What's the difference?
Here’s a fun fact.
Audi has only ever offered two rear-wheel drive (RWD) production cars in its entire 116-year history… the spectacular R8 supercar and the electrifying e-tron GT.
Now there’s this, the Q4 e-tron – a small-ish medium-sized SUV electric vehicle (EV), and Audi’s overdue response to the BMW iX1 and iX2, Polestar 4, Volvo EX40, Mercedes EQA and, of course, the Tesla Model Y.
Overdue? It’s been in production since March, 2021, making it very, very late to Australia.
But, you know what? You might be very glad the local team waited, because this MY25 update might be the premium medium electric SUV to buy right now.
To find out, read on.
The Leapmotor C10 mid-size SUV has been on sale in Australia for more than six months now, but a lot of people still give you a puzzled look when you mention the brand.
Initially offered in electric vehicle (EV) form only, the Chinese carmaker has now introduced a petrol-electric hybrid version to bring the fight to the BYD Sealion 6, Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and Jaecoo J7 SHS, among others.
Dubbed the C10 REEV (Range Extender Electric Vehicle), it reintroduces a powertrain technology that has previously only been offered in two cars locally. These include the Holden Volt and BMW i3 REx.
With an electric motor providing all the driving power, there’s also a petrol engine that acts purely as a generator. This is claimed to allow the car to still feel like an EV, but also have the flexibility of being able to fuel up for longer distances.
Australian deliveries of the C10 REEV started a few months ago, but CarsGuide is now getting a first local drive of this car following a brief drive in Europe back in April.
How does it stack up? Read along to find out.
@carsguide.com.au Can you tell the difference between these two 2025 Leapmotor C10 models? ⚡ On the right is the new C10 REEV (Range-extender electric vehicle) which has only recently arrived in Australia. Here are some fast facts: ⏩ 158kW electric motor ⏩ 1.5L petrol engine generator ⏩ Up to 1150km total range ⏩ $43,888 before on-roads P.S. How good does Jade Green look? P.P.S. If you said the difference between the cars is also the interior colours, pat yourself on the back #leapmotor #c10 #leapmotorc10 #reev #rangeextender #EV #SUV #car #carsguide #fyp
♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au
Audi is famous for sticking doggedly to front-wheel drive and quattro AWD, but clearly, when it puts its mind to it, the few RWD machines it has produced over its 116 years have been exceptional.
While not as exciting as the R8 or as supersonic as the e-tron GT, the Q4 e-tron is an impressive machine. Thoroughly engineered and thoughtfully designed to be a friendly, refined, comfortable, safe and capable family SUV, it deserves to be on your shortlist.
With a couple of choice option packages, the base 45 seems remarkably complete, but there’s plenty to enjoy in the hot-shot 55 quattro as well. Either way, Audi seems to be on a winner.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Plug-in hybrids are really gaining popularity in Australia and it’s great to see the reemergence of range-extender technology because it allows you to drive an EV, but not have the inherent range anxiety that comes with it.
The Leapmotor C10, as a base, is far from a perfect car, but its appealing price point and the amount of space it offers is commendable. It's not a driver's car, but rather just a means of transportation.
The C10 REEV's range-extender powertrain firms as the pick of the C10 line-up if you want the flexibility of being able to charge up the car, or just fuel it up with petrol for simplicity's sake. While it mightn’t be as efficient as rival PHEVs, it generally is quieter, safety system chimes aside.
I look forward to seeing whether Leapmotor can continue to improve the safety systems in the C10 because while the REEV on test here is better than the original EV I drove earlier this year, the way the systems operate still makes it hard to recommend.
Whether talking about the SUV or Sportback, the Q4 e-tron is an excellent example of Audi’s recent design prowess.
Beautiful proportions, crisp surfaces, exquisite detailing and undeniable elegance are all present in spades. And the Sportback is a rare example of a graceful-looking coupe SUV, though it is not in the otherworldly Polestar 4’s league aesthetically.
