- Saloon version of Citroen’s C4
- Two electric powertrains available
- Citroen has recently slashed prices by more than £5,000
There’s niche and then there’s the Citroen e-C4 X. Saloons from mainstream car brands just don’t exist in western Europe these days and haven’t regularly since the 1990s.
But nevertheless, Citroen proceeded with the introduction of its e-C4 X – a slightly oddball saloon version of its SUV-come-hatchback-come-coupe C4 – in 2023. Originally intended to only be sold as an electric car in the UK, Citroen quietly changed its mind later in 2023 and introduced petrol versions.
To my surprise, Citroen says this saloon accounts for one in four C4s sold in the UK, though I must admit I’ve never seen one in the UK. You’re far more likely to see one in eastern Europe or Turkey where saloons are still popular. Fun fact, it’s the fourth most popular car in Turkey, and the most popular produces outside its borders.
But *some* people must have bought the C4 X in the UK for it to justify bringing the facelifted car here, and Citroen has also slashed prices of its electric C4s by up to £5,600, potentially making it now seem a decent buy?
At a glance
Pros: A lot of car for not a lot of money (by EV standards), very comfortable, surprisingly handsome
Cons: Boot is massive but not very practical, less headroom than the hatch
What’s new?
Given the e-C4 X was only launched in the middle of 2023, this is very soon for an update – and as a result the changes aren’t all that major.
Most significant is a new front end incorporating Citroen’s new family face, inspired by the Oli concept car. What this means in practice is no more of Citroen’s iconic chevron grille and instead a very square-on front end incorporating a new logo, grille and triple LED lighting signature. I’m not sure it’s an improvement personally, but the rest of the e-C4 X is really quite handsome – the side profile especially.
Two new colours have also been introduced along with various new alloys – can you tell we’re clutching at straws yet? Other changes include a new digital instrument cluster, while vehicle-to-load (V2L) is available on the e-C4 X for the first time, letting you use the car’s battery to power other electrical equipment with a special connector.
What are the specs?
Two versions of the e-C4 X are available, with the range kicking off with a 50kWh battery paired to a 134bhp electric motor. Citroen claims a range of 222 miles and a 0-62mph time of 10 seconds. Both models have a top speed of 93mph, and you’ll squeeze a few more miles out of the e-C4 X than the e-C4 hatch owing to its slightly more aerodynamic shape.
If you want a touch more performance and range, the more expensive e-C4 X uses a 154bhp motor and slightly larger 54kWh battery, as tested here. It drops the 0-62mph time to 9.2 seconds, and increases the range to a claimed 263 miles. Though we haven’t had chance to properly range test this larger battery in the e-C4 X, based on other Stellantis models with the same powertrain, the larger battery (despite its fairly minimal extra capacity) is much more efficient in the real world.
As for charging, both cars can charge at up to 100kW DC, allowing an 0-80 per cent charge in less than half an hour. Single-phase 7.4kW AC charging is standard, but a three-phase 11kW onboard charger is available for a £400 option.
How does it drive?
Comfort is Citroen’s best strength and funnily enough it’s where the e-C4 X shines. Every version is equipped with its ‘Advanced Comfort’ suspension, seen pretty much across all its cars, both big and small. It comes with hydraulic bump stops at the end of the dampers, helping to absorb energy and stop it from feeling bouncy. The French firm says it rides like a ‘magic carpet’ and it’s hard to dispute such a claim, with the e-C4 X having a pliancy rarely seen from a car of this price.
Don’t think this makes it feel roly-poly through the corners though, with well-controlled body movement even when you’re pressing on. It’s not a car that relishes being driven quickly, though. The steering is pretty lifeless and the electric drivetrain itself one that doesn’t suit being driven quickly.
In anything other than ’Sport’ mode, the only setting that unlocks full power, the e-C4 X can feel sluggish by EV standards, where rival EVs like an MG4 always feel effortless. It’s all deliberate, of course, so you don’t chew through the range or push it out of its comfort zone, but even still a bit more eagerness would be helpful.
What’s it like inside?
Upfront it’s a mirror image of the e-C4 hatchhback’s interior, and in short that means a smart if relatively simple cabin. Both displays are digital, with a large integrated display in the centre of the console with Citroen’s latest infotainment system. The only physical switchgear for the screen are a home button and ’safety assist’ menu that takes you to quickly to the page to deactivate lane assist and the speed warning. The physical climate controls are a real bonus, though.
The materials are durable rather than luxurious, but the seats are a triumph, in offering both squishy comfort and plentiful support. They’ve been improved as part of this update with more lateral support and more cushioning, and remain excellent.
It’s in the rear that things start to feel slightly different to the hatchback C4. The tweaked lines and extended wheelbase give and take in equal measure. The hatch has a decent level of legroom, but the X has a glorious amount of space. A six-foot passenger will be able to slouch and still waggle their knees around without bashing the back of a similarly sized driver.
The trouble is, you get less headroom as a result of the changes, too. The seats are reclined more in the X, although it doesn’t feel like you are being forced to lie backwards too much. As with the standard C4, the middle rear-seat space is limited by the overhead light unit positioned in one of the most ridiculous places I’ve ever seen on a car – exactly where someone’s head would go.
The boot is indeed larger than the hatchback’s by a notable amount. At 510 litres it is a huge 130 litres bigger in fact. It is a simple space, with no real clever tricks from the floor or the seats, with the under-floor area not huge and best used for storing the charging cable. The seats drop on a 60/40 split, and you have to go around to the side doors to drop them. But it suffers from typical saloon practicality woes – it’s a real stretch to reach the back of it and the opening isn’t the most useful.
Before you buy
It’s a pretty easy trim structure on the e-C4 X, with the entry-level Plus trim coming with the smaller battery and top-spec Max grade with the larger battery.
Standard spec on the Plus includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring and sat nav, a reversing camera and dual-zone climate control. The Max model adds keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and electric and heated front seats.
Citroen has slashed prices of its new electric e-C4 models by a significant £5,600 as part of this update, and with prices now starting from £27,360 for the Plus and £30,150 for the Max, it looks good value next to hatchback rivals like the Volkswagen ID.3 and Vauxhall Astra Electric. Only the £26,995 MG4 is able to undercut it. Prices are identical to that of the e-C4 hatchback, though the X model isn’t available in that car’s entry-level You trim.
The electric e-C4 X also works out as around £4,000 more expensive than the petrol car, but only about £2,500 more than the newly introduced hybrid.
Verdict
If you want an EV and want as much car for your money as possible, you won’t do much better than the 4.6m-long Citroen e-C4 X outside of a van. It’s a pretty stylish thing to my eyes, and better to look at than the slightly awkward C4 hatch. It retains that car’s comfort, intuitive interior and because of the recent price cut, also its excellent value for money.
But despite its greater size, the awkward boot and compromised rear headroom result in a car that’s altogether not as useful as the standard hatch. Yet if that’s not such a consideration and you prefer the sleeker styling of the X, plus the fact you’re unlikely to ever see another in the UK, it deserves a look.
*Specs are for Citroen e-C4 X Max*