Leapmotor B05 vs Subaru Impreza

What's the difference?

Launching a new Chinese car company is easy, right? You just introduce an all-new brand, make the cars affordable and the sales just roll in. Right?

No, not right. Australians may be more open-minded to new brands than ever before, but we are still discerning and aren’t just suckered in by a cheap price tag.

Leapmotor has learnt this lesson already, with its first model, the C10 electric mid-size SUV suffering poor critical reviews thanks to its disappointing drive and over-active safety systems. As a result it has struggled to make a real impact in the sales race.

The subsequent B10 small SUV was an improvement and now the brand is launching its first hatchback, the B05. It promises to be something different, because it’s the first Leapmotor model to be shaped for the European market and not China.

That’s because Leapmotor International is actually a joint-venture between Chinese carmaker Leapmotor and US-Euro juggernaut, Stellantis (the conglomerate that includes Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Opel, Jeep and more).

So the B05 is, in theory, the best of both worlds - fine-tuned in Italy and built in China. Which should mean it drives like a European car but doesn’t carry a European car price.

But does it live up to these lofty ambitions? Read on to find out.

For over thirty years, the Subaru Impreza has been an icon on Australian roads.

If you’re a member of the ‘PlayStation generation’ like me, there’s a very good chance you slapped P plates on one as your first car.

For Subaru the Impreza is more than that. Along with its WRX performance variant, it's the car which put Subaru on the map, raising it from a relatively unknown Japanese automaker to a global household name.

Things change, though, and despite 30-plus years of history as a beloved nameplate, the Impreza has gone from a best-seller to tumbling down the sales charts as buyers shuffle into small SUVs rather than hatchbacks or small sedans.

The question we’re looking to answer today is what this new-generation Impreza has to offer in 2024, and whether it is still worth a look.

Read on to see what we found.