Citroen e-C3 review

Quirky. It’s certainly quite unlike anything else out there and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Which we fully embrace given the number of dark ‘n’ dreary cabins we’ve encountered in this sector. Yeah we’re looking at you, Corsa Electric.

The instrument cluster is actually a head-up display, reflecting information onto a glossy black strip atop the dash. It sticks to the essentials – speed, remaining charge, mileage and a few others – and doesn’t overload you with intel. We like.

You view over the top of the steering wheel, but it’s not as awkward as Peugeot’s version, and we didn’t have any issues with the steering wheel blocking the dials. Try before you buy, etc.

You also get a fabric-wrapped dash for a homelier feel – makes a nice change from gloss black melled with matt grey – and armchair like seats up front. Lovely.

What’s the rest of the tech like?

In Europe, entry-level C3s get a built-in smartphone holder that allows you to ‘dock’ your device to keep costs down. But Citroen hasn’t stooped to that for the UK.

Instead, both trim levels get a 10.25in touchscreen. There’s not a great deal to it, but that just means there’s less scope to get lost in sub-menu hell, with shortcut buttons displayed down the right-hand side and volume controls on the left. It’s not the most eye-catching display going, but chances are you’ll set yourself up with wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto come straight away and never investigate it again.

The best news of all however is that Citroen has kept the climate controls separate, with a dedicated panel underneath. Three cheers for common sense!

Is it roomy?

Well, the raised height means you now sit 76mm higher up than in the previous generation C3, and there’s more legroom, headroom and elbow room too. You can comfortably fit two in the back, though three abreast is one for shorter trips only. Got a car seat? That’ll be a squeeze behind an adult passenger, who’ll no doubt have to give up some leg room as a result.

All models get 60/40 rear folding seats and there’s no shortage of storage, while bootspace measures 310 litres – exactly the same as you find in the petrol C3. It’s noticeably deep too, though this does result in a high load lip. No room under the floor for any dirty charging cables, either.

Oh, and if you’re wondering about the labels on the doors which say ‘have fun’, ‘be happy’, ‘feel good’, ‘be cool’... you’re not alone. One for those who’ve got a ‘live, laugh, love’ poster on a prominent wall at home. Anyone seen the scissors?