However, where is the originality? You’d never know these are rear-motored and predominantly RWD vehicles. Yes, the Single Frame grille execution is amongst the best-yet from the brand, while the wheelarch ‘blisters’ are an (albeit questionable) homage to the seminal Ur-Quattro of the 1980s, but the Q4 e-tron could be any contemporary Audi SUV from the Q3 up. Its design is the opposite of daring.
Still, maybe the Q4 e-tron’s classy, relatable conservatism explains why the Brits made this car their second-best selling EV of 2024, representing everything that the number one Model Y is not.
Plus, with current global automotive interiors stalling behind over-illuminated and oversized screens full of greasy fingerprints, glitchy electronics and reflections of their frustrated operators, a bit of old-school Audi cabin presentation knowhow can only be a good thing, right?
If you haven’t already noticed, the Leapmotor C10’s technology seems heavily inspired by Tesla. The same can be said for its design, which is incredibly minimalist.
It’s hard to find any distinguishing features on the outside of the C10 that makes it uniquely a Leapmotor. Everything, even the car’s rounded, jelly bean-like silhouette, is generic and doesn’t stand out from the crowd.
In saying this however, the C10 REEV test car does turn heads and a few people asked what it was. This is likely because no one knows what a Leapmotor is.
It also helps the test car was finished in the delicious-looking Jade Green exterior paint. It’s definitely my pick of the available colour options.
There are the popular exterior design trends like animated lighting sequences, a rear LED light bar, connected front headlights, flush door handles, and Leapmotor script on the tailgate. Nothing revolutionary here in terms of design.
The only way to tell the C10 REEV apart from the C10 EV is its fuel filler flap on the right-hand side of the car. Everything else is identical.
Inside there are two colour choices – Black or Camel Brown. Our tester is fitted with the former, which is definitely the more conservative option.
Regardless of the colour option, the majority of the interior is finished in that colour. It’s more noticeable with the almost orange-looking brown colour option.
This makes the interior look a little bland as it lacks contrast and visual interest.
There’s no denying there are some high-end-feeling touches inside, especially for the price point. You really need to go searching for harder and scratchier plastics, but they are present lower down in the cabin.
Virtually every touch point is soft and spongey, with the entire dashboard being covered in a smooth synthetic leather. Pretty cool for $45k.
This is even before mentioning the seats. The top-spec C10 Design comes with silicone leather upholstery, which is by far one of the softest seats I’ve ever touched and sat in to date. It’ll be interesting how this finish holds up after years of use, however.
A lot of the interior design pivots around the large, 14.6-inch central touchscreen. Thankfully unlike Teslas, there’s also a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster which also displays critical information, like your current speed.
Unlike most of its German competitors (and the Volvo EX40), the Q4 e-tron is built on a dedicated EV platform known as MEB, and shared with other Volkswagen Group models, like the Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.4.
Consequently, the Audi feels a wee-bit narrow inside, as the MEB SUV family are on the smallish side for medium-sized SUVs. This is not a criticism, just an observation.
And there is no lack of interior space, either. Entry/egress is easy via large doors, there’s plenty of space for heads and shoulders and legroom is generous. All are an upshot of the EV-only platform.
Despite some obvious packaging links with the other VW MEB interiors, the dashboard is very Audi-esque in styling, layout, functionality and quality.
From the ‘Virtual Cockpit’ electronic instruments and crisp multimedia screen, to the feel of the buttons and logical, easy locations of the controls, the Q4 e-tron is completely and utterly on-brand. And that means high standards. Looks posh. Works well. Nice to touch. No bewildering endless screen-menu search and rescue frustration here.
Plus, the Audi is practical. We’ve already talked about ample room, but even the standard, non-sports seats cosseted and supported over a few hours of testing; different and unexpected levels of storage (including a nifty bottle holder ahead of the forward door jam – brilliant); superb ventilation and, especially in the Sportback 55 e-tron quattro sampled, a banging audio system, complete a suave and sophisticated interior experience.
