Citroen e-C4 review

Just as Citroen disguises its MPVs as SUVs so they sell better (not unsuccessfully – see the C3 and C5 Aircross), it’s just begun to do the same with its hatchbacks. The e-C4 is ostensibly a five-door family hatch in the same mould as a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf, but it’s higher-riding and has plenty of black plastic cladding around the bumpers and wheel arches to make it look all crossover-y. 

Predictably the ‘e’ in e-C4 stands for electric. This car sits on the same platform and uses the same drivetrain as the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008, Vauxhall Corsa-e and Mokka-e and DS3 Crossback e-Tense. 

HOW FAR CAN IT GO ON A CHARGE? 

Unlike the VW ID.3, which gives you a bewildering array of options when it comes to the size (and therefore range) of your battery and power of your e-motor, the e-C4 is only available in a single spec. That’s a 50kW (total, not usable capacity) battery with a lone 136bhp e-motor powering the front axle. The top speed is 93mph and 0-62mph takes a leisurely nine seconds. 

Claimed range is up to 217 miles. Drive smoothly and thoughtfully in Normal mode and you’ll get upwards of 4 miles per kWh, which is very good. But nonetheless don’t expect to travel further than 200 miles in the e-C4 without switching the air-con off and driving everywhere at 10 per cent under the posted speed limit. We managed 170 miles or so between charges in mixed conditions. You’ll get less in winter, and more if you mostly drive in town. 

A 0 to 80 per cent charge takes half an hour (if you can find a 100kW rapid charger). A full charge takes around seven and a half hours on a domestic 7kW wallbox. 

DOES CITROEN DO A NORMAL C4? 

Yup. If you’re not quite ready to go electric, Citroen will do you a normal C4 sans the e and with a conventional petrol or diesel combustion engine. Its review is hidden behind these blue words. Whichever powertrain you go for, the C4 looks and drives much the same. 

WHAT ARE ITS COMPETITORS? 

On the one hand you’ve got EV hatches like the Volkswagen ID.3 and Nissan Leaf, and on the other small crossovers like the related Peugeot e-2008/Vauxhall Mokka-e and Hyundai Kona Electric/Kia e-Niro. In size terms, though the hatchbacks are obviously hatchbacks and the crossovers are obviously crossovers, get your tape measure out and you’ll find they’re all almost exactly the same size. And the e-C4 is right in the mix. 

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO SPEND? 

You can get a normal Citroen C4 with a three-cylinder petrol engine for not much more than £20,000. The cheapest e-C4, however, costs around £33,000 pre-Government grant. The top-spec car we tested had an RRP of £35,000. Context? Far as EV hatchbacks go, the Volkswagen ID.3 starts at £29,000 or thereabouts and the Nissan Leaf costs from around £28,000. And if you’re cross-shopping with crossovers, the Peugeot e-2008 (with which the Citroen shares a platform and powertrain) is £32,000, and the cheapest Hyundai Kona Electric is sub-£30,000.

Sportiness is all well and good, but for a lot of people there’s as much appeal in a car that disregards that entirely in the pursuit of comfort and serenity. The e-C4 is one such car – it’s quiet, very comfortable and easy to drive. Reasonably practical too, though could do with a bit more zip. The price-to-range ratio isn’t necessarily on its side, but it’s not like you’ll be running out of juice having only travelled 50 miles from home.