which seems like an oversight given that others like the Škoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y have more adjustability here.

At least all configurations come with electrically adjustable front seats, so it’s easy to make minor changes. The driver’s seat will also slide back automatically to let you out when you come to a stop.

In terms of comfort, the seats themselves are made of a vegan leather, and there’s enough padding to prevent fatigue on longer trips.

We took the C10 on a trip through some country lanes when a portion of the M4 motorway was closed. Being budget- and comfort-focused, we didn’t have high expectations, but we were really pleased with the lateral support to stop the driver sliding around the seats too much.

On that comfort focus, the steering is very light, so navigating tighter side streets is pretty easy, despite the C10’s reasonably large dimensions.

It would be nice to have a bit more weighting as an option, though.

Tech and features

First thing’s first, there are no trim levels. Leapmotor’s taken a leaf out of Tesla’s book, because everything is standard, so all you need to focus on is the battery and motor configuration.

This means you get a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system that serves as the main touchpoint for most car controls, just as it does in a Tesla or a BYD.

Other equipment includes a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a fixed panoramic sunroof with an electric blind, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a really clear 360-degree parking camera and a powered boot lid.

There’s also an 840W 12-speaker sound system. The quality is good, but the volume is pretty limited if you like car karaoke sessions. We also struggled to hear all phone calls on maximum volume, so possibly something to be fixed in an over-the-air (OTA) update.

Talking about OTA updates, we hope Apple CarPlay/Android Auto will come in the near future.

For the price, it’s hard to match a Leapmotor C10 for value for money.

Instead of a key, you get an NFC keycard, just as you do with Teslas and some Volvos, like the EX30.

It’s easy because it fits in your wallet, but Leapmotor thought about those of us who don’t always carry a wallet around too.

The mobile app serves as a Bluetooth car key, with hands-free locking and unlocking. Once you’re in, just tap in your pin code to power on, and off you go.

For some reason, car manufacturers seem to be struggling to create a good mobile app. Virtually no one comes near to Tesla. Until now.

Leapmotor’s app is one of the best in the business, with controls so granular you can turn on the cabin heating, seat heating, steering wheel heating, rear windscreen heating and even wing mirror heating.

Electric motors and power

Leapmotor C10 performance stats

– Power: 218hp, 299hp, 598hp

– 0-62mph: 4.0 to 7.5 seconds

– Top speed: 106mph

– Driven wheels: Rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive

The bulk of Leapmotor’s C10 sales will come from the two rear-wheel-drive models, each with a different battery size.

The least powerful 218hp motor is a strong starting point, with a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds not too dissimilar to hot hatches from the 2010s.

A more powerful motor is fitted to the bigger battery, but because it weighs more, the performance difference isn’t that stark.

If you need a bit more oomph, there’s an all-wheel-drive model with an eyewatering 598hp. That’s a huge boost over the VW ID.4 GTX and Škoda Enyaq vRS, and the 0-62mph time of 4.0 seconds really isn’t far off the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT (3.6 seconds) and Tesla Model Y Performance (3.5 seconds).

In terms of power delivery, our test car defaulted to Eco mode for every drive, so presumably this is a standard affair across the board. There’s a noticeable difference between this and the sportiest throttle response, which is nice to have.

It’s worth noting that you need to turn off one-pedal drive to change drive modes (which you can then do on the go). To disable one-pedal drive, you have to come to a stop and put the vehicle in Park.

On the flip side, there’s also an opposite drive mode that lets the car freewheel (albeit in gear) when you lift off the accelerator, so if you prefer a more familiar driving experience to combustion cars, this might be for you.

Handling and ride comfort

We think the Leapmotor C10 is in its element around town, where the light steering, good outward visibility and soft suspension feel very suitable.

It’s actually a really easy drive. That’s until you push it to higher speeds, where the steering does lack a bit of feel.

The car doesn’t really communicate what’s going on beneath the wheels, so if you’re tackling flowing country lanes you might prefer a more engaging Škoda Enyaq.

At least noise levels are low, at all speeds. Extensive cabin soundproofing, despite this being a budget-focused electric SUV, keeps wind and tyre noise at bay.

On our M4 trip, we found the adaptive cruise control to be a bit of a pain. Rather than maintaining a set distance from the car in front, it seemed to jolt between accelerating and braking more than any other car we’ve tried.