Issues? No too many, really.
There is quite a lot of quality plastic material visible, which might offend some sensitive souls. There is some road-noise intrusion over coarse surfaces, perhaps reminding owners of the Q4 e-tron’s shared architecture; and rear vision in the Sportback is hampered by fat pillars and slim back glass.
However, no spare wheel exists. Nada. Just the occasionally ineffective and always-infernal tyre inflation kit, that renders the tyre and kit useless afterwards and so makes for expensive replacements. And just because almost everybody else does it, this is not good enough for Australia.
The corollary of that is quite generous luggage capacity, with the Sportback’s 535 litres somehow beating the more-upright SUV’s 520L VDA capacity, though with the rear seatbacks folded that switches to 1460L and 1490L respectively. Both are gorgeously lush and quite practically shaped.
And what about the storage compartment up front?
Although the Leapmotor C10 REEV is a mid-size SUV, its interior space feels considerably larger and more spacious, especially in the second row. This is because the car is built on an EV architecture and has no driveline running down the middle, so interior space can be maximised.
Up front both seats are electrically adjustable, though neither of them offer adjustable thigh support which is a pain for people with longer legs, like myself, as it can sometimes feel like you’re slipping out of the seat. It doesn’t help that the seats are so soft and buttery.
I will say though, the heated front seats and steering wheel get warm almost instantly, which was great in the almost Arctic weather Melbourne has been experiencing recently.
While I can appreciate the minimalist design of the dashboard, from a practical standpoint it’s a huge pain. There’s virtually no physical switchgear beyond the indicator and gear selector stalks, with the majority of the controls built into the touchscreen multimedia system.
Want to adjust your side-mirror position, the air-vent direction, or drive mode? That all needs to be done via the touchscreen. Sure there are some buttons on the steering wheel which help with functions like adjusting the volume and cruise control, but it doesn’t do them all.
This is incredibly frustrating because when you do interact with the touchscreen on the move, the driver attention monitor chimes at you for not keeping your eyes on the road ahead.
Add to this, the touchscreen runs Leapmotor’s own operating system. Admittedly it does run really smoothly, but it doesn’t offer any smartphone mirroring functionality, which is a negative for some.
I imagine you would get used to using the selection of inbuilt third-party apps if you own this car, but I find the connected satellite navigation app particularly painful because it would send me on a slower route. Having Google Maps or Waze would be much more intuitive.
Up front there are two cupholders next to the wireless charging pad, a storage shelf under the centre console, a massive centre console box, a mediocre glovebox, a USB-A and USB-C port, and a 12V socket.
Moving to the second row, it’s arguably the best place to be in the C10 REEV. There’s oodles of space on offer and a completely flat floor.
At a leggy 182cm tall, I had plenty of legroom behind my driving position and also plenty to look at thanks to the huge fixed panoramic glass sunroof which, thankfully, has an electric block-out blind if the sun gets too bright.
The second-row bench feels like a big, soft couch in the best way. It’s leans backwards, allowing you to lay back and relax as a passenger.
One of the few things that detract from the space is high floor, due to the high-voltage battery pack placement. It makes you feel like your knees sit higher than normal.
Second-row amenities include centre console-mounted air vents, USB-A and USB-C ports, seat-back map pockets, door pockets, and a fold-down armrest. If you’re looking for cupholders, they’re right next to the air vents on the centre console.
Like the C10 EV, you can fold the front seats backwards to create an almost-flat space for lounging. You need to remove the front seat headrests to do this, but once you do it’s a cool novelty to show to your friends, or use while charging.
Around the back the tailgate opens quickly and quietly. Once it’s open the space on offer is decent, but not class-leading.
