The Leapmotor B03X should sell for around $30,000 driveaway when it arrives in Australia, possibly as early as the last quarter of this year. That would make it the cheapest new electric SUV in the country, beating the BYD Atto 2, Jaecoo J5 and Geely EX2 – but it looks like you’ll lose a little bang in order to save those bucks. 

Leapmotor executive Danilo Annese has left the door ajar for a hybrid variant for the Aussie market, but the B03X is currently only made in BEV form – and that’s what our mates at AutoExpress drove recently. The results, as you’ll see, were mixed…

Rear view of a gray Leapmotor SUV driving on a winding mountain road; the car's taillights are on and the European license plate is visible.
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The new B03X electric SUV is appealing and imperfect at the same time. Astonishingly efficient and surprisingly spacious for a vehicle of its size, it’s also held back by its driving dynamics, frustrating infotainment system and ultra-generic design. Why the brand called it a “passion magnet” remains a mystery.

Leapmotor has concentrated heavily on maximising interior space, and you’ll know it’s done a great job as soon as you get into the second row. There’s generous headroom and legroom for a small SUV, with adults around 183cm tall able to settle comfortably into the rear seats.

Those seats also hide one of the B03X’s cleverest features. The bases can be raised to provide a 39-litre storage area capable of swallowing taller or awkwardly shaped objects, using a concept similar to Honda’s well-known Magic Seats. Boot capacity stands at 405 litres, supplemented by another 105 litres beneath the floor. Fold the rear seats and total cargo capacity expands to 1605 litres.

The cabin itself is less memorable. Build quality is respectable, with soft-touch surfaces and faux leather helping offset some cheaper plastics, but the minimalist design does little to set Leapmotor apart from the growing number of Chinese EVs adopting a similar approach.

Modern car interior featuring a large tablet-style center touchscreen and digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.
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A 14.6-inch central touchscreen dominates the dashboard. It looks crisp, but proved annoyingly slow during testing, with noticeable delays when navigating menus. Adding to the irritation, many of the vehicle functions, including regenerative braking settings, are buried within the display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

The B03X also struggles once the road becomes more demanding. Its steering provides very little feedback or weight, even with Sport mode selected, making it difficult to judge what the front wheels are doing. Leapmotor is reportedly developing a software update intended to improve the steering before customer deliveries begin.

Grip from the low-rolling-resistance Yokohama BluEarth-GT tyres was another concern, particularly at the rear, while the soft suspension allows substantial body roll through corners and creates a floaty sensation at higher speeds.

The driver-assistance technology needs further refinement, too. Lane-keeping assistance can intervene aggressively and may reactivate after being switched off if the vehicle believes it is approaching a lane marking.

Front view of a brown compact car with European plate HF-031BS on a driveway, greenery in the background.
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Performance should be adequate for everyday driving, with the electric motor producing 145kW. Official driving range is around 381km, although efficiency proved a highlight during testing in southern Spain. Consumption averaged approximately 11.3kWh/100km, suggesting a theoretical range approaching 480km under favourable conditions. However, temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius and speeds rarely exceeded 97km/h, so Australian real-world results could differ considerably.

The B03X is due to reach the UK market in October with a single powertrain and specification, including heated seats, a 360-degree camera and heat pump. Australian availability and pricing haven’t been confirmed. 

There’s plenty of promise to the B03X. Its spacious cabin, flexible luggage capacity and excellent efficiency make a strong first impression, but better steering, less intrusive safety systems and faster infotainment would transform it into a much more attractive option for anyone who is after a budget SUV.