Honda HR-V vs Leapmotor B10

What's the difference?

Like many car brands, Honda is storming the hybrid field. The new HR-V brings with it a hybrid powertrain and external facelift but is it enough to keep it competitive in the small SUV segment?

As with any cosmetic surgery you may wonder whether the facelift has been successful.

No tricks – I’ll tell you straight up the new external design might be what you’re looking for if you’re on the hunt for a small SUV that doesn’t look like it moonlights as an Uber for Mr Big Ears (a Noddy reference for any youngsters out there).

We're testing out the top hybrid model, the L, to see what else this urban dweller gets right and what it sometimes gets wrong.

The B10 isn’t Leapmotor’s first car in Australia - the C10 has been here for more than a year now - but for many it might bring about the first time they hear about the Chinese brand.

The 2026 Leapmotor B10 lands in Australia promising to be the most European of its Chinese compatriots, with the brand’s connection to Stellantis giving it access to other brands under the company umbrella like Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Peugeot.

At its local launch, we get behind the wheel in scorching south-east Queensland to find out if that holds true for this electric small SUV, and to see if the B10 can bring with it a better first impression than the already-arrived mid-size C10.