Leapmotor C10 review

SUVs are the vehicle of choice for most families and there are lots of very successful models available. So it seems brave of Leapmotor to launch in the UK with its Leapmotor C10 electric family SUV.

The C10 is going to have to do something special if it’s to drag customers away from established cars such as the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y. So what does it bring to the table? Well, for starters, it’s pretty big at 4.7m long – the same length as a BMW iX3. 

Then there’s the price. Leapmotor – which has also launched the Leapmotor T03 small electric car – prides itself on offering a lot for little money, and the C10 seems to deliver on that, giving you plenty of standard kit for a price that’s cheaper than rivals.

Does that mean it’s just cheap and cheerful? Read on to find out, as we rate the Leapmotor C10 against the best electric SUVs...

Every Leapmotor C10 combines a 69.9kWh battery with a 216bhp electric motor. That sounds like a decent amount of power, but at nearly two tonnes it needs it.

Even so, the C10 builds speed quickly enough once you’re off the line and will officially sprint from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds. That’s slightly quicker than the Kia EV6 Air but around a second slower than the Tesla Model Y RWD.

It won’t take you as far between charges as those rivals, though. Indeed, the C10 will officially manage up to 262 miles between charges, against the Model Y RWD's figure of 283 miles and the EV6's much more impressive 361 miles. That said, the C10 should go further than the entry-level Skoda Enyaq, which has an official range of up to 234 miles.

As with many electric cars, the C10’s suspension is on the firmer side to help deal with the weight of the battery. However, unlike in the Model Y, the firm suspension works well, helping to make it feel controlled as you drive along and upright as you drive over undulating roads.

It doesn’t suffer from the same thuds through imperfections as the Model Y, especially at higher speeds, when it almost glides over even large potholes. The latest EV6 is slightly more comfortable, but the C10 is pretty good for comfort. 

It isn’t what you’d call fun to drive though. You see, while it has stiff suspension to help keep body lean to a minimum, it’s rather easy to find the limits of front grip if you start to push on around corners. That's not helped by the steering, which ranges from too heavy in Sport mode to really light in Comfort mode.

Sure, the light steering is great around town and in car parks, but as speeds increase it becomes a bit unnerving. By contrast, the heavy steering of Sport mode gives you slightly more substance and confidence, but doesn’t really give you any idea of what the front wheels are doing.

In better news, the C10 is quite a refined car to drive around in, suffering from little road and wind noise regardless of whether you’re driving slowly around town or at motorway speeds. The brakes are initially quite sharp as you press the pedal, but generally the C10’s regenerative braking is well judged.

"Around town, switching from Sport or Comfort mode and into Eco mode makes the steering really light. I found it similar to when Fiat used to offer a city mode, and is ideal for navigating tight car parks." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Stepping inside the Leapmotor C10, you instantly notice that the designers must have had pictures of Teslas car models on their walls. Indeed, all the materials feel very similar, with even the tops of the doors getting the same rubberised material across them.

That's certainly not a bad thing, and the interior of the C10 is really appealing, with very few hard plastics and any that do exist hidden low down and out of sight. It’s built pretty solidly too – better, in fact, than a Tesla Model Y.

Unlike the Model Y, the C10 comes with a digital driver's display as standard, so you don’t have to look at the main touchscreen to see how fast you’re going. At 10.3in, the display is pretty impressive, showing you all the info you need with a high resolution. The Skoda Enyaq display is more configurable though.

While we’re on the topic of screens, the C10's infotainment touchscreen measures 14.6in, has a sharp resolution and reacts quickly when you prod it. You do have to delve into the touchscreen to do pretty much everything, including making changes to the air conditioning, which is more distracting than, say, the air-con control panel in the Kia EV6.

Indeed, you’ll find hardly any physical buttons inside the C10, with the only exceptions being four buttons on the steering wheel and two scroll wheels. Aesthetically, they’re identical to what you’ll find in the new Tesla Model 3.

If you like the high seating position of a family SUV, the C10 will be right up your street. It’s also really easy to get comfortable behind the wheel, thanks to every C10 coming with electrically adjustable front seats that have plenty of movement forward, back, up and down.

Forward visibility is really good, with small window pillars and large front windows giving you a good view out at junctions and over the car's nose. The view over your shoulder is great as well, with large rear windows and large cut-outs in the rear pillars increasing what you can see.

To make parking easier, rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera come as standard. You’ll also see plenty when it gets dark, thanks to the standard-fit automatic LED headlights.

"While the infotainment screen is pretty impressive, it’s a bit of a shame that you don’t get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, because the built-in maps aren’t the best." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Even if you’re over six feet tall, you won’t have any complaints when it comes to front space in the Leapmotor C10. In fact, we’re pretty sure that even your tallest friends will have head, leg and shoulder room to spare. 

Front storage is decent too, with the C10 offering a deep cubby under the central armrest, a large space under the centre console, a pair of cupholders and a wireless charging pad to place your phone on. The only place where it's not so good is the door bins, which will take a standard water bottle but are not very big.

Rear space in the C10 is just as impressive as it is in the front, with those tall friends having more than enough head and leg room. There’s also a flat floor across the rear, making it more comfortable for people sitting in the middle seat. Speaking of which, the width of the C10 means you should fit three people comfortably in the rear.

The rear seats don’t do anything particularly interesting, with only the ability to split 60/40 and fold down flat. That’s not as versatile as the 40/20/40 seats you get in a BMW iX1, a Renault Scenic E-Tech or a Tesla Model Y. 

At 435 litres, the C10’s boot space is pretty big and should easily swallow a family’s luggage for a weekend away. It's not as big as the boot in the Kia EV6 and Skoda Enyaq – al they're all beaten by the Model's Y's 854 litres of storage.

"Given the length of the C10, it’s disappointing that the boot isn’t as big as its rivals. That said, at least you get a frunk for storing the charging cables, giving you more space in the boot." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

If you’re buying the Leapmotor C10 with cash, you’ll find its price tag pretty appealing because it undercuts all of its rivals, including the Kia EV6, the Renault Scenic E-Tech, the Skoda Enyaq and the Tesla Model Y. 

Better still, if you’re a company car driver, the C10’s lower list price should mean it costs slightly less than its rivals, despite sitting in the same BIK tax bracket.

Despite the low price tag, Leapmotor certainly hasn’t skimped on standard kit, with even the entry-level C10 trim – called Style – gets 18in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, a panoramic sunroof and a heat pump. We think it’s probably all you’ll ever need.

The other trim option is called Design and includes even more kit for not too much more money. The list includes 20in alloys, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, rear privacy glass and a powered tailgate.

You’ll be slightly less impressed by how quickly the C10 charges. You see, with an 83kW maximum charging speed, it’s slower than its rivals – many of which will accept over 250kW – and the result is a 30-80% charge in 30 minutes. Rivals that charge at a faster rate will accept 10-80% charge in the same time or less. 

Being such a new brand, Leapmotor wasn’t included in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. You do, at least get a four-year standard warranty to give you some peace of mind. That said, a lot of rivals offer better, especially Kia, which offers the EV6 with a seven-year standard warranty. 

The C10 has yet to be tested by the experts at Euro NCAP but it does come with plenty of standard safety equipment. That includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-centring control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic detection and braking, and a driver drowsiness monitor. 

"Leapmotor doesn't have a proven reliability record yet, but unlike many other start-ups it has access to Stellantis’ network of service centres and parts, making it much less hassle if anything goes wrong." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here