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By Jonathan Crouch

The segment for compact EV family hatchbacks expands with this sharp-looking Leapmotor B05. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 51

Leapmotor brings us its most competitive car yet in the shape of this B05 electric compact family hatch. You get sharp looks, loads of kit and lots of value. But as with some of the brand's other models, there are some drawbacks, so you'll need to know exactly what you're getting.

Backgroundword count: 136

Not everyone wants their compact electric family car to look like an SUV or even a crossover. If that's you, then Chinese maker Leapmotor might hopes you might be interested in this car, their B05. This family hatch contender has a slightly more inspiring model name in its home Chinese market, the 'Lafa 5'. 'Lafa' standing for 'Lifestyle, attitude, freedom and art'. But here it's just the 'B05', slotting in just below the B10 crossover as the fourth design this Stellantis-owned brand has launched here (it's ninth to be launched globally). Unlike the B10 (and the slightly larger C10), unfortunately it won't be available with Leapmotor's clever Hybrid EV range extender engine. And with the single EV drivetrain, the British market is only getting the largest battery and the poshest trim. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 259

You really hope that a car that looks like this will drive engagingly - and on paper, the signs are good. So, perfect 50:50 weight distribution, proper multi-link rear suspension and a rear-mounted motor that develops more power than the class norm - 215bhp with 240Nm of torque - which makes 62mph in 6.7s (en route to 105mph). Plus the B05's handling and ride was supposedly developed by Stellantis engineers at Alfa Romeo's Balocco test track in Italy. In practice though, the end result isn't as dynamic as all of that might suggest. Mainly because Leapmotor still hasn't fully understood the elements that go into creating a feelsome steering rack. And because the whole confection must sit on the same 'Leap 3.5' platform as the brand's rather stodgy B10 compact SUV. The UK gets the larger of the two batteries the Chinese maker has developed for this model, a 67.1kWh 'ProMax' unit capable of up to 300 miles on the combined cycle. There are the usual selectable drive modes (three of them, including a 'Sport' setting); and you get separate steering settings too. And selectable levels of energy recuperation, though even the fiercest of these doesn't provide the kind of 'one-pedal' level of arresting off-throttle retardation that you'll find on some rivals. Expect quite sharp cornering, thanks to plenty of grip, minimal body roll and battery positioning that lowers the car's centre of gravity. But, as with other Leapmotor models, the whole experience can be somewhat spoilt by the over-intrusive nature of some of the ADAS drive assist features.

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