Leapmotor C10 REEV review

Chinese newcomer adds a petrol generator to its electric large SUV. Is it a harbinger or a curio?

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"What’s it called? Leapfrog?" said a friend when the new Leapmotor C10 REEV was mentioned. But all unknown brands have to start somewhere, and Chinese firm Leapmotor’s joint venture with Stellantis - the highly respected automotive firm with 14 marques under its umbrella - is as strong as case as there ever was for it to succeed in the tricky European market.

Already on sale here is the budget T03 electric hatchback, which stands up admirably against competitors such as the Dacia Spring. And we’ve previously driven the electric version of the C10 SUV, on which there was plenty to applaud, even if it didn’t excel compared to some rivals.

This C10 REEV is the range-extender (REx, or REEV) electric version of the large SUV, which has an unusual set-up: the Mazda MX-30 REV and Nissan Qashqai e-Power are the only other models on sale in the UK with a similar configuration.

There are plenty of plug-in hybrid rivals in this segment, though, including the BYD Seal U, Jaecoo 7 and MG HS. 

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DESIGN & STYLING

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The design of the C10 doesn’t revolutionise - just like the majority of its Chinese SUV counterparts, which typically veer towards generic and inoffensive looks - but is still a handsome enough car, which from various angles is reminiscent of Mercedes SUVs or the odd Porsche Macan/Cayenne design line. 

Measuring 4739mm long, 1900mm wide and 1680mm high, the C10 is slightly bigger than the HS. There’s decent ground clearance and standard roof bars as well as flush door handles and a shark-fin antenna.

The C10 REEV comes in only one specification, which makes for a charmingly simple buying process. Outside, this means 20in alloy wheels and the choice of five paint colours, four of which are an extra few hundred quid. The standard colour is a classy metallic dark green.

 

INTERIOR

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Step inside the C10 and it’s a pleasant surprise: yes, it’s staid and unexciting, but it has a level of perceived quality that one might not expect from a Chinese car intending to undercut most rivals, from China or otherwise. 

There are no physical buttons (although Leapmotor’s product planner didn’t write off some being introduced in future models, recognising it as a growing industry trend); everything is done through the 14.6in touchscreen.

It’s not fair to single out this car when it’s true of so many, but there’s no doubt it’s a major distraction to access some desired and essential functions on the touchscreen while driving.

There’s also something missing that for many new car buyers today would be offputting, and that’s Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Leapmotor says it will address this by summer via an over-the-air (OTA) software update.

In the meantime, there’s an in-house sat-nav to use, but unfortunately it’s infuriatingly poor. At trickier junctions it’s unclear and the voice prompt is close to unbearable. "Soon, follow the road ahead - and then follow the road ahead" on repeat is enough to drive anyone mad. One can turn it off, of course. 

OTA updates are big business for Leapmotor. Since it launched the C10 late last year, it has completed 26 OTAs to address feedback and make improvements. One of those was changing the sound of the alert from some of the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as users found it "annoying". The firm is clearly aware of the frustrations surrounding its ADAS, so much so that it recommended turning off the most irritating ones before our test drive. 

An OTA update now lets those ADAS - the speed recognition system and lane keeping assistance - be turned off by an easy swipe down on the screen and then pressing two buttons, but Leapmotor is developing an even quicker one-button solution which it will release over the next few months. 

 

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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The most stand-out aspect of this car is the powertrain, given the rarity of range-extenders. A 1.5-litre petrol engine is used as a generator for the 158kW electric motor, which drives the rear wheels and is powered by a 28.4kWh battery. 

The benefits of a REEV over a PHEV, says Leapmotor, is better efficiency, better environmental credentials and an impressively long range - up to 90 miles only using the electric motor or 603 miles in total.

Its benchmark sprint of 8.5sec is satisfactory, but in reality it feels a bit nippier than this. The starkest, most pleasing difference compared with a PHEV is the continual smooth delivery of power purely through the electric motor and related refinement, because the engine is purely used as a generator to top up the battery. There is engine noise at times, but it’s more mute than typical engine usage and generally it’s a refined, relaxing drive.

On almost all fronts, the C10 REEV seems an excellent solution for those not ready for EVs. There’s just one behavioural change required of drivers that would take some adapting to, and that’s the need to change modes while driving (yes, on the touchscreen). There are four charging modes: EV, EV+, Fuel and Power+.

EV+ always prioritises the electric motor and the engine won’t intervene until battery charge is below 9%. EV also prioritises the electric motor but brings in the engine below 25% charge. In Power+, the engine will always be on, delivering maximum power. And Fuel provides fully electric driving when the battery is above 80% and works intelligently the rest of the time.                   

 

RIDE & HANDLING

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As a complete package on the road, the C10 REEV is a mixed bag. Ultimately, it’s an easy drive: the light steering has little feel but is perfectly pleasant even on winding roads. Dynamic it's not, but this is a mainstream family SUV that can handle any road with satisfactory aptitude. 

Ride comfort is middling to good: it could feel more planted on roads, but only on the most pockmarked surfaces does it become noticeably jiggly. There are three driving modes, and Comfort is best suited to the car. 

Interesting fact: apparently, engineers from other Stellantis brands have offered feedback on Leapmotor vehicles to help adjust them for European roads. In the case of the C10 REEV, the firm had the pick of the crop, Maserati, so no doubt this is a better car for the Italian firm's input. 

However, the driving experience is seriously affected by those aforementioned ADAS. Turn off the lane keeping assistance but forget to also turn off the separate emergency lane keeping assistance and it beeps randomly when you’re remotely near a solid white line and tries to pull you back. It’s enraging. That’s just one example, but there’s bonging at various points on any given journey that mostly isn't easy to attribute to anything.

 

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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There's only one trim level, which brings an impressive amount of standard kit, including electrically adjustable front seats, heated door mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, a 360deg camera, an electric tailgate and a heated steering wheel.

The C10 REEV is expected to cost slightly more than the £36,500 C10 EV. The Seal U DM-i Comfort is priced at £35,205, while the range-topping HS PHEV Trophy is £34,495, but the specification of the C10 REEV has more features than both.

The official combined WLTP is 588mpg, but on our drive it achieved more like 44mpg, as is typically the way with PHEVs. Official CO2 emissions sit at 10g/km, which puts it at 3% for benefit-in-kind tax.

 

VERDICT

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There’s much to like about the C10 REEV: the novel, quiet powertrain; the easy driving experience; the decent looks; and the excellent price point, which significantly undercuts Western rivals' and many of its Chinese counterparts' too.

The unresolved issues on the ADAS and sat-nav are a serious limitation to this car’s success, but they're black marks of which Leapmotor is well-aware. With the firm’s tech-forward approach, there’s every hope that the worst of them can be significantly improved via OTA upates over the next few months.

If it can address those issues and add smartphone mirroring, it will have a well-resolved model that has a fighting chance in the competitive but highly in-demand mainstream SUV segment.