Leapmotor B10 Review

Introduction and model history

Right, shall we start with refreshing ourselves on who Leapmotor is, before we crack on with finding out about the Leapmotor B10? I don't know about you, but the number of new Chinese brands coming into Europe and the UK right now can feel quite overwhelming. 

Leapmotor started as a Chinese tech brand in 2015, before branching out into automotive. It's now part-owned by automotive giant, Stellantis - the company that also owns and runs Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and many more. So, while Leapmotor is a new Chinese brand with new Chinese tech, it's got the backing and support of Stellantis, which brings some peace of mind. 

The B10 is the third model from Leapmotor, and as a 4.5-metre long SUV it sits between compact and mid-sized family SUVs such as the Skoda Elroq and Enyaq. Priced from under £32,000, it offers strong value – especially when you consider its standard equipment list reads like a top-spec model elsewhere.

It’s powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor, producing 215hp, and aims to blend decent range, comfort, tech and affordability. 

Range, battery and charging

The B10 uses a 67.1kWh usable lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery from CATL. That's the only battery on offer, at the moment, and it offers a WLTP range of 270 miles of range. That's better than you'll get from the Ford Puma or Renault 4, but the MGS5 Long Range, or big battery versions of the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq.

Charging is impressively competitive: the Leapmotor B10 can charge at up to 168kW DC in ideal conditions, which means a 10–80% top-up in around 28 minutes. There’s also a standard heat pump for better winter efficiency - which is great news, as a heat pump is a pricey option in a lot of rivals. The B10 also supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) so that you can power camping gear or charge a laptop on the go. 

Practicality and boot space

It's a comfy place to be, the Leapmotor. There's plenty of leg- and headroom in the front and back, and the standard panoramic glass roof makes it feel really bright. You also get a centre rear armrest with cupholders, plus charging sockets and air vents in the back - but there's no light over the back seats. I can tell you from personal experience that not having a light back there is a total pain if you've got to faff about regularly with child seats or boosters. 

Mind you, Leapmotor reckons there are 22 cubbies around the cabin, too, so you can always keep the kids busy by getting them to count the cubbies while you get your torch out. You can also fold the front seats completely flat for camping-in-the-car fun, or maybe so you can get your surf board in? 

The 430-litre boot isn’t class-leading, but it’s a decent, square shape and there’s extra storage under the floor plus a small frunk in the nose of the car, so the B10 is pretty well sorted for luggage space. It's not best in class, though; the Ford Puma Gen-E has got loads more room in the boot, although the Ford's rear seats aren't anywhere near as spacious as the B10's.

Interior, design/styling and technology

Inside, the B10 feels smart and modern, with pale leatherette upholstery and a bright, minimalist design. The materials feel pretty nice, to be honest - I was pleasantly surprised; it feels better in the B10 than in the bigger Leapmotor C10, and it's not far off the sort of materials that you get in the Elroq. It's only really around the flip-down cupholders that it feels a bit cheap, and the holders themselves feel like they might snap a bit easily, so be careful how heavy-handed you are with your Costa.

I found the driving position okay, and having standard heated and cooled seats is a real bonus, but I also found that the seat lacked lower back support so I'd personally sacrifice the ventilated seats in favour of adjustable lumbar support. 

The 14.6-inch central touchscreen dominates the dash and works quickly, too; it's all very Tesla-style in its layout, and while the air-con controls can be fiddly. most other aspects of the system are pretty easy to figure out. Naturally, you get Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, as do voice control, nav and over-the-air updates. You even get a whale, which leaps out of the ocean and across your infotainment when you start the car. Which is just what you always wanted, isn't it?! 

There's also Pet Mode and Camping Mode, not to mention a 360-degree parking camera, blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control and all the driver assistance systems you could want. In fact, you may want fewer assistance systems, as the Leapmotor's aids are really intrusive. You can turn them off easily via a shortcut on the steering wheel, which is good to know as the lane-keep will see white lines that aren't there, and the driver attention warning will berate you just for glancing at the screen - which you're probably doing to figure out why the car won't stop beeping. 

Motors, performance and handling

With 215hp sent to the rear wheels, the B10 feels brisk enough for daily driving. The 0–62mph sprint takes 8.0 seconds, so it’s not rapid, but it feels punchy enough for everyday stuff provided you avoid the most eco-focussed drive mode, which neuters the throttle to the point of making it feel almost alarmingly short of response. All the other modes are fine, though, bringing a bit more weight to the steering and more urgency to the throttle response so that the B10 feels pleasant enough.  

You get three brake regen' modes let you tweak the feel, though you have to do so through the touchscreen and I prefer paddles on the steering wheel - like you get on the Kia EV3 and Nissan Leaf - to give you better control over the mode you choose. Even so, the Leapmotor's regen' is predictable and smooth enough, as is the ride comfort. There's a lot of body lean and wallow; this is a softly sprung car, so it feel a bit sloppy in the way it goes around corners, but it also soaks up the worst bumps in the road, making it feel quite comfy overall.

Refinement isn't great. There’s quite a bit of tyre and wind noise at motorway speeds, and the standard Linglong tyres fitted to early cars don’t help. They let the tyres slip if you accelerate vigorously, even in the dry, and they give you full Hollywood tyre squeal in cornering. Leapmotor has told us that the B10s delivered in 2026 will likely be on Hankook tyres (which we haven't tried on the B10 but know from experience to be good tyres), but the first batch of cars that arrive in the UK at the end of 2025 will probably be on Linglongs. If you get one of those cars, factor in the cost of some new tyres! 

Running costs and pricing

The B10 is only available in one fully-loaded specification, which includes everything from a panoramic roof and 360-degree camera to heated and ventilated seats, ambient lighting, and keyless entry. 

A four-year/60,000-mile warranty covers the car, while the battery gets eight years and 100,000 miles, which is okay although you get longer vehicle warranties with MG, Kia, Hyundai and Toyota. Running costs should be affordable, although we haven't spent enough time with the car yet to get a good idea of real-world range.

Leapmotor hasn't confirmed monthly PCP finance or lease deals, yet, and it'll be these that really make- or break the B10 in the UK, With rivals like the BYD Atto available for around £300 per month, with a one month deposit, the B10 needs to have some seriously good finance deals if it's to compete. 

And, can we talk about the new Nissan Leaf? We haven't mentioned the UK's Electric Car Grant in this review, because it doesn't apply to the Leapmotor cars, anyway. But even with Leapmotor currently offering its own 'grant' to bring the B10's price down to just under £30,000, Nissan has said that you'll be able to get the Leaf for under £30,000, too, thanks to it being eligible for the full £3,750 ECG. Would you have the Leapmotor B10 or the Nissan Leaf? Hmm... I know which one I'd have.

Verdict

The Leapmotor B10 delivers lots of car for the money. It’s spacious, comfortable and stuffed with tech that would cost thousands extra elsewhere. The range and charging speeds are competitive, and for families who simply want an affordable EV, it makes sense.

However, it lacks the polish, refinement and driving sophistication of mainstream rivals, and the overbearing driver aids and some cheap-feeling details give away its budget roots. If Leapmotor can back up that attractive price with tempting finance deals, the B10 could well become a serious contender in the affordable EV market. But with rivals like the Nissan Leaf suddenly offering similar value thanks to the ECG - or with the Ford Puma coming in at well under the Leapmotor's price - the B10 is probably going to remain a niche choice.

Like the Leapmotor B10? Try these...

New Nissan Leaf Review

Ford Puma Gen-E Review

JAECOO E5 Review