Words: Andrew Sluys | Photos: Andrew Sluys
Published 10 July 2026
They’ve decided to call it a ‘REEV’. It rolls off the tongue easier than ‘Plug-in Hybrid’ or ‘Battery Electric Vehicle’, but it’s not a word that slots into conversation without a sideways glance or two. And if you’re talking to people who aren’t familiar with automotive terms, calling it a range-extending electric vehicle only causes more confusion. Luckily the Leapmotor B10 REEV drives with a bit more nuance than its naming convention suggests.
It’s the latest Leapmotor to land in New Zealand, and starting from $39,990, there’s plenty to talk about. At that price point, you’ll get into the B10 Life, which is fitted with an impressive array of standard equipment. There are 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, plus a large panoramic glass sunroof. On the inside it gets a 14.6-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a six-speaker sound system.
The only other B10 REEV sold by Leapmotor in New Zealand is the Design model, which starts at $43,990. It adds eco leather seats with power adjustment, plus heating and ventilation in the front row. There’s an electric tailgate, an ambient lighting system, and a 12-speaker sound system.
There are also six colours to choose from, with the ‘Dawn Purple’ hue easily my favourite. Just when we thought purple cars were no longer relevant, along comes China to save the day.
The B10 is hardly pushing the boat out on the styling front. Leapmotor is another Chinese brand that has landed with the design language of a blank piece of A4 paper. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, not everyone’s car is an extension of their personality, so this B10 will probably suit a good portion of the population perfectly. We’d argue the aforementioned purple paint is the only interesting thing on offer in terms of the exterior.
Stepping inside, things get a little more interesting, and we found it easier to compare the interior of the B10 with a Tesla than any models from traditional brands. Despite possessing a petrol engine up front, it’s clear this REEV shares a platform with the B10 EV, as its interior packaging is impressively sparse.
The lack of a transmission tunnel means there’s plenty of storage in front of the centre console. A pair of flip-up cup holders are also mounted here. Further up, you’ll find two phone holders at the front of the centre console, but only one serves as a wireless phone charger. This doubles as the NFC reader for the digital key, which is held in the owner’s phone.
Behind the steering wheel sits a small landscape-mounted digital cluster, and a 14.6-inch infotainment display takes centre stage on the dash. Though the standard operating system works well, the wireless phone projection systems are a welcome addition.
The effects of the well-thought-out packaging extend to the rear row of seats. Here, there’s an impressive amount of leg room offered for an SUV with a reasonably small footprint. The front seats are also able to be folded flat to the rear bench, making for a relatively flat sleeping surface.
On the road, the B10 REEV holds itself in an impressive fashion. Its powertrain combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an 18.8kWh battery and a single electric motor on the rear axle. As is the case with other range-extending EVs, the B10’s engine serves as a generator to refill the battery, which powers the 160kW/240Nm electric motor.
Performance is modest, and unlike its front-drive rivals, this B10 is far more refined in putting its torque down to the tarmac. There aren’t any wheel-spinning antics, and that’s probably for the best, as there is far more room for error in a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
Fuel economy will be front of mind when buying the REEV. The battery provides an electric range of 86km (WLTP), and with both DC and AC charging capabilities, it makes sense to keep it topped up. Once battery levels deplete below 25 per cent, the petrol engine kicks in to keep it charged.
Leapmotor claims the B10 REEV can cover up to 900km on a full battery and a full tank of petrol, and we found this to be accurate. After running through the battery, it was then into hybrid mode. We covered some 800km during our time with it, and there was still juice left in the tank. The average fuel consumption sat at 6.8L/100km over that distance. While this is reasonable, you’ll be wanting to keep the B10 charged up at home to maximise its electric potential.
The B10 rides impressively, and the choice to keep the wheels relatively small (18-inch) has paid off. You get the usual fussiness over rougher surfaces, but the cabin is well insulated, and it doesn’t affect comfort levels too much.
One area where the B10 can improve is the refinement of the driver assistance systems. A previous update sought to make it easier to toggle the system on and off through the infotainment screen, but that feels like a band-aid fix. While the systems present aren’t to the degree of early Chinese models landing in New Zealand, they are quite intrusive, and leave you frustrated a lot of the time.
As a whole, the B10’s price and its handy electric range are the two biggest selling points. It feels like a car with a lot of potential, but the safety system refinement lets it down.
Leapmotor B10 REEV Life
$39,990 / 2.4L/100km / 54g/km
0-100 km/h 7.5s
Hybrid Output 160kW / 240Nm
Battery/Range 18.8kWh / 86km
Drivetrain 1-speed auto / RWD
Weight 1760kg
