New Leapmotor B05 2026 review: lack of thrills dents its appeal

Verdict

The slightly generic look of the Leapmotor B05 is unlikely to put many off. While the all-digital interior isn’t class-leading, the high level of standard equipment is a plus, and the good passenger space compensates for a slightly small boot. However, the overly sensitive driver-assistance tech is a frustration, and detracts from what is already an anodyne driving experience. The B05’s appeal more about price and spec than outright handling and enjoyment.

Having ticked the obligatory SUV boxes in its line-up, Leapmotor is turning its attention to the family hatchback segment with the B05, a competitor to household names such as the Peugeot 308, Kia K4 (formerly the Ceed), Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf.

However, unlike some of those segment stalwarts, the Leapmotor will only be offered with electric power. If you’re looking at the Hybrid EV powertrain Leapmotor offers in its other models and assuming it will make its way into the B05, we’re sorry to tell you that won’t be possible due to the low bonnet line.

Squint your eyes a bit, and you might see hints of the Golf Mk8 around the headlights, while the rear three-quarter view has a hint of Porsche Macan about it if you’re feeling generous. Those observations aside, the rest of the B05’s styling is subtle and inoffensive, with smooth lines and flush-fitting door handles.

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Unusually for this segment, the B05 is equipped with frameless windows, which gives the design a slightly more premium look. But form overrules function at the rear, where the lack of wiper is sub-optimal. Leapmotor is planning to incorporate one in the near future, we’re told.

There are other trade-offs, with no provision for fitting roof rails or a roof box; Leapmotor’s designers clearly prioritised aerodynamics over practicality. Nor is the B05 capable of towing, though a spokesperson confirmed that its engineers are working on a solution that would at least enable the carrying of towbar-mounted bike racks.

Inside, the dashboard layout is almost identical to that of the B10 SUV. But as an electric hatchback, the B05 must accommodate its battery within a body that is only 1,520mm tall, resulting in a relatively high floor and a raised seating position.

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Decent levels of adjustability for the steering column, combined with electrically adjusted seats as standard, mean finding a comfortable driving position won’t be an issue for most. The steering wheel has a Tesla-like look due to its controls, and ahead of that is a wide 8.8-inch digital instrument display. The font and information are on the small side, but useful for keeping an eye on the navigation prompts all the same.

There’s just one specification, priced from £30,495 on the road. For now, however, the maker is offering its unique ‘Leap Grant’, designed to match the Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) for cars deemed eligible for so-called “minimum sustainability criteria”. The Leap Grant reduces the B05’s price to £28,995.

A 14.6-inch touchscreen might impress showroom browsers, but the lack of any proper buttons isn’t ideal. Leapmotor has made improvements to its native infotainment system, including proper smartphone integration for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but it still takes effort to navigate the various menus. This is especially true when trying to adjust the driver-assistance systems.

Material quality seems reasonable, with artificial leather upholstery – in light or dark grey – adding to the B05’s green credentials. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard features, too. Subtle ambient lighting with 64 colours lifts what is otherwise a bland-looking cabin.

The 2,735mm wheelbase does provide a fair amount of rear-passenger legroom, despite the high floor. The B05 is a wide car, too, so there’s plenty of elbow room, and three adults can fit more easily in the rear than in other similarly sized hatchbacks on the market. We found the large panoramic glass roof significantly adds to the sense of spaciousness in the back.

The B05 falls slightly behind the competition in terms of boot space. At just 345 litres, it’s around 50 litres smaller than most rivals – a common problem with Chinese cars. The boot aperture is helpfully wide, though, and the rear seats feature a 60:40 split that boosts capacity to 1,400 litres.

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On paper, the Leapmotor seems like an appealing package thanks to a reasonable weight by electric car standards, plus its rear-wheel-drive layout, decent power output and a suspension set-up that includes a multi-link rear end. In reality, the driving experience is less engaging than it could be, though it’s a competent car in terms of ride comfort and handling.

The 19-inch wheels are standard on the B05 and shod with premium-brand tyres, which is a positive, though they do generate a fair bit of road noise on poorly paved surfaces. That aside, the suspension is well judged with bumps generally getting soaked up easily without unsettling the car. It doesn’t roll much in bends, either, thanks in part to the battery lowering the car’s centre of gravity.

Performance is adequate, but even in the Sport setting, we found the B05 didn’t feel as brisk as it could, so keener drivers may want to look elsewhere. That is a bit of a shame because its rear-drive set-up should make it more agile, especially when exiting corners. The power delivery is linear, and the lack of any sharpness from the accelerator does at least contribute to the efficiency. Officially, it is rated at 3.9 miles/kWh, yet we frequently saw figures above that when driving in urban conditions.

Unfortunately, the safety tech is far too keen to intervene at times when it clearly is not required. Driving along flowing B-roads consistently triggered the lane-departure warning, which poked and tugged at the steering, while the driver-attention monitor falsely suggested inattentiveness, too.

The driver can of course adjust these settings, including deactivating the assistance systems, but this must be done at the start of every journey, and given the complexity of the menus, it could be more of a deterrent than a help.

Also selectable are different settings for the steering weighting and energy recuperation. The steering doesn’t change significantly enough to warrant the effort of finding the menu for it, while a lack of a proper one-pedal drive mode is an unfortunate omission. 

It seems Leapmotor has continued to narrow the gulf between European and Chinese cars, especially in terms of standard equipment, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

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