Leapmotor B10 review

We love the variation of the English language, but in all honesty ‘fine’ is probably the word that best describes the driving experience of the Leapmotor B10.

It certainly doesn’t disgrace itself. The 215bhp and instant torque means it can get up to speed fairly briskly, but it’s far from the rapid EV acceleration you’d find in a Tesla Model Y or the punchiest twin-motor version of the Volvo EX30. Even stuck into its sport mode it doesn’t feel that quick, but it’s enough for family life and the odd overtake on a country lane.

Want to slow it down again? Well, you’ve got three levels of regen that are selectable via a menu in the central touchscreen, but none of them are strong enough to be considered a full one-pedal mode. Leapmotor says that’ll come next year via an OTA update. Unfortunately this does mean you’ll be required to use the brake pedal for now, and there’s really not much feel at all when pressed. Very woolly.

Is it the same story when you get to a corner?

Leapmotor talks a good game here. We’re promised perfect 50:50 weight distribution and battery cells integrated into the structure of the vehicle for a lower centre of gravity. We’re also told that the suspension was tuned for Europe at Stellantis’ Balocco test track.

Tip the B10 into a corner and it doesn’t actually roll as much as you’d expect, particularly because the ride seems fairly soft otherwise. And yet, there’s almost no feedback through the steering wheel and it’s far too light in anything but the sportiest of its three settings. Again, it’s fine for a family crossover but nothing to write home about.

Will I find it comfortable?

That depends. Are you trading in your Radical SR3 for a Leapmotor B10? Prepare for exceptional levels of refinement and no need to wear a helmet on public roads!

Coming from a Kia EV3 or Renault 4? We’re yet to try the B10 on anything other than smooth French tarmac, but we can say already that it doesn’t ride as well as either of those rivals and there’s quite a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds.

The range is good though…

That’s very true. The WLTP claim is 270 miles, which puts it well clear of the Skoda Elroq (230 miles) and R4 (250 miles), and matches the smaller battery versions of the EV3.

On a test route that included mostly town and country roads plus a small amount of motorway, we saw 4.3 miles per kWh in good weather. Impressive efficiency.

Is there anything else I need to know?

We must talk about the B10’s driver ‘assist’ systems, because the lane assist constantly tugs at the wheel and the thing bongs constantly to warn you of speed limits, random road signs and of how tired you look. These systems are all extremely fiddly to turn off too, requiring deep dives into the menus to find all of their respective toggles. Annoying.