In a perfect illustration of how fast the car industry is moving, the Leapmotor I experienced at its national launch is very different to one you might drive.
A week after the brand hosted journalists for a test of the new Leapmotor B10 electric car in Queensland, it announced changes to the model.
A dozen of them.
An electronic over-the-air-update brought adjustments such as tweaks to the way its adaptive cruise control and lane centring control behave, and the addition of single pedal driving.
There are personalised driving modes, adjustments to the way the car works when charging, and the passenger detection system has been optimised.
Leapmotor trumpeted the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, improved voice recognition features, changes to the sat nav display and improved boot-up time for the central touchscreen.
Which puts you in an interesting place as a car reviewer.
I noted a need for improvement in some of those areas – particularly the lane keeping assistance and voice activation – and Leapmotor claims to have sorted them before you have a chance to read this.
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Such is the speed of competition for new car customers – particularly in the brutal EV fight for Aussie customers.
It’s so frenzied that when Leapmotor published a price for the B10 – $38,990 drive-away – rivals such as BYD were able to return serve with cheaper options before the car arrived.
Leapmotor was in the first wave of new brands from China to arrive back in 2024, alongside names such as Zeekr, XPeng and Deepal.
Part-owned by the Stellantis group that includes Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Peugeot, the brand launched in Australia with a medium-sized SUV that didn’t quite hit the mark.
But the new B10 promises to be a better bet.
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Slightly smaller, the new car is about $10,000 cheaper at $38,990 drive-away, and it comes loaded with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a promise that the driver assistance tech won’t drive you around the bend.
It wasn’t great on the launch, but Leapmotor promises it has improved.
What hasn’t changed in the last few weeks is that power comes from a rear-mounted electric motor that offers 160kW and 240Nm of grunt.
That’s adequate rather than outstanding, and there’s no way to pick a more powerful version with all-wheel-drive.
But you can choose between a standard model with a 56.2kWh battery that returns about 360km of range, or a long-range version that has a 67.1kWh battery and about 430km of driving for an extra $3000.
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The long-range model also adds faux leather seats that are heated and cooled upfront, along with a powered tailgate, coloured ambient lighting, a 12-speaker stereo, LED rear light bar and more.
It’s the one to get.
On the inside, the Leapmotor has an 8.8-inch driver display and a 14.6-inch central touchscreen that you use to access key features.
There are more than 20 storage spaces throughout a modern-looking cabin, and the back seat has plenty of space.
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Like the bigger Leapmotor C10, this car has a six-year, 150,000 kilometre warranty.
Buckle into the driver’s seat, pop it into drive and you’re rewarded with the sort of quiet, smooth progress we’ve come to expect from electric cars.
Quiet on the road, the smaller Leapmotor feels more toned than its slightly soggy big brother.
That’s because elements of its handling were finessed by people who normally work with the likes of Alfa Romeo in Italy.
The B10’s basic handling characteristics are agreeable, with a fine balance and well-weighted controls.
If anything, the car is let down by cut-price tyres that don’t allow the vehicle to show its true potential.
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The discount Linglong tyres squeal early and often in dry conditions, giving us little confidence in how they might perform when worn, or in the wet.
Hopefully Leapmotor can sort out replacement rubber for future examples of the car.
But existing owners will have to make do with the status quo for a while.
After all, it will be a while before you can change tyres with an over-the-air update.
Leapmotor B10
PRICE From $38,990 drive-away
POWER Electric, 160kW and 240Nm
WARRANTY 6-yr/150,000km
RANGE About 360 kilometres
SPARE Repair kit
BOOT 490 litres
