Leapmotor B05 Review Australia 2026: The Rear-Drive Hatch That Undercuts the MG4

The Leapmotor B05 is a rear-wheel-drive electric hatch priced from $35,888 before on-roads. Leapmotor B05 review Australia verdict: it’s the best-driving hatch you can buy for under $40,000, with up to 482 km of range, fast 174 kW charging and a five-star ANCAP rating. The catch is a short equipment list in places you’d expect at this price, and noisy driver-assist alerts. It’s a strong buy if you can test-drive past those.

The B05 arrived in dealers in late August 2026, and early buyers are cross-shopping it against the MG4, MG4 Urban, GWM Ora 5 and Geely EX2. Many come away surprised. It looks like a Golf from the outside, it’s bigger than the MG4 Urban, and it pairs rear-wheel drive with up to 482 km of claimed range for under $40,000 drive-away. Volumes are tiny so far: just 33 B05s were registered by the end of September 2026 (VFACTS, via CarExpert).

The cars around it are selling fast. Battery-electric vehicles took 24.2 percent of new-car sales in September 2026 (Electric Vehicle Council and FCAI, via CarExpert), and budget hatches are a big part of that. This Leapmotor B05 review for Australia uses Leapmotor Australia’s June 2026 buyers guide, ANCAP’s result and Australian road tests. For the wider market, start at our electric vehicles hub.

Leapmotor B05 review Australia: prices and specs

Two grades are on sale, both rear-wheel drive with the same 160 kW motor. The Design LR adds a bigger battery, faster charging and the comfort features the Style leaves out.

Spec	B05 Style	B05 Design LR
Price (before on-roads)	$35,888	$39,888
Drive-away	$35,990 (Lightning Yellow, to 31 Dec 2026)	From $39,990
Battery	56.2 kWh LFP	67.1 kWh LFP
WLTP range	401 km	482 km
WLTP consumption	15.8 kWh/100 km	15.9 kWh/100 km
Motor	160 kW / 240 Nm, rear-wheel drive	160 kW / 240 Nm, rear-wheel drive
0-100 km/h	7.5 s	6.7 s
Max DC charging	156 kW	174 kW
DC 30-80%	about 16 min	about 18 min
On-board AC charger	11 kW	11 kW
Vehicle-to-load	3.3 kW	3.3 kW
Boot (seats up / folded)	357 L / 1,205 L	357 L / 1,205 L
Spare	Inflator kit	Inflator kit
Length / width / height	4,430 / 1,880 / 1,520 mm	4,430 / 1,880 / 1,520 mm
Wheelbase	2,735 mm	2,735 mm
Kerb weight	1,700 kg	1,780 kg
ANCAP	5 stars (2026)	5 stars (2026)

Sources: Leapmotor Australia B05 buyers guide (MY26, June 2026); CarExpert, EV Central and Zecar pricing (July 2026); ANCAP (2026). Prices as of October 2026.

Both batteries are lithium iron phosphate (LFP). LFP is a lithium-ion chemistry that’s comfortable being charged to 100 percent daily and lasts many cycles, at the cost of slightly lower energy density.

The yellow-only deal is still running. Leapmotor Australia’s offers page lists the Style from $35,990 drive-away in Lightning Yellow for cars bought and delivered by 31 December 2026 or while stocks last, with other colours at extra cost. Ask the dealer for a written drive-away figure, and watch for the paint surcharge if you don’t want yellow.

Some overseas reviews list a 345-litre boot and a 168 kW charging peak. Those are European figures. Leapmotor’s Australian buyers guide lists 357 litres and 156 kW or 174 kW, depending on grade.

Style or Design LR?

The Design LR is worth the extra $4,000 for most buyers. It adds 81 km of claimed range, faster DC charging and most of the comfort features.

Here’s what the Style includes as standard: fabric seats with manual adjustment, six speakers, a 14.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8.8-inch driver display, a 360-degree camera, a built-in dashcam, a phone-as-key system and a heat pump. A heat pump is a more efficient way to warm the cabin than a resistive heater, which saves range on cold mornings.

