mPreview: Leapmotor B03X – Motoring From Point A (Affordability) To Point B (Basic Goodness)

Leapmotor B03X is the Chinese automaker’s entry-level global model which makes motoring from point A to point B pretty fun and perfectly functional, and cost-effective at the same time.

Vehicular cost-effectiveness is harder with smaller cars such as the Leapmotor in question, because the downsizing requires corresponding reductions in exterior size (obviously), interior space (noticeably) and overall equipment. 

Moving down in size and specifications also means lowering the price accordingly, which then drives the little vehicle straight into the “cheap and good” conundrum that cost-conscious Singaporeans are so familiar with. 

In the Singapore context, the concept of cheap new cars has been corrupted by costly COEs and applicable taxes, which turn what should be inexpensive into incredibly expensive. This lopsided dollars-and-sense equation is evident in the Leapmotor B03X, whose China domestic version, A10, sells for the renminbi equivalent of 16,000 Singdollars wth all option boxes ticked and a big red ribbon on delivery day.

I don’t know the ballpark price for the Singapore-spec Leapmotor B03X, which is slated to make its debut here by the end of December 2026 as a COE Category A newcomer under Cycle & Carriage. But as the “baby” in the local Leapmotor SUV family, the B03X should be priced a little lower than the “teenage” B10 and a lot lower than the “adult” C10. 

Despite the logically lower pricing/positioning of B03X, my brief ride-and-drive in Huzhou suggests that the baby SUV has a certain “teenage” appeal and some grown-up “adult” attributes, all of which work together to make the basic machine look and feel fairly fantastic. 

B03X looks best in Seaweed Green, whether at Holland Village or a mountain village.

In the looks department, B03X is described by its design team as “combining purity, modernity and contemporary SUV personality”.  

To my bespectacled eyes at least, it could pass as a Chinese “Countryboy” beside the British Countryman by MINI, with a similarly lifestylish suburban outlook which is more Holland Village than mountain village. 

There are six stylo body colours for the HV hipster to choose from - Seaweed Green, Acorn Brown, Berry Blue, Tundra Grey, Starlight Silver and Morgan Pink. 

Driving traffic trendsters to greater distraction are the car’s “cheeky-chimp” tail-light clusters, mildly delightful C-pillar decor and fully funky “LEAP” inscription on the rocker panels. Hmm, I wonder whether Morgan belongs to the Pink Dot demographic. 

Size-wise, B03X is slightly smaller than prime rival BYD ATTO 2, a touch taller than roominess hero Aion UT, and a bit larger but less loveable than ORA Good Cat. 

Maximising (or maybe masquerading as) the SUV shape are the integral roof rails, contrasting black overfenders and cute chunks of 18-inch alloys. 

Those wheels with their 215/50 R18 Linglong tyres look nice and are probably necessary to attract consumers who believe that bigger is better, even among compact runabouts, but the biggish wheelset makes it harder for the torsion-beam rear suspension to take it easy. 

The digital-native driver will like the 14.6-inch 2.5K central touchscreen and know that the Snapdragon cockpit chip is not a mythological Chinese creature.

On a rutted road leading to the Leapmotor proving ground, the enthusiastic staffer at the wheel of the B03X drove over a sharp ridgeline at about 70km/h (which was at least 20km/h too fast for said break in the bitumen). I was belted up and bracing myself as a kiasi “backseat driver”, but I still flew up towards the ceiling and my phone fell out of my hand when the chassis jumped and landed. 

To the credit of the car, it didn’t flinch too much or feel like it might leap sideways, although my kidneys nearly went their separate ways during the impromptu handling test. 

I was better prepared for the planned handling circuit, where the B03X performed well and within expectations, while my head kept its distance from the headlining. 

The Leapmotor interior designer has a sense of humour, as shown by this passenger "airbag" cartoon holding a balloon.