Leapmotor claims there’s 546 litres of boot space on offer with the rear seats upright, which is 35 litres less than the C10 EV. Folding the rear seats expands this space to 1375 litres.
Boot-related amenities include a retractable cargo cover, a light, some bag hooks, as well as two boot floor storage compartments for things like the charging cable.
Unsurprisingly, there’s no spare wheel of any kind in the C10 REEV. Instead you get a tyre repair kit under the boot floor, which is handy if you have a slow leak but not if you have a complete tyre blowout.
The Q4 e-tron is available in two body shapes – a handsome if quite conservative wagon SUV style, as well as a sleeker coupe-SUV derivative that Audi calls Sportback.
The latter is expected to be the slightly more popular of the two designs, despite costing about $1600 more.
Obviously slotting in between the smaller Q3 and larger Q5, the Q4 e-tron almost shadows the latter size wise, and is available in either 45 RWD or 55 quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) guises.
Since both share the same, largish (82kWh) battery, Audi reckons most buyers will choose the 45, especially as its pricing in either body style slips under the Australian Federal Government’s Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold.
Kicking off from $84,900 before on-road costs, the base grade includes a full suite of safety tech such as full stop/go adaptive cruise control, an electronic instrument display, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, a gesture-controlled powered tailgate and 19-inch alloy wheels.
These come on top of the LED headlights, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, full wireless multimedia connectivity, a premium audio system, electric driver’s seat adjustment, navigation, folding/heated/kerb-side-view mirrors, roof rails and automatic parking.
From the Sportback 45 and up, the S-Line package is standard, bringing with it 20-inch alloys.
All the essentials then.
But, on the base 45s, be prepared to spend extra for luxuries like bolstered “sports” seats, a head-up display, a powered front passenger seat, driver’s side memory settings, a 360-degree camera instead of the regular rear-only view and privacy glass.
The 55 quattro grades from $105,900 include most of these, along with an extra electric motor for AWD and considerably more muscle, as well as variable-ratio steering, Matrix LED headlights, dynamic indicators, extra lane-assist intervention and the aforementioned S-Line trim shod with 20-inch alloys.
Now, against the remodelled Tesla Model Y Juniper, the Audi costs considerably more, but it is also a more upmarket (and less conspicuous) luxury brand that prioritises quality.
The iX1, iX2, EQA and EX40 cost around the same as the Q4 e-tron, but aren’t quite as large, offer smaller batteries (Volvo-aside), are based on other internal combustion engine (ICE) models compared to the Audi’s ground-up dedicated-EV architecture and, except for the BMWs, are getting somewhat long in the tooth.
Conversely, fresh designs, bespoke electric platforms and bigger batteries set the larger yet less-expensive Polestar 4 as well as the more-compact yet loaded Genesis GV60 apart against the Audi’s aforementioned competitors, but neither challenger brand is as established as all the others. Finally, Lexus’ UX300e is too compact while the larger RZ450e has priced itself out of contention here.
So, why the delay getting the Q4 e-tron to Australia? Especially when the brand has offered the bigger and much-more expensive Q8 e-tron SUV since the beginning of this decade?
Initially, demand in Europe was through the roof and supply could not keep up. Then Audi elected to wait for an update that debuted globally in September 2023, ushering in a raft of changes, to make its most important EV ever more competitive in a wildly shifting market.
These include efficiency gains leading to more range thanks to an upgraded motor and battery, stronger performance, faster charging, retuned steering, comfier suspension and improved safety spec.
Not that you’d be able to spot the differences comparing new Q4 e-tron with old. Nor even against sibling SUVs…
Just like the EV, the Leapmotor C10 REEV is offered in two spec grades – Style and Design. Our test vehicle is the latter, which is top-spec.
Pricing for the C10 REEV starts at $43,888 before on-road costs, and extends to $47,888 before on-road costs. This is $2000 cheaper than the C10 EV.
