2025 Leapmotor C10 REEV review: new plug-in hybrid SUV driven
Plug-in hybrid family SUV aims to offer the best of both worlds in a slightly different way: electric car driving characteristics but with the range of a petrol car. Does it deliver?...
On sale: Late 2025 Price: £36,500 (est)
If you're running a long distance race, a boost from an energy gel or a protein bar can go a long way in helping you get to the finish line. And similarly, the Leapmotor C10 REEV drives like an electric car but comes with a petrol engine generator to top up the battery and keep you going.
In short, the C10 REEV is what’s called a range-extender hybrid and is similar to the system in a Nissan Qashqai e-Power. However, the C10 REEV goes one step further by being a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and is fitted with a large battery that you can charge via a socket if you want to maximise fuel efficiency.
What's the Leapmotor C10 REEV like to drive?
The C10 REEV is based on the C10 electric SUV we’ve already driven, but it gets a 212bhp electric motor, a 28.4kWh (total capacity) battery and a 1.5-litre petrol engine. It can officially travel up to 90 miles on electric power alone before the engine kicks in, which is farther than the MG HS and VW Tiguan PHEVs. You can also charge it at speeds of up to 65kW, which means a 30-80% charge takes around 18 minutes from a suitably powerful public charger.
So, on paper, the REEV has some really strong figures, but what’s it like to drive? Well, for the most part, it’s very impressive. It’s a smooth and refined set-up, with a linear (albeit leisurely) delivery of power from the electric motor. The engine is super quiet when it chimes in, too.
It’s worth noting the system offers a lot of customisation, which on the face of it sounds useful, but it is almost overkill. There are four hybrid settings to choose from on the touchscreen (EV+, EV, Fuel and Power+), which manages when the engine needs to fire up to charge the battery. There are also Save, Eco, Sport, Normal and Custom settings, which is all a bit much for everyday driving.
Like a lot of PHEVs, the official fuel economy numbers are a bit misleading. On our test route of mixed driving, we managed an average of 44.8mpg, which isn’t bad but it’s a long way off the official 706.2mpg figure. More positively, the car’s 10g/km CO2 emissions place it in a low BIK bracket, which makes it a good option for company car drivers.
Dynamically, the REEV is very similar to the C10 electric SUV. This means it’s generally comfortable around town, but the ride is a bit fidgety at speed. You can read our full Leapmotor C10 driving impressions in our full review.
One area worth mentioning is the safety systems. While the car has a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and loads of standard safety kit, the lane-keep assist and driver monitoring systems are not very intuitive in real-world driving. In fact, they’re sensitive to the point where they are a hindrance rather than a help, with too many bongs, warnings and tugs from the wheel.
You can, of course, switch off the lane-keeping assist, but this requires diving into the touchscreen infotainment system when stationary in order to do so, including the extra emergency lane-keep system. You can’t turn off the driver monitoring system (which, oddly, doesn’t like it when the driver is wearing sunglasses). Leapmotor has already implemented over-the-air (OTA) software updates to help improve these systems and it says there will be more to come in future.
What’s the Leapmotor C10 REEV like inside?
The C10’s interior looks and feels very swish, but there are some usability issues. While the 14.6in touchscreen infotainment system is crisp and quick to respond, you have to dive into the screen to adjust almost everything (there’s not a single physical button on the dashboard). As such, there are a lot of sub menus and small icons to tap, which makes it very distracting to use while driving. It’s not too dissimilar to the systems in the HS or Tiguan, though.
On the plus side, the system can be updated remotely with those OTA updates we’ve already mentioned, so there’s potential for improvement in the future. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay being added anytime soon.
Driver comfort and passenger space are impressive compared with a lot of family SUVs, but the boot is on the small side (it’s smaller than the boots in the HS and Tiguan). You can find out more about the Leapmotor C10 practicality in our full review.
What Car? says 3 stars out of 5
The hybrid system in the C10 REEV has a lot going for it. It’s smooth and quiet to drive, plus it has some strong official figures to worry some of its plug-in hybrid rivals, including the MG HS and VW Tiguan. Leapmotor says the REEV will be priced in-line with the electric version too, which means buying costs should be competitive.
To counteract those positives, the REEV has the same fidgety high speed ride and small boot as the electric version. Leapmotor will also need to carry out some over-the-air software updates to improve the car’s tech and general usability.
Leapmotor C10 REEV specifications
Price £36,500 (est)
Engine 4cyl, 1499cc, petrol, one electric motor
Power 212bhp
Torque 236lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd automatic, rear-wheel drive
0-62mph 8.5sec
Top speed 106mph
Official fuel economy 706.2mpg (WLTP)
Official range 90 miles
CO2, tax band 10g/km, 6% (WLTP)
Key rivals:
Read more: Best hybrid SUVs
Read more: Leapmotor C10 review
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