2024 Leapmotor C10 review: Quick drive

10/03/2024 06:16 PM

2024 Leapmotor C10

It's not so cut and dried as to easily identify the logical or direct competitors for the new Leapmotor C10. We still don't know official pricing as yet, but the brand has indicated the two-model line-up is likely to start between $45,000 and $50,000 in the Australian market. Sharp pricing for an electric medium SUV, even if it is from yet another brand Australians aren't familiar with. 

The C10 could go head-to-head with the BYD Atto 3, for example, or the Tesla Model Y, depending on whether you're shaping it up on price or size. For what it's worth, brand representatives told Drive that competitors will be “other Chinese electric cars” rather than some of the more established entrants you might have considered. 

With that in mind, though, Leapmotor conducted significant testing at the Stellantis-owned Balocco test facility in Northern Italy, and came up with a specific suspension tune that the rest of the world will get, while the Chinese market will keep its local set-up. That ability is thanks in no small part to Stellantis buying into Leapmotor, a brand that has only been around since 2015. 

While there is talk that Leapmotor will take over a production facility in Europe to build cars for that market, Australia-bound cars will be sourced from the factory in China. Tianshu Xin, CEO of Leapmotor International, told Australian journalists that “there is more than enough production capacity” in that factory alone to cater to whatever demand a market like Australia delivers.

The exterior styling is classy, smooth and understated. It's different enough that you notice the C10 on the road in Italy among the mix of other vehicles running around, but not fussy or festooned with details and styling touches just for the sake of it. We tend to prefer our electric vehicles understated, certainly in crucial segments like medium SUVs, but if you're looking for outlandish details, apply elsewhere. 

The other factor worth noting is the pricing. In Australia, the new C10 will (for once) be significantly more affordable than it is in Europe. That's a bonus for Aussie buyers, and an indication that Leapmotor is keen to land the C10 competitively in a market that is being flooded with new options seemingly every month. 

Once you're settled into the cabin, a couple of things become immediately clear. First, there's a real Tesla feel to the layout, design and switchgear, with the now expected sense of minimalism and lack of conventional switchgear. The result of that is a clean and clutter-free cabin, with a flat floor in the second row, an airy sense of space thanks to the huge glass roof, and a 14.6-inch centre screen that dominates the dash. 

Second, and perhaps most impressively, you will find yourself questioning how a company that has only been building cars for nine years has been able to execute a cabin with such quality, insulation and comfort. The proof will be in the pudding once Leapmotor's new vehicle is on the road in large numbers, of course, but on face value it's hard to argue with the execution of the cabin. 

The glass roof has a decent electric shade, too, which should assist in keeping the sun at bay in Australia, where glass roofs can heat the cabin up pretty quickly on a warm day. With the shade retracted, the expanse of glass lets so much light in the cabin, it feels even larger than it is. The flat floor means you're got plenty of room in the second row, too, with easy space for two tall adults or even three if needed for shorter trips.

At 4.72m long, other manufacturers might be tempted to stretch to a third row, but Leapmotor says the C10 is strictly a two-row SUV. There's a useful 435-litre boot and 32-litre front trunk, with plenty of cabin storage too, and the claim that this is a practical family SUV is reasonable. 

We had some electrical glitches on test, mainly with the in-built satellite navigation, but Leapmotor engineers told us that there will be rolling over-the-air updates to rectify any of these issues if they come to the fore. Our mapping froze or stopped prompting on a few occasions, but if the C10 was stopped and turned back on, the system must have run a reset and the mapping came back.

We also had one issue where the C10 we had locked and didn't want to unlock when we went back to the car, but a reset also sorted that. Proximity cards and apps might be tech-savvy and satisfy early adopters who want to brag about how clever their car is, but a key fob with a couple of actual buttons on it still seems like a smart way to avert this kind of glitch.

Once the C10 lands in Australia, we'll keep an eye on any of these glitches to see if they reappear. 

The infotainment system was otherwise solid on test. The screen is huge, the response was snappy, and the graphics were clear. Interestingly, the first-generation C10 will not get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but the model that hits the market a few months later will. Your call on whether that's a ‘buy now or later’ proposition for you. 

One thing we did love is the – Tesla take note – 10.25-inch driver's screen. Not having a screen ahead of the steering wheel is stupid, dangerous, and the answer to a question nobody asked. The simple inclusion of a screen by Leapmotor means drivers don't have to look to the centre screen for anything while they are on the move.

The driver's display also shows the turn-by-turn navigation prompts, as well as regular driving information. Much smarter, and a simple way to keep the driver's eyes as close to the road as possible. 

Leapmotor's representatives told us at the briefing that the C10 wasn't concerned with 0–100km/h pace or power outputs, rather the focus was on day-to-day driving practicality. We've said many times that every electric vehicle is fast, so it's refreshing to see a manufacturer in a segment that doesn't need it not worrying about outright pace. 

As such, the single motor on the rear axle developing 160kW and 320Nm might not make for the same exciting reading you're used to. Still, the C10 will run to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, which backs up the claim that even a slow EV is fast. That leaves buyers to focus on the C10's chops as a suburban family runaround, and that's exactly what it's designed for. 

The default driving mode is Eco – which is smart because that isn't always the case with an EV – but you need to move up to either Comfort or Sport if you want a bit more shove. I preferred Eco on test, but at 130km/h on a European motorway, you need to push the pedal to the floor to roll up to speed. Around town, though, at city speed, Eco is the perfect option. 

The 'cell to chassis' technology employed by Leapmotor means the manufacturer has more flexibility in how it integrates and houses the battery into its vehicle, and further to that, Leapmotor claims 60 per cent of the whole C10 has been developed in-house. The battery itself is a 69.9kWh lithium ferrophosphate unit offering a claimed 424km on the WLTP combined cycle, and will allow input of up to 210km in 30 minutes. MY25 C10s will also get 800V charging capability, while the first model to go on sale comes with 400V capability.

The electric motor is obviously near silent, and all-round insulation and refinement are good. At highway speed, there's no noticeable tyre roar or wind noise entering the cabin, and the C10 is a good thing to run longer distances on the freeway in.

Mark noticed in his drive on the Leapmotor's home roads that the ride was a little firm. The suspension can feel a little hard at times, with larger bumps in particular drawing a stiff reaction from the suspension. And that's where the C10 we tested was interesting. As mentioned above, the model we tested, and the model we're getting in Australia, has a specific (and different) suspension tune to the C10 that Mark drove in China.

As such, the ride quality and bump absorption were strong points. Italy's road network is, in the main, significantly better surfaced than ours, but where there was either a nasty section or cobblestones, the C10 ironed it out nicely. It sits neatly balanced through corners too, but at city speed, on a regular urban road network, the C10 should ride well in Australia. 

On face value, after a day behind the wheel, the Leapmotor C10 looks like a legitimate offering in a burgeoning electric car market. The fact it is as accomplished as it is from such a new manufacturer is both impressive and evidence of why Stellantis bought into the company in the first place.

Initial pricing indications for Australia ensure it will sit firmly in the consideration set in terms of price and specification. Are Aussies ready to take a punt on a brand they have no familiarity with? Time will tell, but the success of other first-up EV brands will give Stellantis plenty to be positive about. 

The C10 drives well, behaves predictably on the road, is comfortable, and has a cabin that will appeal to family buyers in the medium SUV segment. As such, if you're in the market for a medium SUV that has an electric powertrain, the Leapmotor is one to take a look at. 

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