China's 2025 Leapmotor C10 aims to shake up the ever-expanding electric vehicle segment of the mainstream mid-size SUV market, which is currently dominated by the Tesla Model Y.
This latest video review of the C10 comes to us via Australia's Cars Guide on YouTube. Previous video reviews of the C10 have been very positive and this latest one asks if the C10 has what it takes to take down the Model Y.
Before diving into the video, let's take a step back and recap a few things.
Who is Leapmotor?
Leapmotor International is a 51/49 Stellantis-led joint venture company between Stellantis and Leapmotor. It's a relatively new China-based start-up that is now venturing into European car markets.
What do you get with the C10?
Leapmotor describes the C10 as "a fully equipped, family-centric D-segment vehicle with a best-in-segment premium ride and handling experience, featuring 420 km WLTP range and 5-star E-NCAP."
The Leapmotor C10 is a mid-size electric crossover or can be ordered as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) crossover. It's about the same size as a Honda CR-V. Power comes from a single motor in the rear that produces 231 horsepower. Battery options for the pure electric versions are either 52.9 kWh or 69.9 kWh—or 28.9 kWh for the EREV. The C10 has a curb weight of around 4,000 pounds. However, with only 230 horses on tap, the C10 isn’t a speed demon.
How cheap is it?
The C10 is priced at €36,400 in Europe (around $40,730 USD), undercutting all similar-sized rivals. Its 69.9 kWh LFP battery provides 261 miles (420 km) of WLTP range. In China, the C10 starts at only $17,861 (128,000 CNY). Even for China, this is a bargain. For comparative purposes, the Tesla Model Y starts at 249,900 CNY in China, which works out to around $35,600 USD. The Model Y in Europe starts at around €44,990.
According to the video, how does the C10 stack up against the Model Y?
The C10's interior is very upscale, given its budget price. It has soft-touch materials, not hard plastic, throughout. The rear seat is roomy, and the hatch area is spacious. Build quality also appears to be solid.
The reviewer is actually impressed with the driving experience. He says the car is not exciting to drive but has solid on-road manners and feels very pleasant and planted.
The overall verdict is that it's a big, basic electric SUV that has no stand-out attributes and no real negatives.
Is it better than the Model Y?
Overall, we'd say no, but it's far cheaper, more spacious, and features higher-quality interior materials, so if those attributes are something you desire, the C10 could be the car for you and perhaps a better choice compared to the Model Y. If, however, range and performance is what you value the most, then the Model Y is the winner.
As always, be sure to watch the full video for more info on the C10.
