What is a Leapmotor C10?
Is it: a jumping insect native to Tasmania? Someone who only invests their savings at four-yearly intervals? Or a centuries-old Chinese style of cuisine?
Whatever you call it, Chinese car maker Leapmotor seems poised to put a cat among the pigeons in the heating-up EV market.
From Jolion to Build Your Dream, the Atto and the Tank, there is no lack of creativity in the names of the swelling crop of imports.
But Leapmotor has sweetened that with a good dollop of luxury and more than a swig of technology. But smirk-worthy names have not, to this point, had the same effect.
It's fair to say there's a decent dose of "one-ness" when it comes to these mostly electric Chinese SUVs, some of which are well-built and well priced, but are downright cringe-worthy when it comes to style.
But that cookie-cutter approach seems to have been lost on the good folk at Leapmotor, with the C10 offering a handsome alternative in a sea of mediocrity.
The Leapmotor - one of more than 50 car makers and hundreds of models in the Chinese market - has enough points of difference to make it worth a look.
This one is quite attractive at first glance and bears quite a resemblance to Mercedes-Benz's posh SUV, the GLE.
But looks are not the most attractive feature. That belongs to the price - and the quality to boot.
The C10 is the first Leapmotor model to make it Down Under and will be offered in two trim levels of this handsome big machine with a funny name.
Tested is the entry level Style version which starts at $45,888 and there is a better specified flagship called the Design, which will cost $5000 more. Either way it seems like bargain motoring.
Both models run solely on electric power. Keep in mind this car will cost more than double the Benz, not that they're not competitors in any market.
The Leapmotor is not entirely new to the Australian market, although it seems certain to catch up some of the deficit over the next few months.
There was a pleasant surprise when driving the C10 for the first time, with its maker claiming it will travel more than 470km before recharging. And it's pretty comfortable for doing such a long trip.
A week-long stint in the C10 left 250km on the trip meter and almost 220km of remaining charge. That seems to support the maker's optimism.
On the road the C10 is impressively passive in it handling and the cabin atmosphere is serene.
The only issue with the car's road manners was a rather possessive lane departure warning system that meant grabbing for the wheel every time the car wandered just a few centimetres wide of the marked surface.
Just as the latest trend is for minimalist, pared back designs, the Leapmotor has obediently kept the knobs and switches to a minimum.
Not one stray knob, in fact.
There is one control stalk on each side of the steering wheel - the one on the right is for changing gears or selecting park (a method adopted by Mercedes, among others), while the one on the other side is for windscreen wipers and cruise control.
The car's seats are a thing of wonder - allowing occupants to lay each flat, presumably for any unfortunate passenger who misses a bed inside.
That just leaves two massive screens that unlock the magic of the Leaper (with apologies to Jaguar drivers). One 14.6-inch screen large screen dominates the centre stack and a second looks after the speedo and a few other necessary tricks and toys.
One feature that will take some getting used to is the ignition and access "key" which is actually a credit card but it's also the only way to access that bare-bones interior.
Simply brush the key against a little design on the right-hand wing mirror and the car unlocks. Even more eerie is when reaching for the door and nothing happens.
It takes the driver to put that "credit card" onto a little flat rubber mate - roughly the same as the latest car phone chargers - and the car leaps (silently) into action.
Let's just hope Australia's swarm of youth criminals don't cotton on to this technology or we'll all be eating Leapmotor for dinner.
A leap of faith, perhaps?
LEAPMOTOR C10
HOW BIG? A generously proportioned mid-size electric SUV delivers surprising space and innovation at a bargain price.
HOW FAST? It will rumble from zero to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds. Not particularly quick by EV standards, but plenty for most families. Its electric motor delivers 160kW.
HOW THIRSTY? Its makers claim an official range of 420km, ample for most families.
HOW MUCH: You can get the entry-level for $45,888 which is terrific value. A few more features will push you into the "Design" which just scrapes in below the $50,000 mark. Good buying.
