Leapmotor B05: Australian launch reviews land for the rear-drive electric hatch

What the B05 is and how reviewers rate it

The B05 is Leapmotor's first non-SUV model in Australia and its first move into the small-car segment, following the C10 and B10. CarExpert's William Stopford, whose review is republished by PerthNow, calls it possibly the brand's most attractive car yet, with a lower, sleeker silhouette than most Chinese electric hatches. It is one of the few small Chinese electric hatchbacks sold here with rear-wheel drive, and Leapmotor pitches 50:50 weight distribution and European suspension tuning by its partner Stellantis. ¹

The assessment across the early reviews is broadly consistent: a well-rounded car held back by its driver-assist systems. CarExpert lists a balanced chassis and clever technology among its pros, and lane-keep assist, the steering tune and no under-bonnet storage among its cons. The NRMA's team was impressed by the price, equipment, ride and cabin quietness but concluded the B05 is a work in progress, while GoAuto praises well-sorted handling, generous rear-seat accommodation and real-world efficiency against complaints about the touchscreen-heavy user experience and intrusive lane-keeping. ²³⁴

A note on nomenclature: CarExpert's review is published under a 2027 model-year label, while the NRMA, GoAuto and CarExpert's own specification pages list the car as a 2026 model. This is a publisher year-label difference rather than a confirmation of an Australian model-year change, so the B05 is described here without an unqualified model year in relation to its local designation. ¹³⁶

Pricing, grades and market positioning

Per CarExpert, the B05 launched in two grades: the Style at $35,888 before on-road costs and the Design LR at $39,888 before on-road costs, with launch promotional pricing putting the Style at $35,990 drive-away until December 31, 2026. The NRMA separately recorded introductory drive-away offers of $35,990 for the Style and $39,990 for the Design Long Range at the time of its review. ²³

GoAuto reports that Leapmotor Australia head Andy Hoang said at the B05's local launch that the B05 has a dual purpose of volume and brand halo, and that the brand sees every competitor in the $35,000-$40,000 price bracket as a rival, not just small electric hatches. At the drive-away prices cited by GoAuto, the B05 sits above the MG4 EV Urban, GAC Aion UT and BYD Dolphin, while CarExpert notes it undercuts its closest specification rival, the rear-drive MG 4 EV Essence 64 at $39,990 drive-away. Metallic paint other than the standard Lightning Yellow costs an extra $990, per CarExpert. ⁵²

GoAuto also reports that the competitive set is set to grow: Lepas, a new Chery Group sub-brand, will launch its electrified L2 hatchback in Australia by early 2028, described as a likely rival for the B05. Leapmotor's own B03X compact electric SUV reaches local showrooms in November and, at launch, would claim the title of Australia's cheapest electric SUV from the BYD Atto 2, according to GoAuto. ⁵

CarExpert's specification page lists the Style as released to the Australian market on July 3, 2026, built in China. The NRMA reports that a hotter B05 Ultra has been mooted for Australia. ⁶³

Powertrain, efficiency and charging

Both Australian grades use a single-motor rear-wheel-drive powertrain with 160kW and 240Nm. The Style carries a 56.2kWh lithium iron phosphate battery with a 401km WLTP range and a 156kW maximum DC rate, while the Design LR's 67.1kWh pack lifts range to 482km WLTP with a 174kW maximum DC rate. Claimed 0-100km/h times are 7.5 seconds for the Style and 6.7 seconds for the Design LR, and kerb weights are listed at 1700kg and 1780kg respectively (CarExpert). Both offer 11kW AC charging and 3.3kW vehicle-to-load output. ²

Real-world consumption exceeded the claims on launch drives. GoAuto recorded 14.9, 13.6 and 11.3kWh/100km across three separate journeys of the Design LR, while CarExpert observed 14.6kWh/100km on a route of mainly high-speed rural roads. The NRMA found it could consistently match or marginally better the 15.9kWh/100km claim, lending support to the 482km range figure. Charging claims differ slightly between outlets: the NRMA reports 30-80 per cent DC charging in as little as 18 minutes, while GoAuto cites around 16 minutes for the Style and roughly 18 minutes for the Design LR. ⁴²³

The NRMA notes the suspension is a MacPherson strut front and multilink rear layout with claimed 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, and that the larger battery adds roughly 100kg over the base car. The NRMA also reports that while some chassis tuning was conducted in Europe, the ADAS systems were honed in China. ³