It’s also firmly in the price bracket of plug-in hybrid rivals like the BYD Sealion 6, Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and Jaecoo J7 SHS.
Standard equipment across the C10 REEV line-up mirrors the EV equivalents. On the base Style you get 18-inch alloy wheels, a fixed panoramic glass sunroof, automatic LED headlights, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system, a 12-speaker sound system, synthetic leather upholstery and powered front seats.
It’s a pretty high level of equipment for a base-model vehicle, especially for the price point.
Moving up to the C10 REEV Design adds 20-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, an LED rear light bar, a power tailgate, multi-colour interior ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, silicone leather upholstery, and heated and ventilated seats.
While this does sound like a lot of standard equipment, there are some notable omissions. One of the most obvious is the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the entire range.
Leapmotor does however include apps like Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Deezer, Zoom, connected satellite navigation, and a browser app built into the touchscreen multimedia system as standard. TikTok was even added with a recent over-the-air software update.
Another feature omission is a regular key with buttons to unlock and lock the car. Instead you get a key card you need to tap on the driver’s side mirror to unlock and lock the vehicle, then tap on the wireless charger pad to start up the car.
You can also use your smartphone as a key, but it’s worth noting that you can only connect one smartphone key to the car at a time. This might be a pain if you share the car because one of you will need to use the key card instead of their phone.
It’s worth noting the Leapmotor smartphone app also gives you access to a range of remote functions, like battery charging, climate control, locking and unlocking, among others.
Unlike the Model Y, there's no storage up front. That space is instead reserved for auxiliaries and, in the 55 quattro versions, the second electric motor that drives the front axle for AWD.
In all versions, a permanently excited synchronous motor sits on the rear axle driving the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission.
Tipping the scales at 2145kg, the 45s produce 210kW of power, to offer a power-to-weight ratio of 98kW per tonne, while the 2235kg 55s’ 250kW output ups that to 112kW/tonne. Both Q4 e-trons deliver a healthy 545Nm of torque.
No slouch, the 45s manage the 0-100km/h sprint in a rapid 6.7s, while the 55 quattro’s extra motor chimes in when extra traction is required, shaving another 1.3s off that, for a 5.4s time. Top speed in both is limited to 180km/h.
Adding a bit more driver involvement, the 55s have variable ratio steering, while MacPherson-style struts up front and a four-link independent rear suspension setup out back help keep everything under control.
The key difference with the Leapmotor C10 REEV compared to the C10 EV is what’s under the bonnet.
Both feature an electric motor that drives the rear wheels, however the C10 REEV’s is slightly detuned to produce 158kW, compared to 160kW in the C10 EV. Torque for both is 320Nm.
Both also have a high-voltage lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, but the C10 REEV's is smaller at 28.4kWh, compared to 69.9kWh in the C10 EV.
However, under the bonnet of the C10 REEV is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that acts as a generator to charge up the battery pack.
Unlike typical plug-in hybrids, the engine cannot directly power the wheels at all. It’s a similar concept to Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system, but with a considerably larger battery pack.
In addition to three driving modes, there are four ‘energy drive’ modes. EV+ doesn’t kick in the petrol engine generator until the battery charge drops below nine per cent; EV doesn’t start the battery until the battery charge drops below 25 per cent; Fuel, which can hold the battery charge or use the engine to generate charge up to 80 per cent; and Power+ which constantly has the engine charging the battery.
Leapmotor claims the C10 REEV can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.5 seconds, which is one second slower than the C10 EV.
It’s worth calling out the C10 REEV is around 30kg lighter than the C10 EV, but with a tare mass of almost 2000kg, it’s far from lightweight.
Built on a 400V architecture, the Q4 e-tron uses an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, offering a useable capacity of 77kWh. It only charges to 80 per cent full to help preserve battery life.
Now, driving most of the available versions over a 200km launch route from Adelaide airport to wine country, we averaged between 17.5 and 19.5kWh/100km, with the lighter RWDs obviously being the more economical of the drivetrains.
