- About Leapmotor
- Design and Dimensions
- Performance and Electric Motor
- Interior and Technology
- Materials Quality and Comfort
- Safety and Assistance Systems
- Driving Experience
- Strengths and Weaknesses
The electric vehicle market has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years, with many Chinese companies striving to offer electric cars that combine good performance with competitive pricing. Among these emerging independent players, Leapmotor, founded in 2015, has established itself as a notable contender in this rapidly evolving sector. One of its latest releases, the 2025 Leapmotor C10, has reached European and Australian markets by late 2024, directly competing with models like the Tesla Model Y, Geely EX5, and Kia EV5.
About Leapmotor
Leapmotor began as an independent startup aiming to penetrate the emerging electric vehicle market. In 2023, Stellantis acquired a 20% stake in the company for $1.8 billion, forming a strategic partnership that granted Stellantis majority ownership and exclusive rights to export, sell, and manufacture Leapmotor vehicles outside China. This support has helped Leapmotor enhance its capabilities and expand its product range.
Design and Dimensions
The Leapmotor C10 features a modern and sleek design with balanced dimensions, making it a compact SUV suitable for daily and family use. The vehicle measures 4739 mm in length, 1900 mm in width, and 1680 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2825 mm, providing a spacious and comfortable interior for passengers.
Performance and Electric Motor
Powered by a rear-mounted electric motor producing 215 horsepower (160 kW) and 320 Nm of torque, the C10 is equipped with a 69.9 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. This powertrain enables the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds, which is a respectable performance within the compact electric SUV segment.
The car offers a driving range of up to 420 kilometers on a single charge, which is acceptable but not class-leading. For charging, the C10 supports DC fast charging up to 84 kW, allowing the battery to charge from 30% to 80% in about 30 minutes.
Interior and Technology
The C10’s interior adopts a simple yet modern layout dominated by a 14.6-inch central infotainment touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The infotainment system is responsive and includes many functions, but it lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, which may disappoint some users.
The vehicle uses a buttonless design where most functions are controlled via the touchscreen, similar to Tesla’s approach. However, this can be inconvenient while driving, as accessing settings such as climate control requires navigating menus.
Materials Quality and Comfort
Despite the simple design, Leapmotor uses high-quality materials inside, including soft synthetic leather covering the dashboard, seats, and door panels. The front seats feature heating and ventilation functions but lack sufficient lumbar support, which may affect driver comfort on long trips.
The C10 also offers a panoramic glass roof with a sunshade, a 12-speaker premium sound system, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel, customizable ambient lighting, and privacy-tinted rear windows.
Safety and Assistance Systems
The Leapmotor C10 comes equipped with advanced safety features such as driver monitoring, speed limit warnings, lane-keeping assist, and emergency warning systems. However, some alerts can be intrusive, such as the speed limit warning that emits a loud sound when slightly exceeding the speed limit.
These alerts can be disabled, but the system resets after each ignition cycle, requiring repeated deactivation, which is inconvenient. It is also advisable to disable the smart navigation system that frequently issues warnings in heavy traffic.
Driving Experience
The C10 offers a smooth and comfortable ride, with a suspension system that absorbs bumps well despite the vehicle’s relatively heavy weight. The rear-wheel-drive layout provides good stability and avoids the torque steer common in some front-wheel-drive EVs.
Multiple driving modes are available, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Custom, as well as a one-pedal driving mode. However, the one-pedal mode can only be activated when the vehicle is stationary and in park, limiting its ease of use during driving.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
Competitive pricing compared to rivals like Tesla Model Y and Kia EV5.
Simple and elegant interior design with quality materials.
Decent driving range and solid electric performance.
Advanced sound system and comfortable heated/ventilated seats.
Weaknesses:
No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support.
Intrusive safety alerts that are difficult to permanently disable.
Slower DC fast charging rate compared to some competitors.
Insufficient lumbar support in front seats.
Interior design lacks distinctive character.
The Leapmotor C10 presents a strong contender in the compact electric SUV segment, combining affordable pricing, good performance, and modern technology. Despite some drawbacks such as annoying alert systems and missing infotainment features, it remains an attractive option for those seeking a practical and stylish electric vehicle.
As the market continues to evolve and competition intensifies, Leapmotor will need to improve certain aspects to compete more effectively with major brands. For now, the C10 offers good value for money and proves that emerging Chinese EV manufacturers can deliver competitive vehicles on the global stage.
Would you like additional articles on the latest electric vehicles or comparative analyses of market models? I can help prepare professional content tailored to your readers’ interests.