Driving it is as idiot-proof as operating a modern smartphone (on wheels). Step on the brake pedal, engage Drive with the column-mounted stalk and go once it’s safe to do so. 

Visibility via the front windscreen and side windows/mirrors is excellent, with the all-seeing all-round camera system providing more “eyes” when needed. The driving position is also higher than in a hatchback, thus bumping “up” the driver’s line of sight.

In an alternate suburban universe, the Leapmotor B03X could pass as a Chinese "Countryboy" beside a British Countryman.

The performance would be adequate if I weren’t an idiot stupidly trying to drive a supermini like a supercar for the super-broke.

With 90kW (120hp) and 150Nm from a front-mounted electric motor that gets its energy from a 53kWh LFP battery pack, the B03X takes 10.5 seconds to reach 100km/h from a standing start. There is a slower 70kW (94hp) variant that does the same century sprint in 12 seconds, but it is able to stretch the range, slowly, by an additional 100 kilometres on the optimistic CLTC cycle - from 403km to 505km. 

Their theoretical top speed is 160km/h. At the Leapmotor proving ground with two Asian adults in a B03X, the step-off from a standstill to 50km/h or so was energetic enough (a typical electricar trait thanks to instantaneous torque output), the continued acceleration to 100km/h was more steady than speedy, and my final push to an indicated 120km/h was quite leisurely. 

Multi-purpose utility makes this small SUV more useful than usual.

It doesn’t matter that this Leapmotor is no speedmotor, because it is primarily a sensible city car for equally sensible city folk, presented as an SUV which supposedly crosses over from urban manoeuvres to rural adventures without missing a beat, but actually prefers to work and play in the concrete jungle. 

Indeed, it’s a jungle out there, inhabited by bigger predators which bully their vehicular prey, and riskier drivers/riders who endanger other road users.  

The B03X is only missing an insect repellent from its “welcome to the jungle” survival kit, whose key items include a solid steel safety cage, a safety-first array of advanced driving aids/alerts, and even a built-in driving recorder (for insurance/assurance).  

By the way, the four people (or five at a pinch) in the B03X don’t have to rough it out during their man-made jungle jaunt. 

B03X is a cargo champion with its spacious and versatile boot.

The cabin is roomier than expected, albeit more for heads and legs than for arms and shoulders, and it is airy too, thanks to an optional panoramic glass roof with UV filtering. Bonus points are chalked up by the skin-friendly fabric, comfortable leather and sturdy plastics. 

The best bonus earned by the B03X is its interior flexibility, which gives the junior SUV a surprisingly MPV-like multi-purposeness. 

There are storage compartments aplenty (34 counted by Leapmotor) and a roomy boot, whose load-carrying capacity is boosted by a 106-litre washable compartment under the boot floor. For some reason, a parcel shelf doesn’t seem to be standard fitment for the B03X.

The seats are flexible, too. In addition to 60/40 split-fold to variably expand the trunk space, the backseat’s squab can be flipped up to create a makeshift cargo hold. The front seats offer different configurations, with automatic modes that include “Large Bed” and “Relax Recline”. 

The relaxed, reclined and ready-for-bed driver can even get the B03X to do most of its parking by itself. The car is also capable of high-level autonomous driving in Chinese cities with Leapmotor Pilot, a LiDAR-guided premium feature which brought urban point-to-point, autodrive-to-destination capability to the B03X budget segment (under 100,000 yuan) for the first time. 

Less impressive but more accessible (because it doesn’t cost extra) is the 12-speaker surround sound hi-fi system, complete with karaoke function and internet-driven infotainment. Cranking it up to drown out the road noise on the move is worth a thought. 

Music to the ears of new car buyers looking for a likeable little Leapmotor in their drive lives is the arrival of the B03X at 239 Alexandra Road before Christmas 2026. It has the potential to leapfrog other entry-level BEVs in Singapore by offering a little more fun, functionality and honesty for the money.

Read More: Motormouth: My motoring leap of faith with Leapmotor from Alexandra to China

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