The Chinese Leapmotor brand is still relatively new to the UK market, only launching on 1 March this year with the T03 city car and the C10 SUV. Now there’s a third model, the B10, taking on C-SUV rivals, and according to Leapmotor, it will have the most corporate and fleet appeal in the UK.
Launching in the UK in early December, the B10 is only available in one high-spec equipment grade, priced at just £31,495.
On top of the price and high spec, B10 technical highlights include a 67.1kWh battery, 215hp and 177lb-ft of torque, and a 270-mile WLTP battery range, plus a heat pump and vehicle-to-load (VTL) functionality as standard.
Design and interior
Outside, the B10’s overall shape, like the C10, looks Porsche Macan-like, especially at the back, with a full-length light bar and low-set rear numberplate. The flanks are clean and sharp, with the power pop-out door handles, lower cut out, and modest 18in alloy wheels. Just like the bigger C10, the front for us is the least successful part of the design, with the hidden, low-set headlights and centre trim giving the illusion of a light bar but still looking strangely anonymous.
Inside, think scaled-down C10, as like its bigger sister car, virtually everything inside is controlled by the central 14.6in infotainment touchscreen. Otherwise, there are scroll wheels on the simple and thin multifunction steering wheel. There is another smaller 10.25in screen for instruments, but elsewhere the dashboard is button-free. The driving position is comfortable, and adjustable – although the passenger seat doesn’t get the same six-way adjustment. The faux-leather trimmed seats are soft, but still impressively supportive.
What switchgear there is in the B10 (and there’s not much!), looks and feels remarkably like what Mercedes-Benz models had a generation ago.
The screens themselves have a good resolution and are easy to read. However, as we found with the C10, the screen might be fast to react, but accessing functions is more complicated than it should be, and as such it’s not easy to make changes on the move. We think it requires drivers to take their eyes off the road for too long. There is voice control, but it struggled with some of our questions and chimed into conversations and commented when not asked! There is also Apple Carplay or Android Auto compatibility, which wasn’t available previously, and the 12-speaker sound system is good quality.
Move to the back, and there’s plenty of head and legroom, even with the panoramic roof – so even the tallest will get comfortable. The aforementioned roof gives an airy feel to the interior. There is also a practically shaped boot area, boasting 430 litres, although this is less than our favourite medium SUV, the Skoda Elroq, which offers 470 litres.
Performance and drive
On the move, Eco, Comfort, and Sport modes change the drive by altering the weight of the steering and throttle. Modes closest to their name are ‘Eco’, which retards the throttle, and ‘Comfort’, which seems to soften all the settings. ‘Sport,’ as expected, sharpens the throttle a little, and adds a touch more weight to the steering. Despite having 215hp, the B10 doesn’t feel that quick off the mark, as its eight second 0-62mph acceleration figure suggests. However, it proved to be efficient, showing 4.1 miles per kWh efficiency, which suggest the 270-mile official range figure is believable.
We like the different brake regen modes, with ‘one-pedal’ our favourite, and perfect for stop/start driving around town. Brake feel is smooth and gentle, unlike some EV rivals.
The B10 is not much fun to drive, with the chassis set-up seemingly more about comfort than dynamism. The biggest problem is you can feel its weight in the corners, which results in more body roll than expected. The Linglong tyres fitted to our early car run out of grip worryingly quickly too – fortunately, Hankook tyres will be fitted to UK cars when they arrive later this year. Then there’s the steering, where despite the three different modes, all lacked in feel!
Considering the modest standard 18in wheels, as you’d expect the composed ride is a highlight. Although the overall driving experience is spoilt by the annoying and overbearing ADAS systems fitted!
Like the other Leapmotor models that have come before, there is plenty to like about the B10. It looks and feels more premium than its price suggests, with impressive levels of interior space and plenty of standard equipment for the price. We know Chinese brands listen to feedback and are quick to act, so we hope Leapmotor has another look at the infotainment and overkeen ADAS safety systems. Plus, some more driving sparkle would be welcome. All of this would make the B10 stand out even more against the keen opposition.
Positive: Keen pricing, simple, Tesla-like feel to the spacious and practical interior, well-equipped.
Negative: Not much fun to drive, ADAS systems are intrusive and difficult to turn off, lack of physical controls, rivals go further on a charge.
Standard equipment: Heat pump, NFC keycard and keyless go, dual-zone climate control, automatic lights and wipers, fog lights, electric heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone charger, rear parking sensors, around view monitor 360 camera, 12-speaker surround sound Hi-Fi, 10.25in HD instrument cluster, 14.6in touchscreen with navigation, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, 18in alloy wheels.
Engines: Electric: 218hp
Equipment grades: B10
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
| Model | Leapmotor B10 |
| P11D | £31,440 |
| Residual value | TBC |
| Depreciation | TBC |
| Fuel | £3,565 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | TBC |
| Cost per mile | TBC |
| Range | 270 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (3%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £16/£31 |
| Luggage capacity | 430 litres |
| Battery size/power | 67.1kWh/215hp |
| Score | 7/10 |
