Turboant M10 Review

Design

Handlebars

The most notable aspect of the M10’s frame which is unlike the rest of the budget scooters in our 140+ database of models, is its curved handlebars. This swept-back design is more than just flair though. Measuring 17.7 inches in width – which is 7% wider than the Turboant X7 Max (16.5 inches) – and with ribbed rubber coverings providing grip, they ensure excellent control over the steering column.

In the center, you’ll find the sleek display screen – a panel of black plastic that showcases your speed, remaining battery life, and riding mode.

To the left is the lever that operates the rear disc brake and electronic braking system. While these brakes perform as expected, the placement of the lever – particularly for taller riders – is awkward. I’m over six feet tall, and I found that the positioning of the lever meant I was forced to bend my hand upwards at an awkward angle to pull on it.

Additionally, the M10 utilizes a finger throttle (which you’ll find over to the right side of the handlebars), something that Turboant has changed up from the X7 Pro, which had a thumb throttle.

Now, both finger and thumb throttles are simple to use – and each has its admirers. However, I tend to prefer the thumb variety because of its ergonomic properties. In my experience, scooters with finger throttles can cause your hand to cramp up on long rides. However, this isn’t as much of an issue with the M10, because:

1. It’s not meant for long distances, meaning there’s less muscular strain on your hand and fingers from extended periods of use.
2. Unlike finger throttles that are attached to a QS-S4 or MiniMotors EY3 display, the M10’s trigger is positioned close to the handlebars, meaning it’s easy to pull.

Frame

The frame flaunts a clean design with a smart, simple paint job that’s sure to appeal to a wide range of commuters and casual riders.

Color-wise, it’s predominantly black, with subtle hints of red accenting the scooter’s deck, its rear reflective decal, and brake cables. Ultimately, the look and feel of the M10’s frame fits the purpose and character of the scooter – stylish, stripped-back, and sophisticated.

Deck

Measuring up at around 6 inches in width, the deck – while not super wide by industry standards – is still plenty spacious enough to strike a comfortable stance with your front foot facing forward at a slight angle and your back one perpendicular to it.

One important thing to note, though, is that the deck is raised off the ground by only 4.1 inches so rolling off curbs is a no-go. While you may be able to clear some, there’s a good chance you’ll hear that dreaded scraping sound when metal hits concrete. Plus, the battery pack is housed in the deck – so it’s important to keep it safe. Following the more traditional school of design, this contrasts with the M10’s predecessor, the Turboant X7 Pro, which featured a removable battery on the stem.

Because batteries tend to be one of the heaviest components, where they’re placed can impact handling. Whereas stem-located batteries can saddle a scooter with a weightier steering column – and lead to a ‘top heavy’ feel – the M10’s deck-housed battery lowers the center of gravity, offering you a more stable riding experience.

Wheels

The M10 sports 10-inch pneumatic tires, which – thanks to their air-filled design – are built not only to get you from A to B but give you a fair dose of C (for comfort).

In the absence of any other form of suspension, the wheels are its only form of shock absorption. But don’t stress – they perform this job admirably. In addition to insulating you from the jarring jolts and impact of potholes and cracks in the pavement, their large profile also affords you a greater contact patch with the road. This gives you more traction and improves your handling and control of the scooter.

For comparison, there are a total of 13 scooters in our database that cost less than $500. Out of these, just two models – the M10 and the Hiboy MAX3 – have 10-inch air-filled tires. Taking this into account, the M10’s tires aren’t just rare – they bestow it with a level of ride quality that’s all but unparalleled in its price class.

Of course, there is a downside to air-filled tires. Unlike their solid counterparts, they’re susceptible to punctures. While this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker (particularly as the M10 is designed for less problematic urban surfaces), if it’s something you’re worried about, I recommend picking up some tire slime which is effective in preventing punctures of up to 6 mm deep.

Build Quality & Durability

Like most scooters worth their salt, the Turboant M10’s frame is made of a hardened aluminum alloy called 6061. In brief, this means that the M10 is as durable as you need it to be for frequent use. However, it is worth knowing that you get what you pay for and because the M10 is a cheap scooter it doesn’t stand up to the build quality of more premium models, like the Apollo Air Pro.

