Lepas L4 Review: Premium Enough Without the Premium Price

My first experience with Lepas was when I attended the preview of the L6 earlier this year. I remember thinking to myself, what a pretty brand. There was something about the way Lepas presented itself that immediately caught my attention, so when my L4 Pantera review car arrived in red, I was naturally curious to see what the brand could actually do.

The L4 immediately looks like a small premium crossover. The red exterior certainly helps, but even beyond the colour, there is a certain presence to it that makes it look like it should cost more than it does. 

Because this was my first proper experience with the L4, I came into the review with no real expectations, just curiosity. All I really knew was that Lepas sits under the Chery Group and, much like OMODA and JAECOO, is positioned as a more premium but still affordable offering. Now I had a week to find out whether the L4 Pantera could actually live up to that positioning.

Exterior: Cute Rather Than Menacing

When I attended the L6 preview, I saw a green Lepas and immediately thought that was the best colour for the brand. It is such a pretty shade of green, with the red on my L4 Pantera coming a close second. The L4 is a good-looking car, and the combination of its design and those sharp daytime running lights and rear lights gives it a presence that is hard to ignore.

There is really only one thing I do not like about the side profile, and that is the wheel size. The 215/65 R16 wheels simply feel too small for the body of the car. They do not quite fill out the arches the way I think they should, which makes the side view look less aggressive than the menacing DRLs suggest from the front. A larger wheel would, in my opinion, completely change the stance of the car and give it a much stronger presence from the side.

Other than that, this is a pretty car. It gets plenty of attention on the road, partly because it is genuinely attractive, but also because it is still new enough that most people have probably never seen one before. Personally, though, I think the smaller stance works in its favour in another way. Rather than looking overly aggressive or intimidating, the L4 ends up looking a little cute, and for me, that makes it feel like a perfect car for the girlie.

Interior: Roomier Than It Looks

Inside, you are greeted by a vertical 13.2-inch infotainment screen accompanied by an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. What immediately impresses me, though, is not the screens but the seats. The faux-leather seats are thick and incredibly comfortable, more like sofas than the seats you normally find in a compact crossover. They are easily one of my favourite parts of the cabin.

I am not sure the rest of the interior is quite as premium as I expected, though. Chinese cars have generally reached a respectable level of premium these days, and the L4 sits comfortably within that group. Since Lepas is marketed as the more premium offering, I was expecting a little more luxury, particularly in the upholstery, where I think a few more soft-touch materials would have made a difference. That is not to say the cabin feels cheap, because it certainly does not, but the seats set a pretty high expectation for everything else.

The infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster were also a little disappointing because they do not really match in terms of resolution and interface. The two screens feel as though they belong to different cars, which is something I noticed in a similar way with the JMC Vigus. For a brand positioning itself around a more premium experience, I would have liked a more cohesive execution.

Where the L4 really surprises you is with space. Looking at it from the outside, you would not necessarily expect such a roomy cabin, but there is plenty of space up front and even the rear passengers are well catered for. The sunroof also helps create a much airier feeling inside, while there is enough room in the centre console and surrounding areas for bottles, keys and the usual bits and pieces. The boot is also quite sizable at 458 litres, giving the L4 a good dose of everyday practicality.

Overall, I like the interior, but I think Lepas could have pushed the luxury angle further. The seats are genuinely excellent and the amount of space is impressive, but the cabin does not quite reach the premium level I expected from the branding.

Tech & Features: Smart Without the Fuss

I have quite an affinity for portrait screens, so the 13.2-inch infotainment display immediately works for me. It is high quality, high definition and, more importantly, very easy to use. The system is straightforward to navigate, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both available, and you get shortcut buttons underneath the screen for the climate controls, which means you are not constantly digging through menus to change the temperature.

The 50W wireless charger is another feature I really like because it has a fan attached to help prevent your phone from overheating. It is a small detail, but one that makes a difference when you are actually using the feature regularly. The 8-inch digital instrument cluster does bother me a little, particularly when you compare its presentation with the much sharper infotainment screen, but it still gives you all the information you need at a glance.

The 540-degree surround-view camera is another highlight. It works a treat when parking, but what I really like is how the system automatically gives you a feed of the car's surroundings when you are turning. That is genuinely useful because it helps you avoid curbing those wheels, something I wish more cars did.

Then there is the ADAS package, which is extensive without being annoying. The systems are there when you need them, but they are not constantly fighting for your attention or making themselves known. Overall, I really like the way lepas uses technology in the L4. It is useful, easy to understand and, for the most part, very well executed.

Drive & Performance: Easy Does It

The powertrain is not really anything to write home about, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine produces 108 kW and 225 Nm, paired with a six-speed DCT, which is a fairly familiar combination in this segment. You get Eco, Normal and Sport modes, and I kept it in Normal for most of my driving.

Usually, I only use Sport mode because I want a more immediate throttle response, but with the L4 I could not quite get my head around the calibration, so Normal ended up being the best mode for me. I also did not feel particularly confident overtaking because of the throttle response and some noticeable lag. To be fair, though, I had just come from driving an EV, so I may have been comparing apples with oranges. The DCT itself is fairly smooth and does its job without much fuss.

The rest of the driving experience is easy. The steering wheel is quite beefy and thick, which is no problem, but it remains light enough to turn and manoeuvre the car easily. The gear selector is also positioned on the right stalk, so once you get used to that arrangement, the L4 is a very simple car to drive around town.

Ride quality is good, although I do think larger wheels would probably give the car a slightly more planted and comfortable feel. Thankfully, the seats do most of the work here, and they do it perfectly. They are so thick and comfortable that they soak up a lot of what the road throws at you.

Fuel consumption, unfortunately, was not quite as impressive. LEPAS claims 7.0 L/100 km, but I was only managing figures in the 10s and 11s, and putting the car into Eco mode did not really improve things over Normal. For me, that means the L4 is best suited to town driving, getting through your errands and generally going about your day. It is perfectly fine on the open road too, but if you are looking for thrills, this is not that car.

Price & Verdict

The Lepas L4 range starts with the Amur at R299,900, moves up to the Javan at R369,900 and tops out with the Pantera I have drove at R419,900. I think this is a very affordable car, and at each level you are getting a lot for your money.

The L4 is marketed as a more premium offering, so naturally you go into it looking for premium features, materials and that slightly more luxurious experience. At first, you may question whether it quite gets there, but then you remind yourself of the price and it starts to look like a very good deal. I would still like to see more luxury from the brand, especially in the cabin, but that does not take away from how much car you are getting.

I would certainly recommend the L4 over the JAECOO and other crossovers around this price point. The one thing that does concern me is the fuel consumption, which was much higher than the claimed 7.0 L/100 km during my time with the Pantera. But despite that, I think the L4 makes a strong case for itself.

Personally, though, I think the Javan is the sweet spot in the range. At R369,900, you get the same 108 kW 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and six-speed DCT as the Pantera, while avoiding the extra R50,000 premium for the Pantera's additional equipment. For me, that makes the Javan the one I would look at first.

Final Scorecard: 7.2/10

Category	Rating out of 10	Notes
Design	9	A pretty and distinctive crossover that turns heads, with only the small wheels holding back the side profile.
Performance	7	Adequate rather than exciting, with a familiar turbo-DCT combination that works best in everyday driving.
Tech & Features	7	Excellent infotainment and a clever 540-degree camera, although the instrument cluster feels a step behind.
Driveability	5	Easy and comfortable around town, but the throttle response, lag and high real-world consumption hold it back.
Price	8	Plenty of equipment and premium touches for the money, making the L4 strong value despite its flaws.