2025 Leapmotor C10 review: Australian first drive

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• Ancap Safety

  

  5/5 star (2024)

Electric Cars Guide

I wouldn’t blame you for having never heard of the car brand Leapmotor. It’s one of several new marques to hit the Australian market in 2025, and one of plenty that fall into the categories of 'electric', 'SUV' and 'Chinese-built'.

However, the Leapmotor C10 is one model that you should keep an eye on. The new C10 medium SUV will likely make a quick impact in the congested electric vehicle market thanks to sharp pricing and tie-ins with automotive conglomerate Stellantis.

It’s a boast that few other electric car makers can call upon. Manufacturing in China reduces overall costs, but having local know-how from Stellantis means the brand can draw upon existing dealership infrastructure.

That means it’ll also get seven years of warranty, an affordable service plan, five years of roadside assistance, and even nice-to-haves such as a 12-month complimentary Chargefox subscription. Drive was invited to sample the new Leapmotor C10 as part of the brand’s launch in Australia. It slots into a busy electric vehicle segment, so it’ll have its work cut out for it to make traction locally.

The big deal with the Leapmotor C10 is the fact that it’s a mid-sized SUV, similar in size to a Tesla Model Y, but it only costs what you’d pay for a small electric SUV.

Right off the bat, that’s impressive value. It leaves little doubt that instead of competing in the small electric SUV space or the medium-sized electric SUV market, Leapmotor is trying to bridge both segments in the best way – big body, small price.

The Tesla Model Y and Kia EV5 are similarly sized SUVs but start around $10,000 more expensive.  

Both variants kick off with pricing below the $50,000 mark. The entry-level Style costs $45,888 before on-road costs and receives kit such as 18-inch alloy wheels, a huge 14.6-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, 360-degree camera, 12-speaker sound system and a panoramic glass roof.

If you want your Leapmotor C10 to look a little fancier, the C10 Design variant costs $49,888 plus on-roads to add larger 20-inch wheels, ‘silicone-based’ leather upholstery, headed and ventilated seats, power-operated boot, a colour ambient lighting system, and rear privacy glass.

Only premium paint costs extra – $990 for all colours except white.

Even better, until March 31 Leapmotor is running a drive-away offer of $47,500 drive-away for the Style variant, and $51,500 for the top-spec Design.

It comes roughly $10,000 more affordable than the Tesla Model Y at the moment. However, the next-gen Model Y will become expensive with the next generation.

The Leapmotor C10 is powered by a 160kW motor that sends drive to the rear wheels only. Its 70kWh battery is said to deliver 420km of WLTP-tested driving range.

We spent most of our time in the flagship Leapmotor C10 Design variant, which comes packed with kit. There was really nothing extra I could have wanted from a mid-size SUV at its price point.

Additionally, it’s all bundled in a nicely styled package. I love the rounded edges of the interior panels – they make the cabin feel like a calm place, and you’re unlikely to hurt your limbs in case you accidentally strike the centre console with your elbow.

There’s not enough adjustment for my 194cm height to get a properly comfortable driving position. I wish there were a tilt aspect to the electric-adjust seat base, but the cushion was plush and the Oeko-Tex-certified silicone-based leather (a C10 Design exclusive) felt sturdy.

Two interior colours are on offer – a dark grey and a tan-coloured upholstery that suits the dark green exterior colour very well.

A comfortable amount of space is found in the front row around the footwell and inside the centre console. There are twin cupholders in the centre console to stow items, a centre console compartment, a wireless phone charger, a tray underneath the cupholders for larger items, and a pop-open glovebox.

The level of second-row space and comfort is simply incredible. The gigantic panoramic glass roof affords a ton of light to add to the overall ambience, but the leg room, foot room, and head room were all equally impressive. Side-to-side space was also very good.

There is no way to slide the seat base to extract more room in the second row, but the backrest can recline in two steps.

Its materials all feel nice and soft to the touch, while air vents are found behind the centre console.

Even behind the power-operated boot is a huge cavity for stowing items. There’s 581 litres (measured to the roof), plus more if you fold down the 60/40-folding rear seats. There is little in the way of amenity, and no space-saver spare, but the amount of storage on offer is hugely impressive.

Most systems inside the Leapmotor C10 are controlled by a 14.6-inch touchscreen that sits pride of place on the dashboard. It includes satellite navigation and AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio functionality, but unfortunately the system does not cater to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

However, the embedded mapping system has scoped out charging spots, and it’ll even show you a projected distance you can manage on the map display. It also includes applications like Spotify and TikTok, with more on the way thanks to over-the-air updates.

The infotainment software is easy to use on the big touchscreen, though I lament the loss of Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality. Leapmotor has already declared the technology won't be added as an update either.

Otherwise, it’s simple to swipe through different infotainment functions, and I love the crisp graphics and colours of the mapping system.

There are various backgrounds you can choose from and a string of shortcuts found at the bottom of the screen. I wish the air conditioning were simpler to control, though I think I’d get used to it with time.

In front of the driver sits a 10.25-inch display that shows all pertinent driving information, though it’s not overly customisable.

The Leapmotor C10 comes with a companion smartphone application that can show remote tracking information, monitor the vehicle’s condition, prime the air-conditioning system, and unlock the car from afar. Bluetooth-enabled phones can be used as a ‘key’ to gain access to the car, though only one device at a time. A keycard is used as a secondary key, much like a Tesla.

The Leapmotor C10 has been safety-rated to a five-star ANCAP standard, according to Leapmotor.

Individual scores of 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupants, 77 per cent for vulnerable road users, and 77 per cent for safety assist systems were awarded to the car.

A collection of active safety measures comes as standard with the Leapmotor C10.