Credit where credit is due, the M10 does crank up the quality dial with some improved design details over its predecessor, the X7 Pro. As I’ll discuss shortly, the M10 flaunts a superior mechanism to secure the scooter’s stem to the deck when folded – making it easier to lift – while the placement of its battery in the deck means it's easier to handle. Similarly, Turboant has relocated the motor – which, on the X7 Pro, was incorporated into the front wheel – to the rear wheel to provide a pacier acceleration rate.

That said, some riders may be disappointed by the throttle transition Turboant has made, from the X7 Pro’s thumb to the M10’s finger. Plus, the M10 doesn’t have the same detachable battery pack as the X7 Pro. This means you can’t remove the M10’s battery, which makes maintenance, repair, or replacement a difficult chore.

Similarly, the M10 has cheaped out on the reflectors, opting for ones that are almost like stickers that have been slapped onto the outer frame, as opposed to being stuck into cutouts like on the X7 Pro. However, this is a minor issue and can be looked past since the reflectors on electric scooters are so small and don’t do much in the way of lighting you up.

Weight & Load

Weighing in at 29.8 lbs, it’s not only ideal for commuting but is the lightest scooter out of all the models I recommend as alternatives.

The M10 manages to shave off over 3 lbs from the bulk of its predecessor, the Turboant X7 Pro, as well as 8.7 lbs off the Apollo Air Pro. It's also over 10 lbs lighter than the Horizon 10.4.

In terms of load, the M10 is comfortable supporting up to 220 lbs of rider weight. But if you weigh over 200 lbs, I’d look elsewhere since performance drops the heavier up the scale you go. In this case, you’re going to need your scooter to handle more weight and I recommend opting for either the Horizon 10.4 (265 lbs) or Turboant X7 Pro (275 lbs).

Folding & Portability

Portability is one of the M10’s strong suits – as we just discussed, it weighs less than 30 lbs, which makes it ideal for those looking for a light, nimble mode of transportation.

One of the factors contributing to the M10’s portability credentials is its folding stem. It’s not the most elaborate folding mechanism I’ve seen, but it’s quick, intuitive, and easy to get the hang of.

The mechanism comprises of a locking lever and a small plastic ring that hugs the base of the stem. The lever clicks into place as soon as the stem is lifted into an upright position and the ring tucks behind the lever to immobilize it from being pushed back which would cause the mechanism to unlock and the stem to collapse. When you need to fold the scooter, it's a simple case of rotating the plastic ring to free up the space behind the lever, and then you push the lever in to release the lock and fold it down.

The way the M10 folds and locks into itself for easy lifting is a big improvement on the X7 Pro. As you may be aware, the X7 Pro uses a hook on the back of its handlebars that loops into a small latch embedded into the rear fender. However, getting the hook to attach securely to the latch requires a concentrated effort – it isn’t like a scooter such as the Horizon, where you can fold the stem in a laissez-faire fashion, and let the locking mechanism do its thing.

Instead, you have to carefully lower the X7 Pro’s stem into place. This isn’t a major issue by any stretch, but when you go to pick the X7 Pro up while it's folded and apply downward pressure to the stem as you grasp it, the rear fender gets pushed down and the hook pops out of the latch. The result is that instead of lifting the folded scooter, you end up just pulling the stem away from the deck, unfolding it.

The M10 improves on this. Instead of a hook placed on the back of the handlebars, it relies on a loop, and instead of an embedded latch on the rear fender, it sports a protruding hook that is positioned adjacent to the scooter. This hook slides through the loop, meaning there is no way for the stem to detach from the rear fender while folded – unless you move it to the side. This renders the M10 easier to carry when folded than the X7 Pro.

Assembly

The Turboant M10 arrives almost completely assembled. You’ll just need to carefully remove it from the box, extricate the packaging, and unfold it. Then, screw the handlebar grips in, slide the brake lever into place and tighten it using the screw and Allen wrench provided. You can attach the bell in the same way.

Before you head out, I recommend checking the air pressure of your tires, and ensuring that it’s fully charged. I also suggest holding fire if it’s dark out, or if it's raining heavily. This thing’s lights aren’t quite bright enough for safe night riding, and – while it does boast an IP54 water-resistance rating – it’s better to wait for dry conditions before hitting the streets.

Ride Quality

Is the Turboant M10 Comfortable to Ride?

Considering that the Turboant M10 lacks ‘dedicated’ or ‘traditional’ suspension – that is, a mechanism like springs or swingarms to soak up the impact of less well-maintained roads – it’s still a mighty comfortable ride. As discussed, this is largely down to those plush 10-inch air-filled tires, which cushion the jarring effect that potholes or cracks in the curb would otherwise have on your joints.

