Citroen's improved e-C4 adds a bit of colour to the EV part of the family hatch segment, thinks Jonathan Crouch.

Ten Second Review

The improved version of this e-C4 continues to bring a dose of Citroen individuality to the EV part of the family hatchback segment. The smarter looks have a crossover vibe, the range is reasonable and the cabin is still the most comfortable in the class. If you're fed up with clinical family EVs, here's one that just might charm you.

Background

Citroen is a company with a reputation for trying to do things differently. Unfortunately though, the reality is that it's not always been a company able to do things differently from sister brand Peugeot. In the last few decades, a depressing cloak of conformity has characterised family offerings from the double chevron marque. But gradually things seem to be changing and Citroens are being set apart once more. First, with details things like Airbumps and squashier seats. And in more recent years with more fundamental engineering. For an example of that, take the subject of this test, the updated version of the brand's offering in the EV family hatch segment, the e-C4. Significant styling and interior updates feature with this improved design, bringing the e-C4 more into line with its segment rivals. And as before, this car plays to the things people tend to like about Citroen - innovative design, a distinctive feel and exemplary ride quality.

Driving Experience

Rather interestingly, this is one EV that doesn't spear away from rest like a scalded cat. That attribute's a bit pointless, it cuts across this car's laid back Gallic demeanour and it needlessly depletes battery reserves, so Citroen hasn't bothered with it here. The e-C4's a bit like Mazda's rival MX-30 in that respect. Not that the e-C4 is slow; the 136bhp electric motor in the base 50kWh version allows 62mph to be dispatched in 9.7s on the way to a maximum you'll never bother with (97mph). What you'll notice more is the relaxed gait. It's inevitably not as light on its feet through the corners as a combustion-engined C4: the weight of that battery has to tell somewhere. There's also a 54kWh battery version available, which gets a punchier 156bhp motor and goes 257 miles between charges. Your driving position is somewhere between that of a family hatch and an SUV and you get a couple of pedals, along with a small straightforward gear selector. There's no 'one pedal' driving option, like you get in a Nissan LEAF, but there's an extra B mode, which gives greater lift-off deceleration, so boosting the battery's energy-harvesting efforts so that you can get somewhere close to the claimed 222 mile range figure. The ride is very comfort-orientated, as you'd expect from a Citroen thanks to the clever Progressive Hydraulic suspension set-up. Here, the car's springs and shock absorbers work in concert with hydraulic compression and rebound stops, which are supposed to slow body movement over bumps and tarmac tears.

Design and Build

The visual changes to both hatch and e-C4X saloon versions of this model go beyond the scope of the usual facelift, drawing upon the brand's Oli concept car from 2022, with squared-off lighting signatures and the brand's latest logo. The slim LED front headlamps feature a characteristic light signature divided into three distinctive horizontal segments. There are rear tail light updates too, as part of changes to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Plusher versions get smart new 18-inch 'Amber' wheels, whilst the 'Colour Clips' that run horizontally across the rear of the car aim to add personalisation. The changes are even greater inside, where there's a bigger 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster (1.5-inches larger than before). The 10.0-inch central screen's the same size as previously, but has been updated with a new connected 3D navigation system and a better 'Hello Citroen'-activated voice control set-up. A major selling point of the pre-facelift car was its cossetting 'Advanced Comfort' seats; well they've been improved with an extra 15mm of foam and a new denser section of padding in the centre of the squab. For this EV version, there's also now a 'V2L' 'Vehicle-to-Load' system, which enables you to plug external devices (like laptop, lights, coffee makers, drones and so on) into the vehicle battery. Further back of course, it's just as before. For the rear seat, the brand continues to claim best-in-class knee room and offers a wide range of storage compartments. Plus there's a decently-sized 380-litre boot in the hatch version; the e-C4 X saloon's boot is a big 510-litres in size. Both figures are the same as you'd get with the combustion versions.

Market and Model

Prices for the e-C4 now sit in the £26,000 to £30,000 bracket and there are three trim levels to choose from - 'You!', 'Plus' and 'Max'. There's also the option of an alternative e-C4 X saloon body shape also priced at the same level. These figures are for the base 50kWh battery version; you'll need slightly more for the faster 54kWh variant with its longer range, which only comes in top 'e-series' trim priced at around £37,000. To take on key compact similarly-sized EV rivals in the same price bracket, all versions of this C4 need to be well equipped. They are. Nice touches the include LED ambient lighting on the new 7-inch digital instrument panel. Front passengers benefit from access to Citroën's Smart Pad Support, a retractable tablet holder built directly into the dashboard, which enables the front passenger to make the most of time spent on the move. Below this is a Dashboard Tray, a large sliding drawer with a cushioned action. A popular option will be the large electric opening panoramic sunroof. A 10-inch central infotainment screen comes with all C4s, as does wireless 'phone charging and 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring connectivity. A superb sound system can be specified too, with Arkamys digital sound processing and 8 speakers. A nice optional touch you might well want to consider is a full-HD camera built into the rear view mirror which can take photos or video stored on a 16GB memory card. Safety-wise, there's no fewer than 20 different driver assistance features, including Highway Driving Assist and a 'level 2' semi-autonomous drive system incorporating Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assist.

Cost of Ownership

With the top 54kWh model, the electric motor and battery enhancements reduce average energy consumption to 12kW/h, offering significant benefits in real-life customer use, even at temperatures close to 0°C. With both variants, the relatively compact battery size means less weight and less consumption, plus eco-style 'A+ 18-inch' tyres reduce rolling resistance and minimise energy loss through friction. As standard, there's a heat pump, which uses a humidity sensor to maximise energy efficiency and cooling. Like the e-C4 hatch, the e-C4 X charges at up to 100kW and charging times are the same with either the 50kWh or the 54kWh battery. The e-C4 X is fitted with a 7.4kW on-board charger, which can rapid charge to 80% in around half an hour using a 100kW public fast charger. At home, the car will charge from empty in around 7.5 hours using a 7kW garage wallbox. That could fall to just 5 hours if you have a 3-phase home electricity supply and have the car fitted with an optional 11kW on-board charger. As usual with an electric car, to take advantage of lower cost off-peak electricity tariffs, you can manage charging times by using the touchscreen tablet in the passenger compartment or by using the provided 'MyCitroen' app. The charging port features a coloured indicator so the user can monitor the charging process - which can also be followed on the 'MyCitroen' app. Whatever your choice of e-C4, you'll properly want to keep garage costs in check by opting for the affordable 3 year servicing plan that is available at point of purchase. Finally, there's the usual Citroen three year / 60,000 mile warranty. And the e-C4 X has its own battery warranty - 8 years or 100,000 miles for 70% of charge capacity.

Summary

You still might not be quite ready to make the step from family hatch to SUV. You also might not be quite ready to make the step from combustion engine to full-electric. This Citroen e-C4 makes either of these seismic steps a good deal more plateable to folk wavering on the edge of a crossover culture or a nightly charging regime. You get most of the visual cues associated with an SUV. And enough driving range to make the switch from combustion power to EV realistic enough to consider. Let's be honest, all of this isn't going to be enough to allow this car to out-sell the many family hatch EV models it's primarily targeted at - models like the Hyundai Kona electric, the Kia Niro EV and the Volkswagen ID.3. But the e-C4, especially in this updated form, has a much more individualistic charismatic feel than any of those cars. It's a proper Citroen, which means it's interesting, stylish and extremely comfortable. And a proper Citroen is something we always welcome. If you're looking for a wider choice in the EV part of the family hatchback segment, you should too.