Leapmotor B10: Steep learning curve

What is it?

Launched here in late 2025 the Leapmotor B10 is a fully-electric compact SUV from the new Chinese brand backed by the huge Stellantis group which brings a number of brands to Australia including Jeep, Peugeot, RAM, Fiat and Alfa Romeo.

We’re told that the unusual name is a loose translation from the Chinese Lingpao Qiche that means Zero Run Automobile.

Makes sense. Leapmotor B10 is the brand’s second model, joining the larger C10 SUV that arrived here in early 2025.

It’s currently EV only but we’re told that an extended range hybrid (REEV) version will be added later this year.

We understand that a Leapmotor B05 compact electric hatchback will also be added later this year.

Others, yet to be confirmed, include a city electric SUV and a large seven-seat SUV plug-in hybrid.

What’s it cost?

Two variants of the B10 are available, both powered by the same rear-mounted motor but charged by different Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries.

The entry-level Style has a 56.2 kWh battery and is priced at $37,888, while the battery in the B10 Design Long Range is 67.1 kWh and sells for $40,888 — both prices plus on-roads.

While Leapmotor B10 shares much of its overall styling with its larger C10 sibling, its compact proportions give it a slightly sportier look.

Having said that there’s little that make it stand out from its numerous rivals.

Both B10 variants come with LED automatic head and brake lights, a fixed panoramic glass roof with a powered blind and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The Design LR grade adds an LED dynamic rear light bar, rear privacy glass, automatic power folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and a power tailgate.

Oddly, there is no rear wiper on either model.

Six colours are available. Light White and Starry Night Blue are standard. The other four are $990: Galaxy Silver, Tetra Grey, Dawn Purple and Metallic Black.

Standard in both are a 14.6-inch colour touchscreen and 8.8-inch LCD driver instrument cluster.

There’s also satellite navigation, 360-degree camera with guidelines, an integrated 360-degree dashcam recorder and wireless smartphone charger.

The high-resolution screens are both fast and sharp.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both wireless.

Style comes with a basic six-speaker audio system. Design adds 12-speaker surround sound.

Leapmotor B10 was tested by ANCAP in November 2025 and received the maximum five-star rating.

A positive for parents is a near-perfect child occupant protection score.

There are seven airbags including one in the front centre position.

Also standard are adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, emergency lane keeping, speed assist system, blind sport monitoring, front collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and braking, rear parking sensors, and driver attention monitoring.

As is now the norm with Chinese EVs, the frustrating and incessant alerts that have drivers screaming ”Just Let Me (expletives deleted) Drive!” such as lane correction, speed limit alert and driver alert — can be turned off.

While they do need to be turned on every time the car re-starts there is a customisable button on the steering wheel where that allows them to be turned off again with a single touch.

One surprising omission in both models — and a trap for the unwary — is the absence of front parking sensors.

The B10 is backed by a six-year, 150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year, 160,000km high-voltage battery warranty.

What’s it go like?

The inside of the Leapmotor B10 is a real surprise with a look and feel that’s comparable with more established and expensive brands.

As is the norm with Chinese EVs the dash is dominated by a large touchscreen, with no physical controls.

There are some quirky features such as the three oval openings at the top and bottom of the dashboard in front of the passenger.

Nobody could work out if they were functional or just decorative.

Style comes with grey fabric seats, with the Design getting what Leapmotor calls Techno Leather — aka synthetic leather.

The front seats are heated, cooled and powered, with six settings for the driver and four for the passenger.

The steering wheel is also heated.

The customisable 64-colour interior ambient lighting system can sync with the car’s sound system.

Twin cupholders in the front are tucked behind the centre console and difficult to reach, especially at night.

Which isn’t a bad thing because they fold up and down, as my grandson suggests, like toilet seats.

Five-year olds notice these things!

