Alongside the Leapmotor T03, which you can read our review of here, the new Stellantis-backed Chinese entrant is bringing the all-electric C10 SUV to the UK market from March 2025. This £36,500 D-segment SUV is set to offer buyers an alternative to cars like the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4 – but at a price several thousand pounds lower than these respective models.
Much in the same strategy as its much smaller sibling, the T03, Leapmotor hopes to make the C10 attractive by offering it in high-specification form only, at a lower price than rivals. But, as a new entrant, does the C10 have what it takes to succeed in one of the most significant electric car segments?
First impressions
While the C10 might be one of the cheapest EVs in its segment, it certainly doesn’t shout that fact from the outside – with premium flairs like a rear light bar, flush door handles, and some sporty-looking alloy wheels – looking particularly good in the black colour as tested.
While the C10 can easily be spotted out visually from the competition from outside, it’s a different story on the interior. If you’ve always been a fan of the minimalist interior design and technology of a Tesla, but have been swayed away from the brand in 2025, the C10 offers a remarkably similar interior on the surface. Cover the Leapmotor badge on the steering wheel, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were sitting inside a Model Y, with the steering wheel buttons looking just like those found on Tesla models – and it’s a similar story for the gauge cluster and centre touchscreen. Even instinctively pulling down on the drive stick to activate adaptive cruise, like you would on a Tesla, does the same function here.
Drive and battery
The C10 is offered in one sole battery and motor specification. This consists of a rear-driven electric motor delivering 218 horsepower, along with a 69.9kWh battery pack. The former helps push the C10 from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds – a more than respectable time for a large SUV, and offers all the performance you need for daily driving.
That battery pack offers up a combined WLTP range of 263 miles, which does fall behind the entry Model Y’s 351 miles – but is still higher than the base Volkswagen ID.4’s 221 mile rated range. Again, the C10’s lower purchase price, plus its long list of standard equipment, somewhat justifies this lower range, and could be a non issue depending on your mileage – particularly if you charge at home. When charging on the move, the C10 is capable of rapid charging from 30-80% capacity in 30 minutes, at a maximum supported charging speed of 84kW.
On the road, the C10 is a remarkably comfortable place to be – helped along by smooth suspension, vegan leather seats, and high levels of noise insulation. In this department, the C10 once again exceeds its supposed price point.
Technology
On-board technology is another strong point for the C10. The central touchscreen will look pretty familiar for any Tesla driver, with all controls bar the indicator and wiper stalks being controlled through this screen. Some people love the minimalist design of ‘one touchscreen for all’, while some prefer physical buttons for more controls – so I’ll leave it up to the reader on this one. Leapmotor has added on a central driver display in addition too, giving an easy glimpse of speed, vehicle status, and navigation, directly in your driving line of sight. The resolution on both screens is top notch, adding to the premium feel the C10 is trying to achieve.
Disappointingly, however, much like in the Leapmotor T03, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are nonexistent in the C10. The built in navigation is still clearly designed for an EV at least, with visible mapping of EV charging stations and the ability to select a suitable charging point along a defined route. Hopefully this is something Leapmotor can address in the future.
Other standard equipment on the C10 includes notable features such as a large panoramic glass roof, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, a 360-degree camera, as well as heated and ventilated front seats – and it doesn’t stop there. Some of these features are at-cost options on more expensive rivals, once again highlighting the value the C10 offers for its price.
Practicality
As you’d expect from any electric SUV of this size, space inside is also expansive. The lack of a transmission tunnel makes for a flat floor in the rear seats, further increasing openness where rear legroom is already impressive. Boot space stands at 435 litres, while with the rear seats folding completely flat, that increases to 1,410 litres – turning it into a serious cargo hauler.
Conclusion
The Leapmotor C10 is joining one of the busiest segments in the UK’s EV market, and comes at a time when more new car buyers are turning to electric options. Its likeness to a Tesla Model Y doesn’t go unnoticed, and stands out as a viable alternative for those who have been put off Tesla ownership in recent months.
It feels every bit as well built as its European and American rivals, while undercutting all of them on price and standard equipment. However, as a new brand, there is little long-term feedback for potential buyers to refer to yet. Still, the Stellantis backing of the Leapmotor brand will bring high levels of parts availability (it was a different story for Fisker). Combined with the C10 being sold through long-established Stellantis garages, and a four-year warranty as standard, that should quell any concerns that some buyers may have.
The T03 and C10 only mark the beginning of Leapmotor’s European expansion, which is eventually set to cover a wide portfolio. In late 2025, the brand will launch its C-segment electric SUV, the B10 – which we got a sneak peek of (below). Then, in 2026, it’ll bring two electric hatchback models to market, followed in 2027 by a smaller B-segment electric SUV.
