It looks exactly like a cheap car, with a very simple design and lots of plastic-like materials. So don’t be surprised by the quality here, but it was never on the table. The big advantage is that everything seems to be screwed together properly and there are no rattles that would make you wonder about the Euro NCAP score (Leapmotor doesn’t know yet when it will be tested, but we are confident that ADAS, 6 airbags, car anti-collision beams, etc.)
The seats are comfortable and offer plenty of support for urban driving. Visibility is ok. The driving position is as upright as you’d expect, with the reach locked in place while the wheels adjust for height. Therefore, it may be uncomfortable for some people.
Talk to me about screening.
Just behind the steering wheel is an 8-inch instrument display that shows speed, warning messages, remaining range (though, annoyingly, it doesn’t show battery level), time, temperature, and more. There’s no denying the Leapmotor’s simplicity, but the layout could make better use of the space.
Next, there’s a 10.1-inch central touchscreen with a row of icons along the bottom. The home screen displays the main screen, including the radio and navigation, and the car icon displays all vehicle controls. Everything from lights to driver aids. It’s a Tesla-style layout, but everything is a little smaller for easy use on the go. Maybe that’s why Leapmotor stops some features from working?
Additionally, there are tab shortcuts for front and rear windshield defogging, climate control, trunk open button, and media volume. There’s only so much you can expect from a car this affordable, but at least the Dacia Spring has some buttons reserved for key functions. It also provides a better interface. Leapmotor prides itself on being able to complete over-the-air updates in a matter of weeks, so perhaps a better version will be delivered over the airwaves soon. There is a lot of room for improvement.
As with the C10 SUV, the native navigation isn’t very crisp and has a bit of a lag. In our LHD test car, the wheels obscured the graphics that tell you which exit to take. There was a slight oversight, that. There’s also no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, so you can’t use Google Maps or Waze to get around that. Hmm.
What about headroom?
pretty good. Even if you’re 6 feet tall, you shouldn’t get too close and personal with this headliner (unless you have a particularly large barnet). There’s not a lot of space in the back, but it’s still roomy for a car of this size. Legroom is quite tight, so we recommend that the person in front of you lift the seat an inch or two to give their toes more breathing room. T03 seats 4 people. Three people are not allowed in the back.
Trunk space is 210 liters. There’s not much space between the seatback and the trunk lid, so capacity comes from its depth. You can get some shopping bags here, but not much else. The T03 doesn’t have much internal storage space. There’s a bottle, slash and flask holder in the center of the front, with a clever cutout to prop your phone up against. However, other than the trash can at the entrance, there are only pockets to hide small items.
