Gamechanger: the family hybrid SUV challenging perceptions
With a driving range that can take you from Melbourne to Canberra on a single charge and tank, it's a hybrid built for the chaos of family life. Three car seats across the backseat? Done. Add a pram, a scooter and a football kit, and there will still be room for the dog.
Leapmotor is fairly new to Australians – the brand only launched down under in 2024 – but it has been manufacturing and selling EV and hybrid vehicles in China since 2015. The C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid is one of its first models to be offered to the Australian market, and is designed to shift perceptions of what affordable electric driving can look like for families.
That's a big ambition in a fast-growing category, so we put the flagship hybrid to the test.
OK, first of all: 1,150km with no stops? (For the uninitiated, that range is per the NEDC – the New European Driving Cycle – a standardised test used to assess fuel economy and emissions.) The C10 REEV has two power sources: a 28.4kWh battery and a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Unlike other hybrid setups, you don't select between electric or fuel power. Instead, the combustion engine kicks in when the electric battery is running low, and charges it as you drive.
This means the C10 REEV always drives like an EV (quietly and smoothly) but has a much bigger range than you'd expect.
If you're driving a long way without stopping, you're going to need space to stretch out. And the C10 REEV delivers.
Keyless entry triggers a quiet welcome, and the front seats automatically glide back for easy entry, providing more space to step into. When the doors close, they slide forward again, leaving more than enough room in the back for the family, pets, luggage and anything else coming along for the journey.
The second thing you'll notice is the silence. From the moment the keycard swipes the driver's side mirror to unlock the car, the C10 REEV is on and ready to roll; you just wouldn't know it from listening. That doesn't change when you're driving, either.
For day-to-day driving, tech integrations make the C10 REEV feel ahead of the curve for its category. The 14.6-inch touchscreen anchors the dash, with maps, music, messages and climate control all customisable via voice control.
Creature comforts are well covered in the form of heated seats, a 12-speaker audio system, and an ambient lighting system, and the vehicle boasts smart safety features, such as lane keep assist and blind spot detection.
Driving the C10 REEV on city streets, freeways and suburban roads, it's clear it nails the basics. It's rare to find a hybrid SUV that nails practicality and polish, space and smarts. But in a fast-moving category, the C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid earns its place – and maybe a spot in the driveway too.
Discover more about the C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid.
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