Leapmotor B05 vs Toyota Corolla

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.

Up until 2024 when its title was nabbed by the Tesla Model Y, the humble Toyota Corolla has been the world’s best-selling car for quite some time. 

A reputation for reliability, affordability, efficiency and in its current guise, being fun to drive, the Corolla has seen off all comers to retain the title of the most popular small car on Earth.

The current twelfth-generation Corolla is now seven years into its life cycle having landed in mid-2018. In that time scores of buyers have moved across into small SUVs, and the Corolla’s competitor set has shrunk dramatically as car brands pull out of the small passenger car segment.

But as we gear up for the next-gen Corolla, is the existing one still worth considering against some newer rivals? And should you look at this instead of a small SUV?

I lived with the mid-range Corolla SX hatchback for a week to find out.