Leapmotor C10 REEV - Much improved, but won’t knock your socks off
Leapmotor burst onto the UK automotive scene earlier this year. As a new brand entering from China (like many others are right now), it had the unique advantage of being partnered with Stellantis as Leapmotor International. While, yes, buyers would have to put their faith in a new, untried brand, they’d be able to go to Stellantis dealers to buy and service their cars. At Stellantis, there’s a robust parts network for them to use, and there’s even a used car network for them to sling their car at once they’re done. That’s empirically ‘A Good Thing’. Leapmotor had one tiny problem, though — the halo car it launched with, the electric C10, wasn’t great.
It was so not very good that it actually made me actively cross. Its handling was woeful, the ride soggy, its heater didn’t… heat, its door took more convincing than I’d be comfortable with in a hurry to open, the sat nav froze, there was no CarPlay, the materials inside were a bit odd, and the vibe of the whole car felt off.
Leapmotor’s promises of D Segment size and space for C Segment money were all well and good, but, friends, if you’re spending that sort of money on something - regardless of volume of the product - you want the doors and heater to work properly as a minimum. It left an impression, but perhaps not the right one (Side note: the T03 city car it launched with wasn’t perfect, but for the money, it was pretty ace).
Leapmotor’s fresh attempt at the C10
Nearly a year since launch, Leapmotor has had some time to update the C10 and offer it with a whole new powertrain: the REEV. ‘REEV’ is short for Range Extended Electric Vehicle, which means it’s sort of electric, but comes with a 50kW on board petrol generator as well as a plug to keep it moving. Pairing a 28.4kW battery to a 215bhp and 236lb ft motor, the C10 REEEV is very much an EV, just one that can be run on petrol. If you want to plug in on the go, it can take 65kW chargers in the wild to get from 30-80% SOC in 18 minutes.
See, under the hood is a 1.5-litre engine, but there’s no direct link between it and the wheels. Instead, it turns petrol into electricity that’s fired into the battery and the motor. There are a few drive modes that dictate how eagerly it’ll intervene, too. EV+ will ensure no petrol power until the battery drops to 9%, EV waits ‘til there’s 25% power left before firing up the ‘genny. Fuel will keep you EV only above 80% (or a selectable total), and Power+ keeps the ICE element firing to ensure you’ve as much go as possible. EV power alone will get you 90 miles, but lob a tank of fuel in there and you’ll get 603 miles before you run out of both electricity and dino squeezings. 0-62mph takes 8.5 seconds, and you’ll get up to 106mph given enough road. There’s loads of space for people, a 400/1375-litre boot (seats up/down), all the toys you want (and some you don’t) thrown in, and a five-star EuroNCAP rating… all for £36,500. Sounds rather good.
Is this the stepping stone to EV ownership?
Seeing as Leapmotor’s jam appears to be all EV all the time, the REEEEV might seem like an odd move, but there’s a sensible reason behind it: cack infrastructure. It’s a car for people who, says Leapmotor, want to give EVs a go, but don’t necessarily want to think about charging. Or worry about it. The idea here is to ease you into EV life with a safety net of familiar, easy to deal with petrochemicals, and when you’re ready to go whole hog EV, you can swap in without a worry - a little like how some view PHEVs as the gateway drug to EVs. Where that’ll leave the fleet of REEEEEV stepping stone cars after everyone’s had their fun… I don’t know. In a field somewhere? Still, it’s another option to get people to go EV.
How is it to drive?
Given its stablemate left such an impression, we should talk about the good stuff: it no longer drives awfully. The handling is improved, which meant country lanes weren’t hateful. Its heated seats kept my bum warm, and the heater fired warm air at me. Pleasingly, the ADAS kit wasn’t too intrusive either. These may seem like basic requirements, but here they’re a blessed relief.
The REEEEEEV system, in its many modes, works well enough, too. It’s hard to tell when it’s switching from EV only to ICE assistance, and when the motor’s doing its thing, there’s little vibration or aural intrusion in the cabin. If you’re going to use the C10 REEEEEEEV for town toddles, you can probably keep it in EV+ mode all the time, plug in overnight, and never use a drop of fuel. The crucial thing here is that you can use it on the motorway and not worry about getting stung by a £0.79ppkW Moto Services charger to keep going. Thing is, if you’re going to use it on the motorway you should be prepared for noticeable wind noise, and a feeling of gentle helplessness. The helplessness is because it runs out of grunt at motorway speeds, and overtaking can take a little longer than you might be comfortable with.
In town it handles itself just fine, too. It’s quickish off the mark, and the visibility it offers is broadly decent - though the rear window is so small it may as well not be there. The steering isn’t as sharp as a tack, but once the ‘wheel has been twisted in your desired direction the car will follow.
Its ride still isn’t as smooth as you’d hope from a D Segment SUV - low entry price or not. On country lanes it’s on the rough ‘n bouncy side. And, obviously, don’t expect the C10 REEEEEEEEV to be a sports car. It’s a family SUV. You can ask it to accelerate with more urgency, but ‘urgency’ is a relative term.
Interior
Leapmotor’s touchscreen-driven experience is more effort than I’d like, too, as it tends to keep you baffled and grumpy when looking for key things. This is irritating and makes you wonder whether a person who isn’t an engineer has been anywhere near it during testing. Still, at 14.6-inches there’s at least plenty of space to put icons on. The C10 EV’s interior issues persist here, too - odd materials, in a sort of liminal space of an interior that does not feel like a homely family wagon. Also, CarPlay and Android Auto are still TBC - though they should appear in early 2026.
Concluding thoughts
The C10 REEEEEEEEV’s purpose is great: stealthily get people used to EVs without scaring them too much. The car itself is much improved over the original, but it’s still not going to knock your socks off. While its entry fee undercuts competitors, and the promise of Stellantis backing in case things go wrong adds a safety blanket that other Chinese brands don’t have… I’d wait a touch longer for the firm to get itself together before taking the plunge.
words: Alex Goy
pictures: Leapmotor