It’s not just its tires that afford the M10 its good ride quality, though. Courtesy of the deck-located battery, it has a low center of gravity, making it easier to handle. It’s also lightweight and portable, meaning it’s not just comfortable to ride – it’s comfortable to carry around, too.

The only two areas for improvement are the position of the brake lever and buttons that control the light and riding modes.

I’ve already covered the issue with the brake lever in the ‘Handlebar’ section of the review but to add to this, the lever would be far easier to use if it was angled down by around 30 degrees.

In regards to the buttons on the dashboard, these can only be used safely if you stop the scooter. For example, let’s say you have the riding mode set to Sport but you realize that the battery is running low and you want to conserve battery by switching to Eco mode. To do this on most other scooters – including the X7 Pro which had an all-in-one thumb throttle command center – you would simply reach for a button with your thumb or finger while keeping your grip on the handlebars. This isn’t the case with the M10. Instead, you have to take one of your hands off the handlebars to click the buttons. This may not seem like a major issue, but I have been forcibly ejected while riding one of my scooters as a result of taking one hand off the handlebars.

Because electric scooter wheels are small, they are sensitive to the slightest change in direction, and once you lose control with one hand it’s hard to regain it. Imagine a motorcycle when it loses control and starts to serve side to side until the rider is thrown off – this is what happened to me. Ultimately, then, this is one aspect of the design that I’m not a fan of, and while it doesn’t affect ride quality per se, it can be frustrating having to stop to change riding mode or turn the lights on.

Performance & Safety

Speed & Acceleration

The M10 has a top speed of 20 mph – you’ll just need to ensure you’re riding in ‘Sport’ mode (rather than the pace and torque-limiting ‘Beginner’ and ‘Eco’ modes) to benefit from it.

So how does the 20 mph of velocity compare to the industry’s most similar scooters? Let’s take a look.

Speed vs Price Comparison

Applying a $500 price range, with the M10’s $449.48 in the middle, gives us a lot of similarly-priced scooters – 21, to be exact.

The M10 performs impressively, sitting in the upper echelons of the rankings.

Its 20 mph top speed means that it shares second place with the X7 Pro and the GoTrax G4. However, it needs to be said that the M10 has the fastest acceleration of the three, so it’s the most deserving of the silver.

The only scooter in the M10’s pricing bracket to outperform it in the velocity stakes is the Horizon 10.4. This scooter comes equipped with a 500W motor capable of a peak output of 800W, so it’s not to be trifled with. Plus, it’s worth noting that the Horizon 10.4 is the cheapest scooter to have suspension and is also one of the most compact and portable models on the market – check out my Horizon 10.4 review for more info.

Speed vs Weight Comparison

Now, let’s apply a 10 lb weight range of between 24.8 and 34.8 lbs, with the M10’s 29.8 lbs in the middle. How do things look?

Well, for the M10’s 20 mph top speed, it’s, once again, a case of ‘always the bridesmaid, never the bride’, because it has to settle for second place. Of the 17 models in this weight class, it’s the INOKIM Light 2 which takes the top spot (on paper, at least) with a 21 mph top speed narrowly claiming an outright victory.

I use the caveat “on paper” here because, when you dig a little deeper, the INOKIM Light 2 has the same 36V 350W motor as the M10 (which shares the silver medal with the Unagi E500, as well as Turboant’s X7 Pro model). Either the INOKIM Light 2 has a bit of unexplained magic in its motors, or the advertisers have overestimated its capabilities.

When we take a fine-tooth comb to each of the above scooters’ performance levels, it’s the Unagi E500 that emerges on top. At 20 mph, it sports the same top speed as the M10 but has a 19% faster acceleration rate than it. Similarly, while you won’t miss that 1 mph that the E500 lacks on the INOKIM Light 2, you’ll notice the E500’s 23% quicker acceleration rate.

However, you’ll probably also pick up on the fact that both the Unagi E500 and INOKIM Light 2 both retail for just shy of $1,000. Granted, these are both premium scooters (although the Unagi has solid tires, which don’t make for great ride quality). But if you’re on a budget, the M10 still stands out as the best choice – particularly when you think about the smooth ride those plush air-filled tires provide.

