First look inside the all-new Leapmotor B03X: Ford Puma rival arriving this summer
This small electric SUV is known as the Leapmotor A10 in China, but over here it will wear the less catchy B03X badge
The new Leapmotor B03X is the latest small electric SUV coming from China hoping to make it big in the UK, with the rival to the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E set to arrive this summer.
The car was unveiled in China late last year, where it’s called the Leapmotor A10, but we’ve not had a chance to look inside until now. Unsurprisingly, the B03X features the same simple, minimalistic interior design as Leapmotor’s larger B10 and C10 SUVs, with no buttons to be seen, just a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, a slim 8.8-inch driver’s display and two-spoke steering wheel.
However, there are some practical features, too, such as a 106-litre storage space underneath the boot floor, which is nearly as big as the electric Puma’s ‘Gigabox’. In addition, the base of the rear seats can be lifted upwards like the ‘Magic Seats’ in the Honda Jazz, which creates another 39-litre space when you need to carry large items.
The styling is smart and modern but relatively nondescript, similar to its larger siblings. There is perhaps a whiff of Smart and Volvo design themes about the B03X, but one unique detail is the LED lighting signature on the front and rear that’s supposed to look like smiley emojis.
Other features include a LiDAR sensor located just above the windscreen, so-called ‘semi-hidden’ door handles, the charging port incorporated into one of the front wheelarches and a black C-pillar that creates a floating roof effect. The B03X will get 18-inch wheels and be offered in six colours.
Very few technical details have been announced, but we expect the B03X will use the ‘Leap 3.5’ architecture from the B10 and that car’s next-generation electric motor, which is lighter and uses an oil-cooling system to boost efficiency.
Leapmotor has confirmed the B03X will have a range of 500km (311 miles), but that figure is based on China’s CLTC test cycle, not the more-stringent WLTP standard used in Europe. Over here, we expect the official range is likely to be closer to 250 miles, which is about the same as that delivered by most of its key rivals, including the Renault 4 and Citroen e-C3 Aircross.
Measuring roughly 4.2 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.6 metres tall, the B03X is also almost exactly the same size as its competitors, too, including the BYD Atto 2 which you can currently save nearly £11,000 on brand-new (pre-reg) examples of through the Auto Express Buy a Car service.
We expect to learn more about the Leapmotor B03X before it arrives in the summer, but for the car to be competitive, it will need to start at comfortably less than £30,000. We’re confident that it will, considering the B10 that it sits above is priced from £31,495.
Leapmotor’s line-up currently includes three models – the aforementioned B10 and C10, plus the T03 city car – but is growing rapidly. The B05 hatchback has already been unveiled and is due to arrive this year as well, and following the B03X SUV, a Vauxhall Corsa-rivalling B03 supermini is set to arrive in 2027.
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