The Design LR adds:

• 67.1 kWh battery and 174 kW DC charging
• Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel
• Power front seats (six-way driver, four-way passenger) in synthetic leather
• A fixed panoramic glass roof with a power sunshade
• A 12-speaker sound system
• Privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers and auto-folding mirrors

Notice what neither grade has. There’s no powered tailgate, no ventilated seats, no driver seat memory and no front boot, according to Leapmotor’s buyers guide. Buyers moving from a GWM Ora 5 Ultra, which has ventilated seats, memory and a powered tailgate for less money, notice the gap.

The Style makes sense if your driving is mostly suburban and you rarely road-trip. Its 401 km range is plenty for that, and it’s still rear-wheel drive.

Range and charging

The Design LR has the most range of any hatch in this price band, and both grades charge quickly. Expect about 360 to 410 km at highway speed from the Design LR and 300 to 340 km from the Style.

Those estimates assume 75 to 85 percent of the WLTP figure, which is typical at 110 km/h with air conditioning. On an international drive, CarExpert’s test car showed 17 kWh per 100 km over 113 km of mixed driving and about 12 kWh at low speed. No Australian outlet has published a measured figure yet. At 30 cents per kWh and 17 kWh per 100 km, the B05 costs about $5.10 per 100 km on grid power. Charge on an off-peak EV plan or from rooftop solar and that falls sharply. Our EV charging cost calculator runs your own numbers.

DC charging is a highlight. The Design LR peaks at 174 kW and the Style at 156 kW, against 87 kW for the MG4 Urban Essence 54. Leapmotor quotes about 18 minutes for 30 to 80 percent in the Design LR. Leapmotor doesn’t publish a 10 to 80 percent time for Australia, so compare it carefully with rivals that do.

At home, the B05’s on-board charger accepts 11 kW. The on-board charger (OBC) is the part inside the car that converts AC power from your wall into DC for the battery. Only homes with three-phase power can use the full 11 kW. On the single-phase supply most Australian homes have, a 7 kW wallbox fills the Design LR from empty in about 10 hours. Our guide to single-phase vs three-phase EV charging explains whether an upgrade is worth it.

The B05 has 3.3 kW vehicle-to-load (V2L), which lets the battery power appliances through an adapter. That’s enough for a camp fridge or power tools, but half the output of the GWM Ora 5.

How it drives

The B05 drives better than anything else at its price, according to the Australian reviewers who’ve tested it. The caveat is that every Australian outlet so far has driven international-spec cars overseas, not on local roads.

CarExpert called the ride terrific over cobbles, even on 19-inch wheels, and said it feels very European. CarsGuide credited a European chassis tune led by Leapmotor’s partner Stellantis with making a big difference. Rear-wheel drive gives it a natural balance with no nose-heavy feel, and the front tyres don’t scrabble for grip when you accelerate out of a corner. That’s a common complaint in front-drive rivals like the Ora 5.

Don’t expect a hot hatch. EV Central described the acceleration as brisk rather than brutal, and some reviewers felt the B05 is slower than its 6.7-second claim. CarExpert found the steering accurate, but not as sharp as the best MG4s. Wind and tyre noise are low.

Interior design is what puts some shoppers off Leapmotor models. People who’ve tried the larger B10 mention its unusual dash shape and the accessory mounting holes on the passenger side, even when they loved the drive. Check that the B05’s cabin suits you in person, ideally in the grade you plan to buy, because a cloth-seat demo can make the cabin feel cheaper than the Design LR does.

The software and alerts

Driver-assist alerts are the B05’s biggest weakness, and it’s the complaint that stands out in each Leapmotor B05 review from Australian outlets we read. CarExpert called the beeping infuriating and CarsGuide called it ferociously annoying. ANCAP also found the speed-sign recognition limited.

This is a common complaint about Leapmotor models, and it’s the reason some shoppers rule the brand out entirely. Owners of the B10 say it’s manageable. Switch off a few alerts before each drive and the car is pleasant to live with, and software updates have improved things over time. That’s still a daily chore, so test it on a real drive, not a lap of the block.

The rest of the software gets better reviews. The touchscreen is quick and slick, and the climate controls sit in a fixed bar at the bottom of the screen. Drive found it fiddly to use on the move, and the speedometer sits off-centre in the driver display. There are few physical buttons, which is part of why ANCAP marked down the safe driving score.

Safety

The B05 has a five-star ANCAP rating under the 2026 protocols, based on Euro NCAP testing and covering all Australian variants. It scored 92 percent for crash protection, 89 percent for post-crash, 77 percent for crash avoidance and 66 percent for safe driving (ANCAP, 2026).

