Leapmotor C10 REEV review: Range-extender adds ICE power to flagship EV

December 31, 2025 Matt Allan

Does adding a petrol generator to the electric C10 really make any sense?

Leapmotor is a brand with big ambitions.

With the weight of Stellantis behind it, this young Sino-European partnership is looking to become a major player in Europe and the UK and, after a flying start in 2025, has a raft of new models planned for 2026, starting with this C10 REEV.

The all-electric C10 SUV has been on sale since May 2025 but for 2026, it’s being joined by the C10 REEV – a range-extender model that uses electric drive backed up by a petrol generator to charge its batteries.

It might feel like a backwards step to add an ICE element to an EV, but Leapmotor says in China, many customers worried about range, and more specifically charger access, opt for the REEV then trade up to a BEV for their next car.

As an option for buyers after an EV-like experience but who can’t charge at home, it’s an interesting prospect. But is it interesting enough to tempt buyers away from excellent family SUVs like the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y?

Design, interior and technology

From the outside you’ll struggle to tell the difference between the C10 REEV and the all-electric version. Like the BEV model, the REEV is big and handsome in a forgettable kind of way. There’s a Mazda-like simplicity to the panels – no big scoops or sharp angles here, just smooth soft lines from the curved headlights back to the full-width light bar. But it’s not a design that will live long in the memory.

The interior is a similar story. It’s unimaginative, bland and, frankly, could be from any number of Chinese electric SUVs. It’s the same old story of a flat, featureless dash with a massive screen bolted to it and a smaller digital instrument panel. There’s a big, wide centre console with a wireless charger and a couple of cupholders, and a smattering of unmarked click pads/scroll wheels on the steering wheel.

And like all those cookie cutter rivals, there are no buttons. Everything is controlled via the screen. While the panel is big, clear and responsive, the shortcut buttons are small and there’s a smorgasbord of menus hidden behind them. It’s nowhere near as user friendly as something like an Enyaq or a Citroen E-C5 Aircross.

While the design and interface need work, the C10’s material quality can’t be faulted. Everything feels as well screwed together as any European alternative and the material choice is robust but pleasant. The C10 also majors on passenger space. In the back there’s head and legroom to spare for even the tallest passengers, but a pokey 400-litre boot. Front space is also a little restricted for taller drivers.

Powertrain

Leapmotor says the C10 REEV is the UK’s first range-extender, conveniently forgetting the failed Mazda MX-30 R-EV.

In simple terms, the REEV uses a 212bhp electric motor to drive the front wheels, just like the C10 BEV.

But rather than relying on at-home or public charging, its battery is kept topped up by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol generator that never powers the wheels directly. In that way, it’s identical to the e-Power hybrid system used in the Nissan Qashqai. Where it differs is that the C10’s generous 28.4kWh battery can also be charged like a plug-in hybrid. The C10 REEV charges at up to 11kW AC but also up to 65kW on a DC public charger, delivering a 30-80% top-up in around 18 minutes.

In action, the system feels just like driving an EV. There’s instant response from the throttle and while it’s not staggeringly quick, it is punchy enough for a large family SUV. Generally, the electric elements get on with things quietly and smoothly. When the petrol motor kicks it it does so with a very faint gruff rumble – rather than the pained howl of the Nissan system.

There are four clever drive modes to manage how and when the generator operators. These range from EV+, which keeps the generator shut down until the battery drops below 9%, to Power+, which uses the generator to keep the battery topped up and deliver energy directly to the electric motor for maximum performance.

Driven sensibly, Leapmotor claims you’ll get a massive 90 miles of all-electric range before the battery is depleted, and combined with the 50-litre fuel tank, it should cover 603 miles before running empty.

The weird world of official testing quotes the C10 REEV’s fuel efficiency at 700mpg. In the real world it’s hard to work out a true figure. My test car was suggesting the electric powertrain was doing 3.6m/kWh and the petrol part managing 41.5mpg. How those combine over the long term, I suspect you need a degree in advanced mathematics to figure out.

Nonetheless, for a very specific group of users, it’s an pleasingly adept and refined powertrain.

While the REEV’s motors impress, the C10’s chassis is less compelling.

Like the smaller B10, the C10 never feels entirely settled on the road. It’s a little more firmly sprung than the B10, which means this bigger car actually feels more controlled. But it also hits lumps and bumps harder, with potholes and drain covers sending far more obvious judders into the cabin than you’d get in some rivals.

The steering, like so many Chinese cars in this class, is lifeless and uncommunicative. There’s not a lot of sensation or even much of a feeling of connection between the steering wheel and the road wheels. Again, European and Korean rivals deliver a more reassuring road feel.

Price and specification

Where virtually no rival can compete with Leapmotor is on price. The brand’s message is all about value – not being cheap but offering lots of kit and quality for the money.

To that end, there’s just a single trim level with absolutely all the kit as standard and a list price of £36,500. Everything from 20-inch alloys and a powered tailgate to a panoramic roof and heated and cooled front seats is standard. Dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, a 12-speaker stereo and heat pump also feature on the kit list as do the usual bucket of pointless “extras” such as facial recognition, electronically controlled air vents and ambient lighting that will synchronise with your music.

You’ll need to spend thousands more to get the same spec from a comparable rival. In fact, the only comparably priced and sized option is the woeful Skywell BE11, which feels miles behind the Leapmotor in every way.

And the REEV is priced identically to the C10 BEV, leaving buyers with a simple choice.

Verdict

The Leapmotor C10 REEV is fairly bland to look at and mediocre to drive.

But it is unarguably a lot of car for the money with lots of passenger space, decent kit and a smart powertrain that will meet many users’ requirements.

Whether it’s worthwhile when you can get the 263-mile BEV version for the same price will come down to personal circumstances but for those on the EV fence, it could be worth considering.