If you want a reasonably pleasant electric hatchback, there’s little to complain about with the Citroen e-C4, but there’s also very little to get excited about. The e-C4 X — now with an extra ‘X’ — won’t move the needle for those wanting ultimate practicality, but might get Hyundai Ioniq or Nissan Leaf drivers taking a second look at something that adds a sleek sense of style.
So what’s so different about it that it needs an ‘X’ added to the name? For much of the car, it’s identical to the existing e-C4. Park them side by side, and you can see that the cars share everything from the nose to the rear edge of the back doors. It’s only from there back that you’ll find a difference, and it’s quite marked; the hatchback has been replaced by a stylishly raked boot lid, with the bodywork being extended by 240mm, lending the car — to these eyes — a smarter, more sophisticated aesthetic. Some disagree, so beauty really is in the eye of the beholder here.
Even what the boot adds to the car is up for debate. On paper, there’s far more space in the boot, with the saloon taking a huge 510 litres of cargo, compared to just 380 litres in the hatchback. But what that doesn’t tell you is that the boot lid opens awkwardly, leaving a relatively small opening to squeeze your luggage through. The seats fold down, but leave quite a step, while a load-through hatch in the centre is blocked from opening by the headrest’s mounting. It’s more spacious then, but surprisingly less practical.
Those in the front get the best of the updates to the e-C4, with the X receiving Citroen’s latest infotainment software. It’s a huge step forward from the old, clunky and unintuitive system that went before. That said, there are some questionable design decisions, such as the lack of ability to pinch and squeeze the navigation to zoom in and out. Worse than that, the system failed on our car, replacing the navigation with the parking sensor graphics — something that wasn’t helpful when trying to navigate our way through the busy streets of Madrid.
Letting the car rest for 15 minutes solved that issue — a quick turn-it-off-and-on-again didn’t work — but it’s a concern that such a fundamentally important piece of software let us down. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available, and you’ll probably still be better off with those, despite the upgrade.
The instrument binnacle is similarly digitally-led, with a compact display showing the essential information, supported on higher specification models by a head-up display floating in front of the driver.
With only an electric motor available for now — there’ll be petrol and diesel options soon, despite Citroen’s insistence that the car is electric only — the e-C4 X is a smooth and refined drive. As ever, Citroen has focussed on comfort, and it’s got that pretty much nailed. Hydraulic bump stops provide a smooth and compliant ride under most circumstances, stiffening when the car is under pressure. It’s a fine compromise and one that you’ll be happy to live with.
Of course, the flip side is that it’s no race car through the curves, but with a 136hp motor, it will never be something to set the pulse racing. The 0-62mph dash is completed in a reasonable 10.0 seconds, though, which should be enough to keep up with traffic and join a motorway without fear.
It’s the same motor and 50kWh battery pack as you’ll find through the Citroen range, including the e-C4, so how it performs isn’t surprising. There’s a slight delay on the throttle, which, for many, will be a good thing as the wave of instant torque can catch you by surprise. Officially, it’ll manage 223 miles between charges — two more than the e-C4, thanks to being marginally more aerodynamic. Drive gently, and you’ll get close to that as, even with my heavy right foot and a twisty driving route, I was getting 170 miles from a full charge. An eco-mode switch will help to eke out a little more range when necessary.
Recharging is quick and easy. It’ll take 100kW of charge, which will take the car from 20% battery to 80% in just 30 minutes, which is enough for another 133 miles.
To Citroens’ credit, the e-C4 X won’t cost any more than the regular hatchback model. It starts at £31,995
, with our high-spec e-Series model setting you back £36,295, for which you get that updated 10.0-inch infotainment system, sleeker styling and ever so slightly increased range, as well as Alcantara trim, adaptive cruise control, the HUD, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry and start.
If you can stretch to £37,195, then you’ll be able to get an e-C4 X with a slightly larger battery pack (54kWh instead of 50kWh), more power (156hp instead of 136hp) and more range (260 miles instead of 221).
It’s good value, at least when compared to some costlier rivals, but you have to wonder what the point is. It’ll undoubtedly sell well in some countries, but the UK has virtually given up on saloons. Citroens’ old boss, Vincent Cobée, told us that the SUV bubble is about to burst, and he may be right, but, for the UK market at least, I fear he’s jumped the gun.
He is the founder of Huff Media, publisher of Professional Pickup, Professional Van, Average Janes, Average Joes, and CALIBRE. His work focuses primarily on light commercial vehicles, pickups, and real-world vehicle use, with much of his time spent on manufacturer launches, industry events, and long-term vehicle testing.
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