LEAPMOTOR B05 160kW 67kWh 5dr Auto

Ten Second Review

Leapmotor brings us its most competitive car yet in the shape of this B05 electric compact family hatch. You get sharp looks, loads of kit and lots of value. But as with some of the brand's other models, there are some drawbacks, so you'll need to know exactly what you're getting.

Background

Not everyone wants their compact electric family car to look like an SUV or even a crossover. If that's you, then Chinese maker Leapmotor might hopes you might be interested in this car, their B05. This family hatch contender has a slightly more inspiring model name in its home Chinese market, the 'Lafa 5'. 'Lafa' standing for 'Lifestyle, attitude, freedom and art'. But here it's just the 'B05', slotting in just below the B10 crossover as the fourth design this Stellantis-owned brand has launched here (it's ninth to be launched globally). Unlike the B10 (and the slightly larger C10), unfortunately it won't be available with Leapmotor's clever Hybrid EV range extender engine. And with the single EV drivetrain, the British market is only getting the largest battery and the poshest trim. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

You really hope that a car that looks like this will drive engagingly - and on paper, the signs are good. So, perfect 50:50 weight distribution, proper multi-link rear suspension and a rear-mounted motor that develops more power than the class norm - 215bhp with 240Nm of torque - which makes 62mph in 6.7s (en route to 105mph). Plus the B05's handling and ride was supposedly developed by Stellantis engineers at Alfa Romeo's Balocco test track in Italy. In practice though, the end result isn't as dynamic as all of that might suggest. Mainly because Leapmotor still hasn't fully understood the elements that go into creating a feelsome steering rack. And because the whole confection must sit on the same 'Leap 3.5' platform as the brand's rather stodgy B10 compact SUV. The UK gets the larger of the two batteries the Chinese maker has developed for this model, a 67.1kWh 'ProMax' unit capable of up to 300 miles on the combined cycle. There are the usual selectable drive modes (three of them, including a 'Sport' setting); and you get separate steering settings too. And selectable levels of energy recuperation, though even the fiercest of these doesn't provide the kind of 'one-pedal' level of arresting off-throttle retardation that you'll find on some rivals. Expect quite sharp cornering, thanks to plenty of grip, minimal body roll and battery positioning that lowers the car's centre of gravity. But, as with other Leapmotor models, the whole experience can be somewhat spoilt by the over-intrusive nature of some of the ADAS drive assist features.

Design and Build

The B05 is without doubt the most appealing-looking model Leapmotor has yet brought us and for that reason, if no other, it's likely to be the brand's biggest seller. It's not hard to see where the styling inspiration came from, especially at the front where the swoopy Golf-like nose with its slim LED headlamps offers a very Volkswagen overtaking vibe. As usual with this Chinese maker, you're getting a lot of metal for your money, the 4,490mm body length on the large side for the family hatch class. And there are some premium design touches you might not expect on an Astra-class car - like frameless doors, hidden rear door handles and alloy wheels as large as 19-inches in size. There's a sleek drag coefficient of 0.26Cd. And black detailing on the roof and side skirts adds to the sporting vibe. There's no estate body shape option. And annoyingly, there's no rear wiper. Unfortunately, the Golf-style exterior vibe vanishes once you get behind the wheel, where there's a rather uninspiring minimalist interior borrowed from the brand's B10 compact SUV. That means a big 14.6-inch central touchscreen running the brand's latest 'Leap 05 4.0' software, an 8.8-inch LCD instrument display (viewed through a Tesla-style steering wheel) and strange oblong holes on the passenger side of the dashboard. Buttons and switches are making a comeback in European rivals to this model, but they're still largely banished here. Still, material quality is good, the light or dark vegan leather upholstery doesn't feel too fake and the 64-colour ambient lighting system looks nice. Plus there are 25 interior stowage spaces. In the rear, head and leg room are better than you'll find in most other class rivals and because this car has a bespoke electric platform, there's no need for the kind of bulky central transmission tunnel you'll find non-bespoke EV rivals like the Vauxhall Astra Electric and the Peugeot E-308. That means a middle-seated passenger will be easier to fit in if need be. On either side, helped by the relatively generous 2,735mm wheelbase length, a six-foot adult would easily sit behind another six-footer, though there's almost no space to slide your feet beneath the seat ahead. The backrest can be reclined by up to 27-degrees and the standard panoramic glass roof adds an airy feel. You might not be as impressed when the standard powered tailgate rises to reveal the compact 345-litre boot, which is about 50-litres smaller than most rivals (and 85-litres smaller than the B10). You get neither a ski hatch or a convenient 40:20:40 backrest split, so if you've rear-seated occupants, long items will have to go on the roof. With the backrest folded, there's up to 1400-litres available.

Market and Model

Prices started from around £29,000 at launch for the single high-spec version on offer. That's including a £1,500 'Leap Grant' (to compensate for the fact that this car will never qualify for the government's Electric Car Grant). Other markets get a lower spec variant, but that won't be offered here. It's not really necessary because this car already represents superb value for what you get. It comes with a fully-loaded spec, including a large panoramic glass roof, a 360-degree parking camera, ambient interior lighting and keyless entry. Plus a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, leatherette upholstery, an 8.8-inch driver's display, a smartphone charger and automatic air conditioning, along with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) tech that allows you to charge appliances from the drive battery. You get LED headlamps and LED tail lights, 19-inch wheels and a powered tailgate. Media connectivity's taken care of by a 14.6-inch central touchscreen with voice control, a 12-speaker audio system, online music and in-vehicle WiFi. The only standard paint colour is 'Lightning Yellow'. Other shades include 'Starry Night Blue', a pastel blue apparently inspired by Vincent Van Gough's famous painting. Safety kit includes a Front Collision Warning with Autonomous Emerging Braking and a Multi-Collision braking system, plus a Side collision monitor, Lane-Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning. There's also Lane-Centring Control, Traffic Jam Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Brake, Intelligent Speed Assist and Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning.

Cost of Ownership

DC charging speed was a failing of earlier Leapmotor models, but things have improved since and this one DC-charges at 174kW, which allows for a 10 to 80% top up in 24 minutes and at 30-80% charge in 17 minutes. AC charging from home requires 10 hours 30 minutes with a single-phase 7.4kW wallbox, a time you can improve to around 7 hours with an 11kW three-phase supply. Full replenishment from a domestic plug requires a yawning 33 hours 15 minutes. You should be able to get close to the quoted driving range figure in winter thanks to the standard provision of a heat pump (something you don't always get in this class). Leapmotor claims that the battery has an expected lifespan of more than 372,000 miles. There's a four year warranty (or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first). And the industry-usual eight year battery warranty. Maintenance should be straightforward thanks to the brand's network of UK Stellantis dealerships. Insurance is group 34U. Servicing is needed every year or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Summary

Leapmotor has so nearly created a segment favourite here. The B05 has a class-competitive EV drivetrain, is well equipped, well priced and crucially, looks good too. The things that are wrong with it - the screen-dominated cabin, the over-intrusive ADAS features, the slight lack of handling engagement - you'd think a good European maker's product development team could sort out pretty quickly. So it's a little baffling that, as part of the Stellantis group, Leapmotor has benefited from the attentions of a good European product development team when creating this car. Clearly then, the Chinese brand needs a bit more Stellantis help than just a visit to an Italian test track. If it gets it - and perhaps adopts a snappier model-naming convention for its cars - there's the potential for Leapmotor to really grow in Europe with products like the B05. A work in progress then - but certainly heading in the right direction.