That safe driving score is the lowest of the four, and it reflects the screen-heavy controls and speed-sign issues. ANCAP also noted that the car’s automatic emergency call (eCall) hardware is fitted but not yet switched on. It must be activated by September 2027.

Warranty, servicing and the brand question

Leapmotor’s warranty is shorter than most Chinese rivals’ warranties. The B05 gets six years or 150,000 km on the car and eight years or 160,000 km on the battery, according to Leapmotor’s buyers guide. GWM, MG and Geely all offer seven years with unlimited kilometres.

Servicing is due every 12 months or 20,000 km, with capped-price servicing and roadside assistance for eight years. Leapmotor hadn’t published the per-service prices in the documents we checked, so ask the dealer for the schedule in writing.

The bigger worry for many buyers is whether Leapmotor will last in Australia. It’s a fair question. Leapmotor is sold here by Leapmotor International, a joint venture with Stellantis, the group behind Jeep, Peugeot and Fiat. Drive reported 24 dealerships, up from nine at the brand’s November 2024 launch, and sold 1,168 cars across all models in the first nine months of 2026 (VFACTS, via CarExpert).

Stellantis backing makes a sudden exit unlikely, but parts and service coverage outside the capitals is still thin. Price stability is another unknown. Leapmotor has already cut prices with launch deals, and a cheaper B03X SUV arrives in November 2026. If resale value matters to you, that history is worth weighing. Our EV depreciation guide explains what drives used EV prices.

Leapmotor B05 vs the competition

The B05 is bigger, quicker to charge and longer-legged than most of the hatches it competes with. Here’s how it lines up on price as of October 2026.

Model	Price	Battery	Claimed range	Drive	ANCAP
Leapmotor B05 Style	$35,888 before on-roads	56.2 kWh	401 km WLTP	Rear	5 stars
Leapmotor B05 Design LR	$39,990 drive-away	67.1 kWh	482 km WLTP	Rear	5 stars
MG4 Urban Essence 54	$34,990 drive-away ($32,990 offer to 31 Oct)	54 kWh	405 km WLTP	Front	5 stars
GWM Ora 5 Lux	$33,990 drive-away	58.33 kWh	435 km WLTC	Front	Unrated
Geely EX2 Inspire	$30,990 before on-roads	47.14 kWh	345 km WLTP	Rear	5 stars

Sources: manufacturer price and offer pages and buyers guides, September and October 2026. Before-on-road prices add roughly $2,000 to $4,000 depending on your state.

The regular MG4 is the B05’s closest rival as a rear-drive hatch for keen drivers. Buyers who’ve driven both split down the middle, and plenty walk out of one showroom and buy the other. The MG has a seven-year warranty and a longer local track record. The B05 has more range, faster charging and a newer cabin. Our MG4 review covers the MG side.

Against the cheaper GWM Ora 5 and MG4 Urban, the B05 gives you rear-wheel drive and more range but loses comfort features. Our GWM Ora 5 vs MG4 Urban comparison covers that pair in detail.

Is the Leapmotor B05 good on a novated lease?

Yes. Both grades sit far below the $91,661 threshold for the ATO’s electric car fringe benefits tax exemption in 2026-27, so either qualifies for the full exemption on a novated lease. The five-star ANCAP rating also clears employer policies that require one.

Because Leapmotor has run aggressive launch pricing, check that your lease provider’s quoted vehicle price matches what a dealer would offer you for cash. Run the result through our novated lease calculator.

Leapmotor B05 review verdict: who should buy it

Buy the Design LR if you want the best-driving EV under $40,000 drive-away with real road-trip range. It suits drivers who enjoy a winding road, households doing regular regional trips, and anyone who wants a hatch rather than a small SUV.

Buy the Style if you want rear-wheel drive and a five-star rating for less, your driving is mostly suburban, and you don’t mind manual fabric seats.

Look elsewhere if you want ventilated seats, a powered tailgate or a spare tyre (the GWM Ora 5 Ultra has all three), a seven-year warranty, or a brand with a long Australian history. If your budget is lower, Leapmotor’s own B03X SUV starts at $29,990 drive-away from November; see our Leapmotor B03X guide. You can line up the B05 against any rival in the EV compare tool.