Boot space, once you discover that it’s accessed via a small button in the right centre of the rear, is a decent 490 litres, including the extra under-floor space where items such like as charging cables (mode 2 and 3) and the tyre repair kit which, sadly, is required in lieu of a spare wheel.

There is a small frunk for storage under the bonnet.

Vehicle to Load (V2L) is standard although the cable isn’t. It costs around $280.

With the rear seatbacks folded boot space expands up to 1475 litres.

The tailgate can also be opened via the touchscreen.

B10 is powered by a high-efficiency electric motor delivering 160kW and 240Nm of torque.

Zero to 100km/h is listed at 8.0 seconds with a top speed of 170km/h.

Style has a 56.2 kWh battery with an 11kW maximum AC charge rate with three-phase power, and can be charged from 0-100 per cent in around six hours.

With single-phase power that figure drops to 7.4kW and around 10 hours.

Both Style and Design LR support 11kW AC charging and ultra-fast DC charging up to 168kW (Design LR), enabling a 30-80 per cent charge in about 20 minutes.

The charge port is located at the rear driver’s side.

Both Style and Design LR support DC charging up to 168kW (Design LR), enabling a 30-80 per cent charge in about 20 minutes.

At 4.5 metres the Leapmotor B10 is only marginally smaller than the C10 and can carry five adults in reasonable comfort.

Entry into the B10 is through a frustrating digital keyless system that requires an NFC key card to be tapped on a tab on the outside of the driver’s side mirror.

There is a smartphone app as an alternative.

While both methods unlock the doors, they don’t open the flush handle which needs a button to be pushed and the handle then pulled out.

The card then has to be placed on the left-hand side of the centre console otherwise the vehicle won’t start, although it can then be moved.

Fortunately, commonsense has prevailed and after a wave of buyer complaints, we’re assured that physical keys will progressively be introduced — with keycards remaining only as a backup.

On the positive side there is a Leapmotor app that provides remote access as well as features such as vehicle status, vehicle location and scheduled charging.

B10 is a capable city transporter with smooth, steady acceleration that is the norm in electric vehicles.

Kia Tasman: Looks can be deceiving

It lacks the whiplash pick up of performance EVs but does moves from zero to 100 km/h in 8.0 seconds, making it sharp enough for quick lane changes when needed.

There are three drive modes: Comfort, Standard and Sport.

In Sport there’s noticeably more response in steering and throttle for greater driving enjoyment.

Stellantis input shows up in a relatively firm but comfortable ride.

It grips the road and corners securely with minimal body roll.

There is three-stage brake regeneration with One-Pedal driving available in the Design LR.

Leapmotor quotes NEDC range of 442km for Style and 516km for the Design.

These equate to the more realistic WLTP numbers of 361km and 434km respectively.

Energy usage is listed at an impressive 14.0 kWh (Style) and 14.1 kWh (Design).

What we like?

Near perfect child protection
Looks and feels expensive
Both AC and DC charging
Stellantis input shows in ride

What we don’t like?

Key card access
No rear windscreen wiper
Frustrating and incessant alerts
Absence of front parking sensors

The bottom line?

With so many new brands coming from China it’s getting increasingly difficult to evaluate each of their credentials and compare them with each other.

While some like MG, BYD and GWM are now well-established others, including Leapmotor, are still largely unknown.

The fact that it’s part of the Stellantis group, currently the world’s fourth-largest automobile manufacturing group, should reassure potential buyers.

Importantly, Stellantis didn’t just take Leapmotor off the shelf.

Its engineers provided significant input into the design, chassis tuning and driving characteristics.

It’s a reasonable spacious and comfortable family vehicle that’s equally at home in either urban or motorway conditions, and it’s large enough to make for an excellent long distance cruiser.

Potential buyers will need to be patient as they scroll through the seemingly endless controls stored within the touchscreen, but by the end of our week-long test we had grown to understand and appreciate its quality.

Best of all, it offers outstanding value for money especially with the extra features and extended range of the Design variant, costing just around $3000 more than the Style.