It gets adaptive cruise control, lane-centring, traffic jam assist, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot detection, autonomous emergency braking, and intelligent speed assistance, just to name a few.

While a string of safety measures is always good news for new-car buyers, the calibration of these systems leaves something to be desired. Intelligent speed limit assistance and traffic sign recognition often retrieved the wrong limits, and the driver attention monitor freaked out as soon as I glanced towards the infotainment screen.

The calibration of these systems needs some fine-tuning, though Leapmotor has left the door open for over-the-air updates to address these shortcomings.

Leapmotors come with a seven-year/160,000km warranty in Australia and the high-voltage battery itself gets an eight-year/160,000km arrangement.

This compares with 10 years for electric MGs, seven years for electric Kias, and four years for Tesla products.

As part of its brand launch, Leapmotor is providing 12 months of free public charging with Chargefox.

Leapmotors also come with a five-year roadside assistance program.

The servicing intervals are set at every 24 months or 20,000km (whichever is sooner), while a five-year service package costs $2000. This is more expensive than a Kia EV5 ($1535) and BYD Atto 3 ($1384).

Insurance worked out at $1727 per annum based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

The Leapmotor C10 is fitted with a 70kWh battery that provides up to 420km of WLTP-tested driving range.

In our time with the car, the rate of discharge meant we would have netted about 410–420km from a full battery.

The energy consumption gauge showed the C10 was using 17kWh per 100 kilometres during our launch drive – primarily over country roads and freeways. This is against a consumption claim of 19.8kWh/100km.  

That’s not bad overall, though falls shy of some cars like a Tesla Model Y that can return less than 15kWh/100km.

Unfortunately, the Leapmotor C10 can only recoup energy at a maximum rate of 84kW for DC fast charging. This lags behind other manufacturers’ systems that can go well over 100kW.

My drive with the Leapmotor C10 didn’t get off to the best start. Even before we’d got onto a main road, the speed limit assistance system was already beeping to let me know I was going over the 5km/h speed limit – despite the limit actually being 60km/h.

This, combined with the driver monitoring system that didn’t like when I turned towards the infotainment screen, was quickly turned off. Thankfully it’s a simple process with a drop-down menu from the home screen.

On to more important bits – the 160kW/320Nm rear-mounted motor provided enough oomph for a car of its size and there is plenty of overtaking shove when required. It doesn’t arrive immediately – there’s a slight lull after a throttle press before the car outputs full power – but the overall punch is plenty strong enough.

There are four driving modes to choose from – including a customisable individual mode where you can fine-tune things – but the overall change in the car’s character is minimal.

A one-pedal driving mode is available, though it has to be set while the car is stationary in Park. It’s frustrating that this can’t be turned on and off on the fly.

The front seats don’t contain a huge amount of support when you’re driving through corners, though the driving position does afford a good amount of vision over the bonnet and onto the roadway.

The suspension is absorbent to large bumps in the road like speed humps and gutters. However, the bump absorption becomes unsettled the faster you go. At highway speeds over uneven tarmac, the C10 can jostle around and see-saw without settling.

It’s not a huge problem and doesn’t interrupt the otherwise impressive driving experience, though it’s something to be mindful of when touring with the car.

Likewise, the brake pedal takes some getting used to. Even a slight press results in a firm braking feeling and the transition from energy regeneration to friction braking isn’t seamless.

The overall cabin refinement is done to a high standard, and there is minimal noise that comes through from the tyres or wind. It’s a nice, serene experience spent inside the Leapmotor C10 cabin, even at freeway speeds or on coarse-chip bitumen.

The Leapmotor C10 comes with a 465kg payload capacity (calculated from tare weight), which means there’s more than enough space on board for five adults weighing an average of 87kg each.

Towing capacity is rated at 1500kg with a braked trailer, and 750kg unbraked. That's decent for a medium SUV, but expect range to drop with the added weight and wind resistance if you elect to tow often.

The Leapmotor C10 is one of many electric vehicle brands vying for your attention in 2025. But, the sheer value on offer with this newcomer is really impressive, especially when compared to the segment stalwarts such as the Tesla Model Y and the Kia EV5.

The enormous cabin is really impressive for the price, and the zippy drivetrain feels well suited to the body size. It also came in surprisingly efficient.

Buyers will have to reconcile with a few things: the limited DC charge rate could potentially be annoying, the lack of Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is frustrating, and the calibration of the driver assist features is poor.

However, the Leapmotor C10 still presents sharp buying at its sub-$50K price point.

This is why it’s the one to keep an eye on. Expect to see plenty of these on the roads in 2025.

The Leapmotor C10 is best experienced in flagship Design specification. It brings some fantastic appointments and features at not too high a cost. It’d be wise to get in before March 31, too, to capitalise on Leapmotor’s drive-away special.

There are 12 retail locations across Australia (mostly tied to preexisting Stellantis brands) that buyers can consult for more stock information. However, we were told there is good stock on the ground in both specifications across the range of colours.

The next step on the purchase journey is to check the Leapmotor website for stock of your preferred C10 variant. You can also find electric vehicles for sale at Drive Marketplace.

We strongly recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before committing because personal needs and tastes can differ. Find your nearest Leapmotor dealer via this link. We would also recommend driving a Tesla Model Y or Kia EV5.

Electric Cars Guide

Tom started out in the automotive industry by exploiting his photographic skills but quickly learned journalists got the better end of the deal. With tenures at CarAdvice, Wheels Media, and now Drive, Tom's breadth of experience and industry knowledge informs a strong opinion on all things automotive. At Drive, Tom covers automotive news, car reviews, advice, and holds a special interest in long-form feature stories.

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