How it drives: the reviewers' verdicts

Driving impressions are attributed to the outlets that conducted them, all at the car's Australian launch, and are not DriveAgent testing. GoAuto, which drove the Design LR, found the B05 genuinely enjoyable on a back road, with well-weighted steering that feels connected to the front wheels, little body roll or understeer, and strong grip from the Hankook iON Evo tyres. It also noted a quieter cabin than the B10 up to around 80km/h and a firmer ride that lets more road surface through without discomfort. ⁴

CarExpert's verdict is more reserved on the steering, arguing the B05 communicates too much when you don't want it to, and too little when you do want it to: acceptably weighted in Sport mode but lacking feel, making it feel more grand tourer than hot hatch. It still rates the car a tidy handler with good body control and good ride comfort over rough rural roads. The NRMA describes accurate but ultimately lifeless steering across all three modes, and notes a delay in torque delivery in some driving modes, though it praises the compliant ride, quiet cabin and effortless acceleration. ²³

On cabin practicality, all three find rear-seat space strong for the class. CarExpert reports a 180cm adult could sit comfortably behind their own driving position with a flat floor from the dedicated EV platform; the NRMA calls the rear room comparable to a family sedan; GoAuto praises kneeroom while noting slightly limited headroom. Complaints converge on the minimalist interior: the NRMA found the touchscreen-centric controls distracting and the cluster fonts hard to read, and GoAuto found the NFC card key, unlabelled steering-wheel scroll wheels and shared indicator/cruise stalk confusing. ²³⁴

Safety systems: the common sticking point

The B05 carries a five-star ANCAP rating from 2026 testing under the latest protocols, scoring 66 per cent for safe driving, 77 per cent for crash avoidance, 92 per cent for crash protection and 89 per cent for post-crash safety, per CarExpert. Leapmotor says the B05 has more advanced driver-assistance features than any of its models to date, with 21 systems, and both grades carry seven airbags as standard. ²³⁴

Despite the rating, the driver-assist calibration is the most consistent criticism. CarExpert found lane-keep assist far too sensitive, chiming even within lane markings, and discovered it must be disabled via the driver-attention monitor first. GoAuto independently reports the same quirk, plus the system reactivating itself if it judges the car is leaving its lane. The NRMA calls the safety warnings the car's biggest detraction, saying the B05 shows how good it could be when they are switched off. CarExpert also reports a spurious driver's-seatbelt warning, and says Leapmotor indicated the issue is being fixed; as with any announced fix, resolution is not confirmed. A programmable driver-profile shortcut offers a partial workaround. ²⁴³

Dimensions

CarExpert's specification data for the B05 Style lists an overall length of 4430mm, overall width of 1880mm, overall height of 1520mm and a 2735mm wheelbase, plus 154mm of unladen ground clearance, a 1700kg kerb weight (including driver), 750kg braked and unbraked towing capacity and cargo volumes of 357 litres with the rear seats up and 1205 litres folded. The CarExpert review separately notes a two-level boot floor and no under-bonnet storage, with Mode 2 and Mode 3 charging cables stowed in the boot. ⁶²

Boot capacity figures differ between outlets: CarExpert and GoAuto list 357 litres with the rear seats up, while the NRMA reports 375 litres. The 1205-litre figure with the rear seats folded is consistent across all three. The NRMA also notes the B05 comes standard with a luggage cover and a tyre inflation kit in place of a spare wheel. ³²⁴

Ownership costs and the outlook

Ownership terms are consistent across the outlets: a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty, an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, eight years of roadside assistance, and capped-price servicing for eight years at 12-month or 20,000km intervals with services priced between $215 and $470, totalling $2980. CarExpert says every second service is dearer because battery fluids are changed; the NRMA calls the servicing relatively expensive for an EV and notes the small but growing Australian dealer network. ²³⁴

Taken together, the launch assessments position the B05 as Leapmotor's most compelling local car yet: CarExpert calls it an intriguing small EV for buyers who can forgo the B10's higher seating, while the NRMA and GoAuto both suggest the brand's next steps will show how quickly the ADAS and interface irritations are addressed. No Australian sales figures or owner reviews are yet available to test those impressions in the market. ²³⁴