Leapmotor B05 Review: A Volkswagen GTi Rival for $25K Less

The Leapmotor B05 is one of the most surprising electric cars I've driven. On paper, it's yet another new Chinese EV hatchback hitting the Australian & New Zealand markets, but after spending a week living with it on kiwi roads testing its practicality, comfort, efficiency and real-world charging performance, I started asking a different question: Is this actually a cheaper alternative to Europe's famous hot hatches? The B05 is clearly attempting to emulate a European feel, from its styling to the way it rides and handles. In fact, Leapmotor developed the car with Euro hot hatch driving expectations in mind, including chassis tuning work at the Balocco Proving Ground in Italy. Not only that, making it rear-wheel drive, balancing the weight distribution and adding a suspension setup designed for a more engaging driving experience. The result is a rear-wheel drive hatch with a 180 kW, a 50:50 weight distribution, and pricing starting at $43,990 + ORC for the Life and $47,990 + ORC for the Design. And even though the interior doesn't match the exterior, it's one of those cars that impresses me at how far Chinese car manufacturing has evolved in such a short time. Leapmotor have seemingly worked hard to create a good looking machine which could take the Volkswagen GTI head-on but at a much lower price. That being said, no car is an island and the B05 ain't perfect, and I had no choice but to point out the many things that frustrated me, including: Aggressive driver assistance systems with endless alerts An uncomfortable accelerator pedal position The reality of throwing a chonky 1900+ kg hatchback into kiwi corners... Thankfully, there is one brilliant feature: a steering wheel button that instantly silences the car's many warnings and lets you get back to enjoying the drive. I also test: ✅ Real-world range & efficiency ✅ 10-80% DC fast charging time ✅ Interior comfort ✅ Storage and practicality ✅ Whether this REALLY feels like a European hot hatch alternative So is the Leapmotor B05 a genuine Volkswagen GTI rival, or just a clever imitation? Press play and let's find out. Read more EV reviews and news at evsandbeyond.co.nz and, of course, press Subscribe for first drives, comparisons and the latest on New Zealand's EV market! #Leapmotor #BO5 #B05 #hothatch #EV #NZ #Review #EVsandBeyond