Leapmotor C10 Review in Malaysia – Big Space, Big Value, and Big Headaches
The Leapmotor C10 arrives in Malaysia as another new player in the sub-RM200k EV segment. At initial glance, it doesn’t seem particularly exciting, but spend some time with it and you’ll find that it has all the right ingredients for a solid family EV. Big space, calm manners and just enough tech to make it feel current.
But for every strong point, there are also some pretty glaring annoyances. Thankfully, most are fixable with software updates. More on that in a bit.
Leapmotor C10 Design – Safe Looks, Spacious Cabin
Styling is clean and uncontroversial, both inside and out. The Leapmotor C10 looks like a generic SUV, and that’s probably the point. It is sized to match too. At 4,739 mm long and 1,900 mm wide, Leapmotor says it’s closer to a D-segment SUV.
If you want attention, this isn’t the car for you. But if you want a big, practical SUV that won’t raise eyebrows in the school pickup line or the surau car park, this fits the bill.
Leapmotor C10 Interior – Minimalistic, Which Isn’t Always a Good Thing
Inside, it is more of the same. Clean design, lots of space and materials that feel decent for the price. The synthetic leather is soft and breathable, and the panoramic roof adds to the sense of openness. Rear legroom is properly limousine-like, and the flat-folding rear seats give you loads of cargo space when needed.
The 435-litre boot is smaller than expected given the exterior dimensions, but it’s not a dealbreaker. Some sources mention a frunk, but I couldn’t find one in the brochure or on the car itself. If it exists, it’s well hidden.
Leapmotor C10 Driving Experience – Smooth Operator
Power comes from a single rear motor with 218 PS and 320 Nm. It does 0–100 km/h in 7.5 seconds, but the delivery is tuned for smoothness, not speed. You can mash the pedal and it’ll go, but the C10 never feels like it is in a rush. Think of it as EV cruising rather than EV performance.
The ride is also one of its better traits. It sits on big 20-inch wheels, but it still manages to ride well even on patchy surfaces. Around town, it can feel a bit firm at low speeds, but never harsh. Once you’re on the highway, the C10 settles down nicely and cruises quietly.
Handling is safe and predictable. There’s some body roll, but the grip is there and the chassis feels planted enough. The steering has no feel, but that’s expected at this price point.
Leapmotor C10 ADAS – Tech, or “Please Stop Shouting at Me”
This is where things go sideways. The ADAS suite is overly enthusiastic, to put it mildly. You get alerts for lane keeping, speed limits, and fatigue detection, all firing off far too often and far too loudly. Look to your side? Fatigue warning. Smile too hard? Fatigue warning. Eyes too small? Fatigue warning. I’m not sure what the system is calibrated for, but it feels like body shaming at this point. I’m not tired Leapmotor, I just have small eyes.
The worst part is that none of these systems stay off when you turn them off. They reactivate every time you restart the car. This level of digital nagging either grates at you or becomes white noise at some point.
And then there’s the lack of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. That alone might be a dealbreaker for many, and again, it’s a silly omission that could likely be fixed via software, but we don’t know when or if that will happen in Malaysia (though rumours say they will).
The infotainment system is not the most intuitive, but it’s learnable with time. Having to dive into multiple layers just to change air direction or fan speed is not ideal. There are no physical air vents to aim. It looks clean, but functionally it’s a step backward.
Leapmotor C10 Charging and Efficiency
The Leapmotor C10 uses a 69.9 kWh LFP battery that gives you a WLTP range of 424 km. Real-world range sits closer to the 350 km mark depending on how you drive. It supports 6.6 kW AC and 84 kW DC charging, which is average. A 30 to 80 percent DC charge takes about 30 minutes.
Leapmotor C10 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Spacious interior with excellent rear legroom
- Excellent ride quality, especially at highway speeds
- Quiet and refined
Clean design inside and out - Decent material quality
Cons:
- Intrusive ADAS alerts that reset every drive
- No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
- Touchscreen-reliant cabin, no physical controls for basic functions
- Competition will be tough
Verdict – Worth It?
There is a lot to like about the Leapmotor C10. It nails the brief as a quiet, comfortable and practical family EV. The fundamentals are solid, and the price is justifiable for the size and equipment.
But right now, the tech-related frustrations are hard to ignore. The ADAS system is genuinely annoying to live with, and the missing smartphone connectivity is a major oversight in 2025. These are fixable issues, but until they are fixed, they are dealbreakers for me.
As always, the final call is yours. If you can live with the quirks or if you are confident that future software updates will sort them out, then the C10 offers a lot of metal for the money. But if you value a fuss-free, polished user experience, you might want to wait and see.
Related Posts
