► New Chinese electric SUV hits the UK
► Fantastic kit levels and space
► And it costs just £29,995
Just when you thought the wallet-friendly Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market was full, along comes the Leapmotor B10, the Stellantis-backed EV maker’s family-sized SUV.
Wallet-friendly Chinese electric SUVs aren’t a new concept; there are plenty around and some of them are quite good. But, while they’ll often boast extensive kit lists, plush interiors and bags of safety features, they’ll lack the driving polish of rivals and put far too much emphasis on the touchscreen as the source of all controls.
So, can the Leapmotor B10 with it’s European fettling and setup overcome these two hurdles? To find out, I’ve been driving the new B10 around southern France to see if this premium-looking, bargain EV can properly compete with the likes of the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq.
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At a glance:
Pros: Lots of cabin room, exceptional kit levels, comfortable ride
Cons: Some physical controls would be nice, not that fun to drive, ruthless driver aids
What is it?
This is Leapmotor’s third car, following on from the full-size C10 SUV and titchy T03 city car. The B10 sits in the family SUV class and like its siblings, it’s fully electric, good value for money and teeming with technology.
How much tech? Well, there’s a giant panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, a 14.2” touchscreen, wireless phone charger, heat pump, 360-degree camera and a electronic boot lid – and they’re all included as standard on the singular trim level offered.
Officially the B10 retails for £31,495 – but like a DFS sofa, you’d be hard-pressed to pay the full sum for it. Leapmotor’s own LEAP-GRANT chops £1,500 off the price tag, bringing this entire car down to just £29,995. That takes it from competitive to undeniable value.
What are the specs?
There’s just the one model, a 67.1kWh battery unit that makes 216bhp delivered to the rear wheels. The top speed is 108mph and 0-62mph takes 8 seconds.
The WLTP driving range is 270 miles, and it the B10 supports a maximum charging speed of 168kW, good for a 30-80% fast charge in 20 minutes. These charging speeds represent a hefty upgrade against the C10’s 84kW but still can’t match the rapid charging rate managed by the Kia EV3..
There’s also only one trim level, offering every bell and whistle the B10 has to offer. Europe gets a smaller 56.2kWh battery while a range extender B10 has been confirmed for the UK in 2026.
How does it drive?
In a word, comfortable. Low speed ride can prove a little wallowy but overall it’s a relaxing car to drive. It’s particularly at home at motorway speeds where it soaks up bumps and imperfections easily. Refinement is strong too, with minimal wind and tyre noise at speed.
Handling is fine for an electric SUV, as is the amount of grip. The steering proved inert no matter what setting I put it in, but the car always felt securely planted to the roads. It’s certainly not the handling champion of the class, a Skoda Elroq is a far more enjoyable car to pilot.
Power delivery was smooth though, it took some serious goading to unsettle it. I guess having meagre power figures next to some rivals helps keep everything feeling polished, while acceleration was perfect for the odd overtake or slip road.
The brakes were notably grabby feeling which is why I relied on the regenerative braking. It’s adjustable, and it’s done via the infotainment screen which meant I left it in the default setting after giving each one a test.
Leapmotor boast of 17 driver aids to help prevent accidents (all part of a plan to achieve five stars in EuroNCAP), and they proved to be overzealous at every opportunity presented. The lane keep assist would occasionally jerk the steering wheel for no reason and rumbled like a PS3 controller, while the ‘would you like a break?’ reminder on the dashboard was particularly annoying. It piped up every 15 minutes to block the sat nav and required two prods of the screen to make it temporarily go away..
What’s the interior like?
It’s a pleasant and airy space to be, and sporting some interesting design touches that lift it above the run-of-the-mill offerings offered by some rivals. Quality is good if not quite luxurious, with soft-touch plastics to hand and the cheap-feeling stuff languishing low down in the footwells.
It’s huge too. Rear legroom is spectacular, there is acres of foot and legroom for rear occupants, even with the front seats pushed back. Space up front is equally generous with lounging room to spare.
The seats are comfortable, and the six way electronically adjustable really helps matters too. The passenger side features electronic controls too, just not for the height which leaves the front passenger perched high. I’d also have liked to see some extra steering wheel adjustment – the current offerings are limited.
The biggest problem with the B10 is the reliance on the touchscreen. While it’s sharp, large and quick to use, the menu depth and sheer options make it a chore to use. Want to open the panoramic sunshade 30%? Of course you can. You can also lower the windows to precise amounts, make it snow on the driver’s display, and set whether the ambient lighting reacts to the song being streamed. It’s a little much. There aren’t many buttons either, save for a few mounted on the steering wheel, count against Leapmotor there.
To pick nits, the boot is smaller than the likes of the Skoda Elroq and the Jaecoo E5, but it’s usability can’t be faulted. There’s a variable floor which means either no lip at the expense of some boot space, or a hefty boot and seat lip in return for all 430 litres of boot space. There’s also a 25 litre frunk to help make up the shortfall.
Before you buy
Leapmotor has really gone to town with the no option route, the only way to spend more than £29,995 is to either buy it as a company car where it’ll cost £31,495 or spec some optional paint for £575 – Dawn Purple is my pick.
Rivals are fierce in the family SUV class, with the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq dominating the class, albeit for a lot more money to get the same specs as the B10. For value options there’s Jaecoo E5 and MGS5 EV – neither can match the B10 on cool-stuff-for-the-money though.
Verdict
There’s a lot to like about the Leapmotor B10 beyond the lean pricing and nerd’s den worth of gadgets and gizmos. It’s a comfortable, refined and practical electric family SUV. Add in the fact it’s less than £30,000 and it becomes even more recommendable. With less touchscreen dependance, it’d be even better.
The biggest blocker is the larger Leapmotor C10, an even more heavily discounted electric SUV that offers a similar driving experience, kit levels and a verified five-star Euro NCAP score, all for only £2,755 more.