In ascending order, the official combined average figures are 16.9kWh/100km (Sportback 45), 17.4kWh/100km (45 SUV), 17.5kWh/100km (Sportback 55 quattro) and 18.1kWh/100km (55 quattro SUV).
Despite weighing about the same, the Sportback uses around 0.5kWh/100km less electricity than the SUV version, due to better aerodynamics.
That translates to about 15km of extra distance, with the Sportback 45 going the furthest, delivering a WLTP range of 540km. That’s followed by the 45 SUV, Sportback 55 quattro and 55 quattro SUV with 524km, 503km and 488km respectively.
To aid with recharging, the driver has three modes of battery energy recuperation via steering-wheel paddle shifters.
Plugged in at home, the battery needs about 40 hours to completely recharge, or over 12 hours using an optional 7kWh Wallbox. Maximum AC charging capacity is 11kW.
With a maximum of between 135kW (RWD) and 175kW (AWD) of DC charging capacity, however, 10-80 per cent charge using a 50kW DC public charger needs fewer than 70 minutes, or just 40 minutes if you find a 100kW station.
Leapmotor claims the C10 REEV has an electric range of up to 170km, according to NEDC testing.
All up with a single battery charge and full 50-litre fuel tank, the company claims you can travel a total of up to 1150km, also according to NEDC testing.
In EV mode, Leapmotor claims the C10 REEV has an energy consumption of 15.2kWh/100km. In practice during my testing I saw an average of around 13kWh/100km, which is fantastic and almost Tesla-like in terms of efficiency.
This theoretically means you can travel 218km on a full battery, but it's worth noting the battery pack will never fully deplete its charge.
Combined fuel consumption is claimed to be 0.9L/100km, though your fuel consumption will depend heavily on how much and how often you charge the car.
During my testing I tried out multiple different drive modes, including one section where I kept the car in a battery charge hold mode called ‘Fuel’. During this I saw an average of 6.7L/100km, which isn’t fantastic for a hybrid.
With this as-tested fuel consumption figure you can theoretically travel 820km on petrol power alone. Adding the theoretical EV range, you get a theoretical total range of 1013km.
You’re able to AC charge the C10 REEV at rates up to 6.6kW, which is notably slower than the C10 EV (11kW). The DC fast-charging rate is also notably slower at 65kW, compared to 84kW in the C10 EV.
It’s worth noting, however, Leapmotor claims you can DC charge the battery from 30 to 80 per cent in the C10 REEV in 18 minutes, whereas it takes 30 minutes in the C10 EV.
Audi might be late to the affordable electric SUV party, but it’s certainly been worth the wait from behind the wheel, because the Q4 e-tron drives exactly how you would expect an Audi to.
The 45 in either body shape has ample oomph, as its impressive 6.7s 0-100km/h times prove, providing a decent amount of instant speed the moment you put your foot down. This is a smooth, strong and muscular performer.
The steering is nicely modulated and precise, for easy, flowing handling, even when the speed is taken up a few notches. Note that while it may seem a little light, it can be configured for a more dynamic feel.
However, slightly stronger single pedal braking would be appreciated. The Audi EV’s brakes do a great job stopping the car, but they do feel a bit on/off at first. Maybe even a bit wooden.
All the Q4 e-trons we drove on the launch around the Adelaide hills rode on steel springs. That said, and to our surprise, the suspension is more than comfortable enough, soaking up many of the bumps we encountered without breaking a sweat.
Plus, except on coarse bitumen, there's not much of any type of noise coming through inside the cabin. These are agreeably comfortable and refined cruisers.
Meanwhile, the 55 quattro version is a slightly different proposition, with measurably stronger acceleration across the board and more eager throttle response. Actually, even on bone-dry roads at the height of summer, there’s almost too much torque coursing through the axles, so just be wary of this EV’s considerable power.
