We recently got behind the wheel of the Leapmotor C10, the company’s first entry into the Malaysian market.
Overview
The Leapmotor C10 is an interesting EV in the Malaysian market – in terms of dimensions, the C10 is a D-segment SUV, but priced like a C-segment one. Think Mazda CX-8 but at the price of a CX-5.
Recall that when the model was launched here in October 2024, the Leapmotor C10 was priced at RM 159,000, but Stellantis Malaysia reduced the retail price down to RM 125,000. At the same time, kit count received a slight bump with the inclusion of an 11-kW on-board AC charger, TPMS, tonneau cover, and frunk.
At its RM 125,000 price point, the Leapmotor C10 is aimed squarely at rivals like the Proton eMas 7 and MG S5EV, whilst offering a much larger vehicle.
Subsequently earlier this year, Stellantis Malaysia introduced the Leapmotor C10 Plus, bringing with it a larger battery pack and more power.
Read Also: 2026 Leapmotor C10 Plus now in Malaysia: From RM 148k, 299 PS, 800V platform, 81.9 kWh
Exterior
The exterior of the Leapmotor C10 isn’t at flashy as other EVs on sale today; instead, its understated and a tad bit bland.
Up front and the rear there are full-width LED light bars – par for the course for modern-day EVs. That said, there are large angular lower air intakes that give the C10 a Joker-like front fascia.
Said D-SUV also gets massive 20-inch alloy wheels on each corner, wrapped in Dunlop e.SportMaxx tyres measuring 245/45R20.
Our sample is finished in Glazed Green – a colour we reckon gives the C10 its understated and yet menacing look. After all,
Interior
Stepping into the spacious cabin and you’re greeted by the absolutely eye-catching Criollo Brown finishing, which is unique to the Glazed Green exterior colour. The Pearly White, Canopy Grey, and Tundra Grey body colours are matched to a more subtle Midnight Aurora interior colour.
Colour scheme aside, the Leapmotor C10’s cabin is definitely a great place to be in – it’s spacious and decently put together. We didn’t notice any creaking or unusual noises during our time with the C10.
Did we mention that it’s properly spacious? After all, the C10 is a D-segment SUV, but with just 5 seats, thus space isn’t an issue – rear legroom is generous and the boot space is absolutely massive. That said, over in China, Leapmotor does offer a six-seater version of the C10 called the Leapmotor C16, with a 2-2-2 seating arrangement.
Taking centerstage is a large 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 system-on-chip (SoC). While the UI remained snappy when we were using it, the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is evident – navigating via the built-in maps is possible, but newer points of interest (POI) are missing. Ditto that for music playback, as we had to connect to the car’s Bluetooth like we were back in 2005.
The saving grace is the self-developed sound system featuring 12 speakers rated at 840W. Despite not being a branded sound system like some of its rivals, the bass levels are deep and vocals remain sharp, which offer far better sound quality than similarly-priced rivals.
Driving Impression
The Leapmotor C10 features a rear-mounted electric motor that outputs 160 kW (218 PS) and 320 Nm, powered by a 69.9-kWh LFP battery pack.
Power delivery is definitely noteworthy, as the Leapmotor C10 accelerates with an urgency that is typical of most EVs. But hard acceleration isn’t how one is supposed to drive an EV, as the total range would only suffer.
When driven sedately and like a normal sane person, the Leapmotor C10 rewards the occupants with a surprisingly pliant ride despite riding on low-profile tyres. Bumps are mostly isolated from the cabin, which is not something most manufacturers are capable of.
And given its 1,980 kg kerb weight, the Leapmotor C10 is on the heavier end of the scale. While some claimed that the C10 has input from a certain Italian marque, we reckon that it doesn’t really matter as on its own, the C10 handles just nice.
We would have loved to see Leapmotor offering double glazed windows on the C10, as at the time being, only the front windshield is of the laminated type.
Conclusion
At its current RM 125,000 price point, the Leapmotor C10 is definitely one of the more attractive options on sale today – its properly spacious, offering a decent enough range, and crucially, priced right.
The D-SUV dimensions, whilst a blessing for ferrying your family around, can work against you in tight parking spots, so do take note of that. And the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto may be a dealbreaker for some.
As a whole, there’s still a lot going for the C10. Of course, if the C10 is a tad bit too big for you, perhaps you would want to take a look at the smaller Leapmotor B10 instead?
