Leapmotor B10 (2026) Launch Review

The Leapmotor B10 is the brand’s second vehicle to launch in South Africa. We take it for a quick drive at its local debut.

Leapmotor is a Chinese brand which is backed by the Stellantis Group in South Africa. Essentially, Peugeot/Citroen/Jeep dealerships will be supporting the newcomer brand, which will help with peace-of-mind and longevity concerns.

It’s not just a local support deal either as Stellantis invested around €1.5 billion and acquired an equity stake in Leapmotor, plus the two groups created a joint venture called Leapmotor International, which is 51% owned by Stellantis, who hold the rights to export, sell and build Leapmotor’s vehicles outside of its home market in China.

The Leapmotor B10 is the second model to touch down in South Africa after the larger C10. Like its larger sibling, the B10 is also a range-extender vehicle. In terms of design, Leapmotor has gone for the neat and minimalist approach, complete with flush aerodynamic-friendly door handles and narrow front lights.

Powertrain

This brings me to the powertrain which is one of the more unusual setups. There’s a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, but this is exclusively used to make electricity and there’s no connection to the wheels. Instead the vehicle uses a single electric motor on the rear wheels for propulsion.

There’s 158 kW and 240 Nm, and Leapmotor claims 0-100 kph in just 7.5 seconds. There’s an 18.8 kWh battery which is good for around 85 km of range. Once that’s depleted, the petrol engine simply makes more electricity and thanks to this on-board generator, Leapmotor reckons 900 km is possible. Range anxiety? What range anxiety! The vehicle also supports V2L functionality.

What’s on Offer?

The Leapmotor B10 is available in a two-derivative lineup, with pricing starting from R499 999. Style ticks the boxes as the starting point, while Design adds some premium features for around R50 000 more. Both models feature a 14.6-inch high-definition central touchscreen, 7 airbags, comprehensive ADAS suite, 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

Style

• Fabric trim
• Manually-adjustable seats
• Manual tailgate
• 6-speaker audio
• Manual wipers
• Standard interior lighting

Design

• Leatherette trim
• Electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats,
• Heated steering wheel
• 2nd row armrest with cupholders
• Electric tailgate
• Rear privacy glass
• 12-speaker audio
• Auto wipers
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• Panoramic sunroof

What is the B10 like to drive?

This was a launch with a difference as there was no route. Simply collect the vehicle and head off to explore over the weekend. Given this author’s packed working weekend schedule, admin and errands beckoned. First stop was the local neighbourhood bakery to pick up some of the finest sourdough and a coffee, then to fetch my bicycle, fresh from its service. Folding of the seats? Effortless.

An EV powertrain will always provide energetic acceleration and near-silent operation, and the B10 is no different. Straight-line performance is effortless and the car feels as quick as its 7.5 second claim to 100 kph suggests.

With those borderline fun hatchback performance outputs, you’d think there’d be a case for the B10 to be quite entertaining to drive. Sadly the steering lacks feel, despite its sport mode adding some artificial weight to it. That’s totally okay in my books, as I prioritise comfort and ease of use above dynamics.

For the commute, the B10 excels and irrespective of whether you’re foot flat and hurrying everywhere or coasting gently, that petrol engine never makes more than a gentle hum while adding additional volts into the battery. Disclaimer, I manually forced the engine on just so I could hear it. I have my own home charging facilities and thanks to some careful driving, the battery didn’t need topping up.

In terms of ride quality, the vehicle is set up to be on the softer side. However on roads which are anything less than smooth and perfect, the B10 starts to fidget and despite some tyre pressure management to try soften some of the jarring, it never really settles down. Still, when you consider the price and value proposition, the unresolved ride quality is not a dealbreaker whatsoever.

How much does the Leapmotor B10 REEV cost in SA?

The price include a 5-year/100 000 km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km service plan. An 8-year/150 000 km battery-pack warranty is also included.

Summary

Leapmotor’s B10 proved a pleasant surprise, delivering an efficient and quiet driving experience and thanks to the onboard petrol engine, there’s no concern about longer trips. Its pricing is right in the sweet spot too, bringing considerable value to the table. We can’t wait to spend more time with it.

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