The steering aid works well at keeping you centred, and it’s easy to override if you need to go for an overtake.

Boot space

Leapmotor C10 boot space

– Boot space: 435 litres

– Incl. Rear seats folded: 1,410 litres

– Front boot (froot): 32 litres

Most SUV buyers favour that all-important high-up driving position and airier cabin – a large boot by volume isn’t always a deal-maker.

The C10’s boot measures 435 litres, which is far below key rivals like the VW ID.4 (543 litres) and Škoda Enyaq (585 litres).

It’s more than you get in the Ford Mustang Mach-E (402 litres), but that car does have a froot (font boot), which the C10 does not.

Rear seats

You’ll already be expecting a decent amount of rear-seat space, but you might still be surprised by how spacious the rear seats are.

Fitting three adults side-by-side is more do-able than in other similarly sized cars thanks to a decently wide cabin.

Shoutout to the C10’s engineers and designers for creating a flat floor in the back, which also helps with carrying more people.

The trade-off for a pretty average-sized boot is plentiful interior space, and given our experience with carrying luggage and passengers inside the C10, we think it offers a good balance.

Storage solutions

Car manufacturers just love to boast about interior storage – Leapmotor says there are 26 separate storage spaces inside the C10.

There’s a floating/two-tier centre console, with cup holders and a wireless phone charger on top, and extra space with USB connections beneath.

You also get a deep cubby under the armrest, two cupholders for the rear-seat occupants, door bin storage and seatback pockets.

Leapmotor C10 dimensions

– Height: 1,680mm

– Width: 1,900mm

– Length: 4,739mm

– Kerb weight: 1,995kg

Safety

The Leapmotor C10 is a true safety superstar, not only with a five-star Euro NCAP rating, but strong scores across each of the four categories.

Because there are no trim levels, all versions come with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping.

There’s even an airbag fitted between the two front seats for added protection.

Range and charging

– Range: 261-317 miles

– Battery size: 69.9-81.9kWh

– Max charging speed: 84kW

– Charge port location: Back left

– Charge time (AC): 0-100% in 10 hours 40 minutes (69.9kWh) or 12 hours 30 minutes (81.9kWh) using a 6.6kW charger

– Charge time (DC): 30-80% in 30 minutes (69.9kWh) or 22 minutes (81.9kWh) using an 84kW rapid charger

– Efficiency: 3.4mi/kWh

– Charging cost: From £4.90 (69.9kWh)

Even though it’s a pretty big car, the Leapmotor C10 generally lives up to efficiency claims. We were able to match the figures around town.

It helps that you get a heat pump as standard, which helps to improve efficiency when the weather drops.

As a guide, we saw a worst-case scenario of around 170 miles from the Pro battery (claimed 261 miles).

This was on a motorway run in extreme rain (which increases resistance on the tyres) and cold conditions.

If you’re travelling from London to Cardiff, you shouldn’t need to charge so long as you have access to a charger at the end destination. If you’re heading further, say to Manchester, you may need a quick stop.

6.6kW AC charging is slower than the 7-11kW standard, but because most homes are limited to 7kW anyway, this isn’t too much of an issue.

The 84kWh cap on rapid charging is disappointing though, especially with such a big battery. A 22-to-30-minute top-up sounds fine, but most cars fill 10-80% in this time, not 30-80% like the Leapmotor.

If you need a near-full charge on the go, it adds unwanted time to your trip. The VW ID.4 delivers 135-175kW, and generally, 150kW is a good benchmark.

At least it has Nap Mode, which dims the interior lights, plays some ambient sounds and reclines the driver’s seat as far as it will go.

Reliability

Leapmotor is a very new brand in the UK, so long-term reliability data is limited. Its first cars hit the roads in China in 2019.

The brand offers a four-year/60,000-mile warranty to UK buyers, which is a year more than the industry average, but it falls short of rivals like BYD. It’s in line with Tesla.

Electric cars in general feature fewer moving parts, so there’s less to go wrong. OTA update support also means Leapmotor can address any software issues for cars already on the roads.

It also uses an LFP battery – a type of chemistry that’s better suited to regular charges and discharges.

It’s also more accommodating to 100% charges so you can use the full range, whereas NMC batteries used in many other EVs prefer to stay under 80% most of the time.