Still, the twin-motor Audi feels like a relaxed yet brawny grand touring SUV, with plenty in reserve for fast overtaking and quick getaways. Even the RWD model provides exceptional roadholding and control, but that extra AWD grip when things become a bit slippery would certainly be a bonus.
Plus, kudos to the Germans for delivering user-friendly driver assist safety systems. Nuanced and largely unobtrusive, they keep you safe without driving you to distraction. China and Polestar in particular, are you listening?
On the flip side, you do feel the extra weight of the second electric motor (about 100kg more), and so it doesn't quite have the agility and alacrity of the standard 45 RWD machine.
Indeed, there isn’t quite the athleticism or connection of driver-focused alternatives (like BMW), but the Q4 e-tron rarely puts a foot wrong, either.
Impressively capable and dynamic, Audi’s more-affordable electric SUV has been worth the wait.
Setting off in the Leapmotor C10 REEV, it’s surprising just how much it’s like the EV version.
The rear-mounted electric motor provides all the power, so you get a zippy feel from a standstill and at lower speeds. The acceleration is gradual and won’t snap your neck like some EVs.
This car is beautifully quiet and serene in pure EV mode. The light steering and tight turning circle also makes this an easy car to drive and park in the city.
However, the pedals feel like they’re mounted too high, which makes you awkwardly bend your ankles back to press the pedals comfortably. This can be tedious in stop-start traffic.
Add to this the disjointed interaction between the regenerative braking system and traditional friction brakes. There were many times where I’d be pressing the brake pedal and as soon as the car got below 5km/h it would stop dead. It’s not the most pleasant feeling and something I never mastered during my three-day loan.
Depending on how often you charge up the car’s battery pack, it’s possible that you might never have the 1.5-litre petrol engine kick in during your daily commute. Even if it does when the battery charge gets down low enough, you likely would not be able to tell.
The first few times it happened I genuinely had no clue the engine had started. There’s no jolt through the accelerator or dip in acceleration. The only way I found out was by going into the vehicle status menu on the touchscreen and seeing the engine temperature and revs in the top left-hand corner. It really is that quiet.
When the engine is charging up the battery at city speeds, it’ll rarely rev above 1800rpm, which at that point it’s imperceptible in the cabin. Out on the open road however it can creep up to 2500rpm, which then makes its presence known a little more. It's still nowhere as buzzy as a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, however.
For a brief period I tried out the Power+ mode on some country roads and I found the engine really did come alive at this point, and not in a good way. It would frequently rev above 3000rpm, and the droning engine sound would enter the cabin.
The Leapmotor C10 REEV is generally a nippy car, but when the battery charge does get down it can limit the amount of power the electric motor sends out.
Below 25 per cent a charge warning light comes up on the digital instrument cluster, and unless you’re in Power+ mode, it limits the power output to around 100kW. It’s not terribly slow, but if you’re needing to overtake, it can notably slow the process down.
In terms of dynamics, Leapmotor claims the C10’s suspension was tuned by Maserati engineers. Like the C10 EV I drove previously, however, the ride errs on the comfort side and big bumps can unsettle the car.
In the twisties the car is also far from a dynamic weapon. It tends to get the leans in the bends and can wallow around when changing directions rapidly. The steering also has no feel whatsoever, making it feel like you’re piloting a car in a video game.
For context though, none of its direct rivals are fantastic from a high-speed dynamics standpoint, so it’s almost par for the course.
Tested back in 2021, the Q4 e-tron managed a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating, and possesses most of the driver-assist safety systems expected nowadays in this class of car.
This includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB, dubbed Audi Pre-Sense in corporate-speak), lane departure warning/assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, on-coming traffic turn-and-swerve collision avoidance, exiting-vehicle alert tech, adaptive cruise control (with active lane assist in the 55s), driver attention monitor, tyre pressure indicators, 360-degree cameras, and light and rain sensors.