Acceleration

As you’ve seen, the M10 shares its top speed with its fellow Turboant model, the X7 Pro. This is down to both these models sharing the same 350W motors. But if you suspected that they’re also made equal when it comes to the pace of their acceleration, well… you’d better think again.

That’s because the M10 is the superior accelerator – take a look:

The reason the M10 outperforms its brethren here is because its motor is located in the rear wheel – rather than the front one, as is the case with the X7 Pro. Just like with cars, a rear-wheel-drive vehicle of the same weight, power, gearing, and tire size will accelerate quicker than its front-wheel-drive counterpart – so the numbers make sense.

Broaden the net out to the other scooters I recommend as alternatives, and the M10’s acceleration rate is still impressive. The M10 beats out the more premium Apollo Air Pro, but it does fail to match the accelerative capabilities of the Horizon 10.4.

The Horizon (which is also available in a souped-up 13Ah edition) strikes the perfect balance between the M10 and the Apollo Air Pro in terms of build quality and price.

Range

The Turboant M10’s maximum manufacturer-stated range is 18 miles. That said, you'll need to be riding in the scooter’s speed-limiting ‘Eco’ mode and not caning the throttle too much to benefit from that full 18 miles in practice. Under realistic conditions, the M10 puts out 11 miles.

Mileage vs Price Comparison

When we revert to our price comparisons from earlier – this time comparing the 21 comparable models in the M10’s price bracket on the metric of mileage, rather than speed – it’s the Turboant X7 Pro’s 30-mile range that tops the list. Sure, you’ll have to shell out an extra $100, but its detachable battery makes it more versatile than the M10, so it’s well worth your time.

Mileage vs Weight Comparison

As it turns out, the X7 Pro is no ‘one-hit wonder’ – because it also comes out top in our comparison of the 16 comparable models in the M10’s weight range.

Packing 30 miles of range, the X7 Pro delivers over two-thirds (67%) of the distance of the M10, making it a certified powerhouse. Following closely is the 24 miles of the INOKIM Light, and I have to say – though the X7 Pro is undoubtedly a superb shoestring option, the Light 2 is the most well-rounded scooter, particularly when you consider its overall build and ride quality. The only catch? You’ll have to pay a premium for it.

Hill Climbing

A quick disclaimer – single motor scooters like the M10 aren’t built to be powerful hill climbers. So what kind of gradients is the M10 capable of?

Well, according to Turboant, the scooter can scale slopes of up to 15 degrees. In reality, though inclines of this nature can only be tackled by scooters with motors that are almost triple the size of the M10’s. To be confident of taking on these kinds of hills, you’ll need a motor rated at a minimum of 1000W, and even these scooters can struggle.

Under realistic conditions, the M10’s mountain-munching maximum is more like 8.5 degrees, which is equivalent to a 15% incline rate (not the manufacturer-stated 15 degrees). Essentially, this makes the Turboant M10 good for gentle inclines, but nothing more labor-intensive.

Shock Absorption / Suspension

Like many of the models in its price class, it doesn’t come with any traditional form of suspension. There aren’t any of the springs, swingarms, coils, shocks, or combinations of all four that we see on more premium performance scooters.

But don’t be alarmed – that’s to be expected. After all, the M10 isn’t designed for the kind of challenging riding those more premium models are made for. It’s a budget scooter through and through, so a more extensive mode of shock absorption isn’t necessary.

Plus – as explained earlier – there are those plump, 10-inch air-filled tires that soak up bumps and vibrations from the road far better than their solid counterparts (which 46% of the scooters costing less than $500 in our database sport). As a result, it’s fair to say that the M10 has the best-in-class ride quality.

Braking

The Turboant M10 relies on a single, hand-operated mechanical disc brake over the rear wheel, which is supported by an electronic regenerative braking system. A look at similar models in our database shows that these types of brakes – on this type of scooter – are standard, so it’s no surprise that the M10’s braking performance – 4.9 meters from 15 mph – aligns with the average in its class. For context, out of the 21 models in our database that cost less than $500, 18 of them (86%) are equipped with a single mechanical brake while the rest solely rely on electronic braking.

Compare the M10 to these similar scooters, and you won’t see any discernible differences in stopping power – ergo, braking shouldn’t play too much into your decision-making.

