Review: Leapmotor C10

Leapmotor may have launched its C10 and T03 to UK customers in March 2025, but the Chinese brand cemented its partnership with European-US carmaking giant Stellantis at the Manchester Motor Show.

It lined up alongside Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Jeep at the inaugural event, showcasing a range that will expand from two to five models in 2026.

For now, it offers customers the tiny T03 – a compact EV priced from less than £16,000 – and the C10 SUV driven here.

The C10 is £36,500, with a £3,750 ‘Leap Grant’ currently cutting that price further.

As such, it undercuts the MGS6 and is around £5,000 cheaper than Tesla’s Model Y, making the C10 a larger alternative to the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq.

With a 70kWh battery pack, the rear-wheel drive the C10’s 263-mile driving range falls short of these rivals: the entry-level MGS6 SE claiming 329 miles.

Just one, impressively equipped trim level is available to C10 customers. It features a panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, a 12-speaker sound system and adaptive cruise control.

Another nice standard feature are the 20in ‘Trident’ alloys, which are a world away from the bland aerodynamic offerings on many EVs.

These elevate the C10’s otherwise handsome but unassuming styling to something striking.

At 4,739mm long and 1,900mm wide, it is one of the C-segment’s largest contenders and the cabin features lots of rear legroom. Its 435-litre boot is rather modest, given those dimensions, though.

Unlocking the C10 requires an NFC card, rather than a traditional key fob, which must be tapped on a specific spot on the drivers’ side wing mirror.

Unfortunately, this means going to that spot each time you open the car, even if you have children to let in or armfuls of shopping.

Once inside the cabin is well built, softly contoured and markedly clutter free.

Aside from a few steering wheel controls, everything is operated through a crisply rendered 14.2in infotainment screen, which is accompanied by a 10.25in colour instrument display.

I would have welcomed a few more physical buttons.

Driving the C10 is a world away from its tiny T03 sibling in many respects, but not all.

It is much quicker, promising 7.5 second acceleration to 62mph and a 106mph top speed.

But the performance is progressive and the suspension and steering light, soft, cosseting, to the point of being too vague and imprecise as speeds rise.

For the most part, though, the C10 is a comfortable place to be.

Unsurprisingly, for a brand brought to Europe by Stellantis, Leapmotor has an arsenal of USPs that should equip it for success: cabin space; a great standard spec; good perceived quality and a truly compelling price.

Leapmotor C10

Price: £32,750 (with Leap-Grant)

Engine: 70kWh battery

Power: 215bhp

Torque: 158Nm

Transmission: single-speed electric

Top Speed: 106mph

0-62mph: 7.5 seconds

Range: 263 miles

CO2 emissions: 0g/km