Revealed alongside the T03 city car was the C10 SUV, which according to Leapmotor is expected to have the most corporate and fleet appeal in the UK.
Unsurprisingly, considering the current flurry of launches and reveals, Leapmotor is one of several Chinese EV manufacturers offering their cars to British fleet drivers.
However, where Leapmotor could be more attractive and accepted by UK fleet buyers than rivals such as BYD, is that Leapmotor International, which is selling these cars, has an alliance with Stellantis – who own a majority 51% stake. With 44 UK dealers at launch, the plan is to grow the network to 60, with more models by the end of this year.
Launching on 1 March in the UK, the C10 is Leapmotor’s D-segment SUV. Like the T03, the C10 is only available in one high-spec equipment grade, priced at £36,500, or on 0% finance for £399 deposit, then £399 per month.
On top of the price and high spec, C10 technical highlights include a 70kWh battery, 218hp and 236ft-lb of torque, 263 miles of WLTP range, a five-star Euro NCAP result, and 17 ADAS safety features.
Design and interior
Outside, the C10’s overall shape looks Porsche Macan-like, especially at the back, with the full-length light bar and low-set rear numberplate. The flanks are clean and sharp, with the power pop-out handles, lower cut out, and attractive 20in alloy wheels, giving some character. The front for us is the least successful part of the design, with the low-set headlights and centre trim giving the illusion of a light bar but looking very anonymous.
Inside, Leapmotor seem to has taken its design inspiration from popular EVs such as Teslas, as virtually everything is controlled by the central 14.6in infotainment touchscreen. Otherwise, there are scroll wheels on the also 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. The faux-leather trimmed seats are surprisingly soft but still offer a reasonable amount of support.
The switchgear looks and feels remarkably like Mercedes models from a generation ago.
The screens themselves have a good resolution and are easy to read. However, although fast to react, accessing functions is more complicated and fiddly than they should be. There is voice control, but it couldn’t seem to answer any of our questions and chimed into conversations when not asked! There is also no Apple Carplay or Android Auto compatibility, which we’re told will be added later.
Move to the back, and there’s even more space – even the tallest will get comfortable. However, because of the raised floor, thanks to the battery, your knees are higher than you expect them to be, however the glass roof gives welcome light to the interior. At the front, the feeling is minimalist, but rear passengers get their own centre -mounted USB-A and USB-C ports, plus air vents. There is also a practically shaped boot area, boasting 581 litres.
Performance and drive
On the road, Eco, Comfort, and Sport modes change the drive by altering the weight of the steering and throttle. Modes closest to their name were ‘Eco,’ which retards the throttle, and ‘Comfort’ which seems to soften all the settings. ‘Sport,’ as expected, sharpens the throttle response, and adds more weight to the steering. With 218hp, performance was more than adequate, but it didn’t feel that quick off the mark, as its 7.5 seconds 0-62mph acceleration figure suggests.
We like the different brake regen modes, with ‘one-pedal’ our favourite, and perfect for stop/start driving around town. It is a shame then, that the brakes themselves are grabby at low speed, and are hard to modulate at normal speeds.
Comfortable rather than dynamic best describes the handling, and even in ‘Sport’ mode, the C10 isn’t that much fun to drive. The biggest problem is you can feel its two-tonne weight in the corners, which results in more body roll than expected. Then there’s the steering, which has three different modes, all lacking in feel, and is at its best in ‘Normal’ mode.
Considering the standard-fit 20in wheels, the ride around town is comfortable and competent. However, the C10 feels less happy at higher speeds – although this partly could be down to the annoying, and overbearing ADAS systems fitted!
There is plenty to like about the Leapmotor C10. It looks and feels upmarket, has impressive levels of interior space and plenty of standard equipment for the price. We just feel more work is needed on the infotainment and safety systems, to suit UK buyers. However, we look forward to spending more time with the C10 in the future.
Positive: Simple, Tesla-like feel to the spacious and practical interior, well-equipped.
Negative: Unsettled ride at higher speeds, not much fun to drive, no Apple Carplay or Android Auto compatibility, ADAS systems are intrusive and difficult to turn off, lack of physical controls.
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, 20in alloy wheels.
Engines: Electric 218hp
Equipment grades: C10
Transmissions: Single-speed automatic
| Model | Leapmotor C10 |
| P11D | £36,445 |
| Residual value | 43.1% |
| Depreciation | £20,756 |
| Fuel | £3,542 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | TBC |
| Cost per mile | TBC |
| Range | 263 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (2%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £12/£24 |
| Luggage capacity | 581 litres |
| Battery size/power | 70kWh/218hp |
| Score | 8/10 |
