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THE CHINESE EV THAT EUROPE DECIDED TO BUY INTO
The most interesting thing about the Leapmotor B10 is not the car itself.
It is what the car represents.
For decades, Chinese automakers looked towards Europe for engineering expertise, design inspiration and validation. Today, one of Europe’s largest automotive groups is heading in the opposite direction. Leapmotor is backed by Stellantis, the company behind brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Maserati. Rather than spending years developing another affordable EV architecture, Stellantis chose to invest heavily in Leapmotor and use its technology to accelerate global expansion.
That decision says a great deal about where the industry is heading.
The old narrative of Chinese manufacturers chasing established brands is rapidly disappearing. Increasingly, the conversation is shifting towards how quickly traditional automakers can respond to what China is producing.
The Leapmotor B10 Design, priced at RM118,800, provides a compelling example of why that conversation matters.
THE PRICE IS THE FIRST THING THAT STOPS MAKING SENSE
At RM118,800, the B10 Design enters one of Malaysia’s most competitive EV segments. On paper, it competes against vehicles such as the BYD Atto 3, Proton e.MAS 7 and MG S5 EV. Yet after spending time with the car, the pricing becomes increasingly difficult to rationalise.
Not because it is expensive.
Because it feels too cheap.
The Design variant comes equipped with a 67.1 kWh battery pack, a WLTP-rated range of 434 km, rear-wheel drive, ventilated front seats, a panoramic glass roof, power-adjustable seats, a premium audio system and a comprehensive suite of safety technologies. Those specifications are impressive enough on their own, but specifications rarely tell the full story.
What truly stands out is the sense of quality.
The longer you spend with the B10, the more frequently you find yourself asking whether somebody made a mistake when setting the price.
IF YOU REMOVED THE BADGES, YOU WOULD PROBABLY GUESS EUROPE
There are certain vehicles that immediately reveal where they come from.
The B10 is not one of them.
Remove every badge, logo and identifying mark from the bodywork and most people would probably assume they were looking at a European SUV. The proportions are clean, the surfacing is restrained and the overall design carries a maturity that feels unusually confident for a relatively young brand.
What impressed me most is that the design does not appear to be trying too hard. Some modern EVs seem determined to convince buyers that they are from the future, resulting in styling that can feel overly dramatic or unnecessarily complicated. The B10 avoids that trap entirely.
Instead, it manages to feel premium, elegant and sporty without becoming aggressive.
The lighting signatures are sophisticated, the body lines are clean and the overall silhouette strikes a balance between practicality and style. It looks contemporary without chasing trends, which may ultimately help the design age more gracefully than some of its rivals.
THE CABIN FEELS LIKE IT BELONGS IN A MORE EXPENSIVE CAR
The same impression continues inside.
The moment you enter the cabin, there is a noticeable sense of quality that is difficult to ignore. The finishing is excellent, the materials feel carefully selected and the overall execution demonstrates a level of attention to detail that is rarely associated with this price point.
Once again, the pricing becomes the central question.
Shouldn’t this cost more?
The dashboard design follows a minimalist philosophy, but unlike some interiors that mistake minimalism for emptiness, the B10 feels thoughtfully designed. The large 14.6-inch touchscreen dominates the centre console, yet the cabin never feels cold or clinical. The panoramic roof allows natural light to flood the interior, creating an airy atmosphere that immediately enhances the sense of space.
More importantly, the design feels cohesive.
It is futuristic without feeling experimental.
Modern without feeling intimidating.
The result is a cabin that feels premium from the moment you step inside, while remaining comfortable enough to live with every day.
BUILT FOR REAL LIFE, NOT JUST BROCHURES
The B10’s generous 2,735 mm wheelbase translates into impressive passenger space. Front occupants enjoy excellent visibility and comfort, while rear passengers benefit from legroom that would not feel out of place in vehicles from a higher segment.
This is one of those cars that immediately makes sense for families.
The spacious cabin, comfortable seating and practical layout ensure that daily commuting, school runs and weekend road trips can all be handled without compromise. Unlike some stylish SUVs that sacrifice practicality in pursuit of appearance, the B10 manages to deliver both.
That balance is increasingly important because modern buyers are no longer looking for vehicles that excel in only one area. They want technology, comfort, practicality and design in a single package.
The B10 comes remarkably close to achieving that.
THE EV THAT QUIETLY GETS EVERYTHING RIGHT
Electric vehicles often generate discussions about charging infrastructure, battery range and ownership challenges.
The B10 rarely encourages those conversations.
With a WLTP-rated range of 434 km and DC charging speeds of up to 168 kW, the SUV simply gets on with the job. Daily commuting becomes effortless, while longer journeys require far less planning than many first-time EV buyers expect.
The overall driving experience follows a similar philosophy.
Nothing feels exaggerated. Nothing feels artificial.
The power delivery is smooth, the ride quality is composed and the rear-wheel-drive layout gives the vehicle a reassuring sense of balance. With 218 PS and 240 Nm available, the B10 never feels lacking in performance. More importantly, it delivers that performance in a refined and predictable manner.
This is not an EV that constantly reminds you how advanced it is.
It simply behaves like a well-engineered SUV.
In many ways, that may be the highest compliment possible.
THE ONLY THING I FOUND MYSELF LOOKING FOR
Ironically, my only real criticism concerns something many modern manufacturers are beginning to remove.
Buttons.
The B10 is so quiet, so refined and so seamless in operation that there were moments when I genuinely found myself wondering whether the vehicle was fully switched off or still active. Without the vibrations and mechanical cues of a combustion engine, the experience can occasionally feel almost too smooth.
A simple physical on-off button would provide an additional layer of reassurance. Instead, some interactions require navigating through the infotainment system.
It is hardly a major flaw and certainly not something that diminishes the overall ownership experience.
If anything, it highlights how few complaints there are elsewhere.
WHY THE INDUSTRY SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION
The automotive industry has spent years debating the arrival of Chinese vehicles. The conversation often focused on pricing, technology and manufacturing scale.
The Leapmotor B10 suggests the discussion may need to evolve.
This is no longer simply about affordability.
It is about quality.
Not long ago, buyers seeking this level of refinement, comfort, technology and design would almost certainly have been shopping among established European brands. Today, a Chinese manufacturer backed by Stellantis is offering a compelling alternative at RM118,800.
That should concern competitors.
Because the B10 does not win people over through gimmicks or marketing tricks. It wins them over through execution.
The design feels premium.
The cabin feels expensive.
The driving experience feels mature.
And the ownership proposition makes an extraordinary amount of sense.
THE VERDICT
The Leapmotor B10 Design is one of those rare vehicles that consistently exceeds expectations.
It looks more expensive than it is. It feels more expensive than it is. In many ways, it behaves like a product from an entirely different price category. The elegant styling, premium cabin, generous interior space and polished driving experience combine to create a vehicle that feels remarkably complete.
Most importantly, it challenges long-held assumptions about what RM118,800 can buy.
The B10 is not merely another Chinese EV entering the market. It is evidence of how quickly the automotive landscape is changing and how difficult it will become for established manufacturers to justify their traditional advantages.
If the future of affordable electric mobility looks like this, many competitors have every reason to be concerned.