AEB operating parameters vary. Car to car, it’s between 5km/h and 250km/h. For pedestrian/cyclist/back-over, it’s from 5km/h to 85km/h. And the lane support systems work between 60km/h and 250km/h.
All outboard occupants also enjoy full airbag coverage – front, front side/centre, and full-length curtain airbags.
A trio of child-seat anchorage points are fitted across the back seat, along with ISOFIX child-seat anchorages in the front passenger seat and two in the rear outboard positions.
Unlike the Leapmotor C10 EV, the C10 REEV hasn’t been awarded an ANCAP safety rating just yet. It also hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP.
Standard safety equipment includes seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention monitoring, lane-keep assist, lane centring, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, and rear parking sensors.
A notable absence on the safety equipment list is front parking sensors. This isn’t offered on any Leapmotor C10.
As noted above, the C10 REEV offers a range of connected services. Owners get three years of complimentary access to a range of remote functions through the Leapmotor smartphone app.
In terms of the safety system’s functionality, this C10 REEV's does feel less intrusive than the C10 EV I drove back at the vehicle’s launch in February 2025, however that was a very low bar as they were horrific.
It’s worth noting Leapmotor has made some tweaks to the safety systems with over-the-air software updates, and more are likely on the way.
There are still plenty of chimes that come from the driver attention monitor, though the intensity seems to have been dialled down. It still struggles to see my eyes, though, when I’m wearing sunglasses.
The intelligent speed limit assist chimes incessantly the moment you start travelling over what the car thinks is the sign-posted speed limit. It frequently picks up the wrong speed limit as it only uses the cameras and not sat-nav data.
Thankfully, both of these safety systems can be quickly turned off with a swipe-down control centre-style menu on the touchscreen. Annoyingly, however, they default back on every time you drive the car.
The adaptive cruise control system activates in the same way a Tesla does (with two downward pulls of the column-mounted gear selector). When active the acceleration efforts can feel jerky, and it’ll brake heavily even if a car is way off in the distance. I much prefer driving myself.
Lastly, the lane-keep assist and emergency lane-keep assist systems continue to act poorly, especially on tighter roads with poor lane markings. The moment you drift off the centre of the lane the system vibrates and kicks at the steering wheel, almost making you fight against the resistance to regain steering control.
It’s not a pleasant feeling, and the system cannot be completely turned off on the move. You need to be stopped and in park.
The AEB system engages from 5km/h, while the lane-keep system kicks in from 60km/h.
ISOFIX child-seat anchorage points are fitted to the outboard rear seats, along with three top-tether points.
Audi’s warranty remains the same as before, at five years with unlimited kilometres, with the battery covered for eight years or 160,000km. Six years of roadside assistance is also included.
Service intervals are every two years or 30,000km. Nothing special here nowadays.
But the Q4 e-tron owner can buy a six-year service plan for a total of $2050, while gaining 12 months of free electricity at Chargefox stations. They can also purchase a JET Charge home installation charger from $800.
Leapmotor quietly made some changes to its ownership structure for model year 2025 (MY25) cars.
All 2025 Leapmotor C10s, including the REEV, are covered by a six-year, 150,000km warranty. It was previously seven years, 160,000km for MY24 cars.
The high-voltage battery warranty remains unchanged at eight years, 160,000km.
Some key differences, however, are eight years of roadside assistance (previously five years), as well as eight years of capped-price servicing (previously five years).
The Leapmotor C10 REEV requires logbook servicing every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first, which is notably shorter than the C10 EV’s 12 month/20,000km intervals. This will likely add up if you travel long distances.
Capped-price servicing for the C10 REEV totals $4000 after eight years or 80,000km, whichever comes first. That averages out to $500 per service. Ouch…
For context, servicing the C10 EV for eight years or 160,000km, whichever comes first, costs a total of $3000. That’s $375 per service, which is still a little on the high side for an EV.