Leapmotor C10 Hybrid Review & Prices

The Leapmotor C10 Hybrid is interesting because it started life as an electric car and then had a petrol engine added - usually, it’s the other way around. It’s a recipe that works pretty well, but some of the C10’s underlying issues such as the poor tech haven’t been fixed and remain problematic.

It’s a bit like getting a pair of shoes re-soled and re-laced - you can’t change the fundamental building blocks, but you can add some quality extras.

The C10 Hybrid is a bit of a left-field alternative in a class filled with affordable plug-in hybrid cars - the MG HS, BYD Seal U, Chery Tiggo 8, Omoda 7, Citroen C5 Aircross and Kia Sportage all provide strong competition. The C10 has more electric range than any of those, though.

You wouldn’t really know the C10 Hybrid was any different from the regular C10 EV from the outside - the two vehicles are visually identical, so you’ll only notice that the hybrid has an extra filler flap for the petrol tank and won’t be wearing green-flashed EV number plates.

It’s not exactly a looker, with pretty anonymous, blobby bodywork. The front and rear lightbars look smart enough, though, and the dark green paintwork is really quite nice - even if the rest of the colour options are very bland indeed.

The interior styling is identical to the EV's, too. That means you get a minimalist interior that’s entirely button-free aside from the window switches, column stalks and steering wheel. The styling is very straight-edged and safe, though you can opt for a rather bright tan colour if you don’t like the standard black.

It’s here where the C10’s qualities shine through best, as the interior feels really nice for a car that costs less than £37,000. The artificial leather on the seats is incredibly soft and very comfortable, and build quality feels excellent with soft-touch materials and a pair of high-quality screens.

The 10.3-inch driver display is just fine, but the 14.6-inch infotainment screen has a major issue shared with the C10 EV - there’s no smartphone connectivity. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard on even the very cheapest cars you can buy in the UK, aren’t offered at all, which is a huge shame. That means if you want Google Maps you’ll have to have your phone mounted somewhere in the cabin, although Leapmotor does at least offer downloadable apps for music streaming including Spotify.

The lack of smartphone connectivity is a pain, but your passengers may stop complaining when they see just how much room they get. The rear seats of the C10 Hybrid are palatial, with space for a six-footer to stretch out behind a driver of a similar size. It’s also wide enough, with a totally flat floor, that three adults can sit abreast in reasonable comfort.

Boot space isn’t quite as impressive. The C10 Hybrid gets 400 litres of space, 35 less than the EV and down on the 507 litres of the MG HS or the 484 litres of the Chery Tiggo 7. It’s a flat, accessible space, with an electric tailgate as standard, but outright carrying capacity is just a bit slim for a car this size.

So far, so similar to the C10 EV, then - but the real difference is under the bonnet, where you’ll find a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Unlike most alternatives, this has absolutely no connection to the wheels - it acts purely as a generator, while a 215hp electric motor provides all the driving power.

With the large battery fully charged, you get around 90 miles of fully electric range - making it one of the longest-range PHEVs on sale, matched only by more expensive alternatives such as the top-spec Geely Starray or Jaecoo 8. Then, when that runs out, the engine cuts in to keep the batteries topped up.

It’s an extremely smooth and unobtrusive system, and we found it pretty efficient. On battery power, the C10 got pretty close to its claimed range - and with a discharged battery, running as a petrol hybrid, it returned just over 45mpg on average.

By blending those power sources, you’ll see some extremely favourable running costs - provided, of course, you’re charging at home rather than on pricey public electricity. If you do need a top-up while you’re out and about, though, the C10 Hybrid can take 65kW from a public charger, which the MG HS can’t do.

The C10 is pretty good to drive around town - the electric motor means smooth, silent progress and the soft suspension copes quite well with large bumps, though small ones do tend to make the cabin shake.

Getting up to speed on the motorway can require a bit of planning, as acceleration past 50mph is really quite slow. Once you’re up to speed, though, it’s comfortable enough, and the engine is very quiet when it’s on.

The driver assistance systems aren’t the best. The adaptive cruise control is quite jerky, and even its closest following distance is very far from the car in front. The lane-keeping aids are quite hyperactive, too. At least they’re reasonably easy to turn off from a dedicated menu in the touchscreen.

Country roads also show off the C10’s weaknesses. The steering is extremely light in its normal setting and feels quite vague, which combined with a lot of body roll means there’s no reward to be had in taking corners at any speed.

Verdict

Stay at a relaxed pace and the Leapmotor C10 Hybrid has quite a bit going for it. It’s superbly roomy, quiet and pretty comfortable, and the long electric range and petrol engine give it a level of flexibility missing from a lot of plug-in hybrids. If it was just a bit better to drive, and had smartphone connectivity, it’d be an easy recommendation to put on your shortlist.

You can check out our best Leapmotor C10 Hybrid deals here on Carwow, or see what you can save with a Leapmotor C10 Hybrid lease deal. Check out used Leapmotors for sale, and remember that you can even sell your old car through Carwow.

The Leapmotor C10 Hybrid costs £36,500 - exactly the same as the C10 EV, though at the time of writing it’s quite a bit more expensive to lease. It would also cost you more as a company car as it’s not a fully electric model.

That puts the C10 Hybrid above some keenly priced plug-in alternatives. The Omoda 7 PHEV starts at around £32,000, while the MG HS PHEV costs from roughly £33,500 and the BYD Seal U starts at about £35,000. The Leapmotor’s generous standard equipment and class-beating electric range helps justify the difference, though.

You get a lot of equipment for your money. All models come with 20-inch alloy wheels, all-round LED lights and the ability to use your smartphone as a key. An electric tailgate, huge panoramic glass roof, heated and ventilated seats, artificial leather upholstery, surround-view cameras and wireless smartphone charging are part of the standard package too. The only optional extra is paintwork.