Leapmotor C10 vs MG S5 EV

The Leapmotor C10 costs £5,005 more than the MG S5 EV. On the headline specs that premium buys little measurable advantage - the two are closely matched on range, charging and space. The MG S5 EV is not just cheaper - it also offers 36 miles more WLTP range, 55 kW faster peak rapid charging and a 1.2s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the MG S5 EV comes out ahead overall.

The MG S5 EV is £5,005 cheaper to buy. The MG S5 EV is cheaper to charge, roughly £168 a year versus £216 for the Leapmotor C10, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the MG S5 EV comes out roughly £5,245 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 175 miles for the Leapmotor C10 and 208 miles for the MG S5 EV - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The MG S5 EV goes roughly 33 miles further between charging stops. Both rapid-charge to 80% in a similar time, around 28-30 minutes.

The MG S5 EV is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 51 mm narrower than the Leapmotor C10. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 551 mm of total clearance for the MG S5 EV and about 500 mm of total clearance for the Leapmotor C10. The MG S5 EV also turns in a 0.7 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the Leapmotor C10 and 84% for the MG S5 EV. That gives the Leapmotor C10 a modest edge in retained real-world range. The Leapmotor C10's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the MG S5 EV's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.