But, if I was to recommend any other model for its brakes, it’d be the Apollo Air Pro. Its front drum brake and rear regenerative braking system make it the only scooter that I recommend as an alternative to flaunt superior stopping power that’ll bring you to a complete halt in just 3.5 meters – a whole 29% better than the M10.

Charge Time

Located on the left side of the deck towards the rear fender is the Turboant M10’s single charging port. Plug it in and you can expect your scooter to be juiced up and good to go again in 5 hours.

You’ll know it’s done because the adapter’s indicator light turns from red to green. Turboant also recommends avoiding charging your M10 in temperatures below 50°F.

Extra Features

Central Display & Control Buttons

Located between the handlebars is the display screen. Here, you’ll be able to view the speed you’re traveling at, and – via a set of four bars – monitor how much ‘gas’ your scooter’s battery has left in the tank.

This display is also flanked by two buttons. The one on the left turns the scooter on, and if you double-click it, allows you to toggle between the M10’s trio of riding modes. These place caps on your top speed, allowing you to ease into the process of getting used to the scooter, as well as conserve your battery for longer rides. Each of these riding modes corresponds to a color in a ‘traffic light’ system laid out on the display, which breaks down as follows:

• Beginner: 6 mph (Green)
• Eco: 9 mph (Yellow)
• Sport: 20 mph (Red)

The panel design of the display is also unique-looking, and certainly wins the scooter points for aesthetics. The flipside of this is that, because the display is flat, rather than angled toward you as a rider, it can be tough to interpret in direct sunlight.

Headlight, Taillight, and Brake Lights

Pushing the button to the right side of the Turboant M10’s display screen activates its headlight.

Full disclosure – this thing isn’t the brightest. Usually, I recommend picking up an extra USB rechargeable headlight and strapping it onto the handlebars, but this is impossible because there isn’t enough room between the display and grips to attach any accessories. Instead, you’ll want to attach it to the stem.

Nevertheless, the headlight that comes as stock is still handy – and, considering this scooter is made for city-riding (where there are plenty of street lamps to light your way) it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to rely on it all that much.

Located on the rear fender is a red tail light, which is also responsive – meaning that it’ll flash when you activate the brakes, letting traffic behind you know you’re slowing down. There are also reflective decals located at the front and rear of the scooter that occasionally catch the light to give you that extra dash of visibility.

Bell

The M10 arrives with a separate bell included. You can choose to attach by sliding it onto the left handlebar, before then screwing on the handgrip to lock it in.

The bell itself is fairly basic and cheap – I usually just leave these in the box but it’s always nice to have a way of alerting pedestrians to your presence.

Cruise Control

Like most scooters on the market, the Turboant M10 comes with a cruise control feature, and – as is common – it kicks in when you’ve been coasting, or have been accelerating at a constant rate for a few seconds. A small illuminated icon appears on the right side of the M10’s display screen to inform you when the cruise control function has been engaged.

Unlike this feature on most other models, however, you can’t turn cruise control off. By this, I don’t mean that once it's engaged it's impossible to stop, but rather there’s no option to change the settings to turn the feature off altogether. This isn’t a major issue, though – disengaging cruise control is as simple as squeezing the brake.

IP54 Water-Resistance Rating

It sports an IP54 water-resistance rating, a certification that means it’s been tried and tested to withstand splashes of water from all angles. With this in mind, you should have no worries taking your M10 out in light rain, although I’d think twice about setting off in the torrential variety – not least because of the safety issues and the fact that it’ll void your warranty if water damage is found.

Warranty & Post-Purchase Support

Warranty

The Turboant M10 is protected against all manufacturing defects – whether that’s in the materials or the workmanship – for the following durations:

Predictably, there are some stipulations. Wear and tear of normal ‘consumable’ parts isn’t covered, nor is cosmetic damage, or that resulting from neglect or abuse on the part of the owner. Issues that arise as a result of overexposure to water, fire, or any other environmental damage won’t be covered, and neither are batteries in the case of a power surge, lack of maintenance, or use of an incorrect charger.

Post-Purchase Support

For queries around shipping, returns, and refunds – as well as info about Turboant’s warranty policy, and a couple of FAQs – you can check out the company’s website. There’s also a ‘Help Center’, although this is fairly sparse and currently only addresses the X7 Pro, not the M10.

To get in touch directly, you can reach out via email at support@turboant.com, or give them a bell between 9 am and 5 pm (Eastern Time), Monday to Friday, on +1 833 310 2205.