Citroen C4 Review 2024

The Citroen C4 is a bit of an oddball choice. The brand reckons it rivals sensible family cars like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf – but it's got more than a bit of 'coupe-SUV' about it. Think of it as an alternative to the Renault Arkana and you won't be a million miles away.

While it might not be an easy car to pigeonhole, it does have an ace up its sleeve. Like other Citroen models, it puts a strong emphasis on comfort – with so-called 'Advanced Comfort' seats and clever Progressive Hydraulic Cushion Suspension. Unlike other Citroen models, though, it's actually a very convincing attempt – the Citroen C4 is very comfortable, even if you opt for the electric e-C4 model with all its heavy batteries.

Most Citroen C4 models are powered by the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine as a wide range of Peugeot and Citroen cars.

This is available with three different power outputs (100PS, 130PS and 155PS) and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. There's also BlueHDi diesel engine with 110 or 130PS but, with diesel currently out of favour, this will only really worth looking at if you cover a high amount of motorway miles.

A flipside of the C4's comfortable approach is that it's not as fun to drive as a Ford Focus or SEAT Leon. The high-riding C4 will lean quite a lot in corners, but it feels safe and assured and the tyres provide plenty of grip. You'll be thankful of the soft suspension as soon as you clout a pothole, though – and all C4 models are fitted with 18-inch alloys, so you can't even ruin the ride with big wheels if you wanted to.

All Citroen C4 models are well-equipped, with even the most affordable Sense trim featuring LED headlights, a 10-inch media display (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and a whole host of driver-assistance tech (including a city braking that'll slam the anchors on if it detects an impending collision).

The entry-level car does without an alarm (oddly), so we'd look for a Sense Plus model. This also adds a head-up display, navigation, fancy LED interior lighting and a reversing camera. Above that, there's the Shine (with its tinted windows, keyless start and even more driver-assist features), and the Shine Plus (topping the range with part-leather seats – heated in the front – a wireless phone charger and clever Highway Driver Assist). 

No matter which Citroen C4 model you opt for, it represents excellent value for money. Prices start from around £21,000, which is less than a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus, and around the same kinda money as Kia's also-a-bit-niche XCeed. The most you can spend on a fully-loaded petrol or diesel Citroen C4 is around £29,000.

If you're looking for a family car with the agility of a ballet dancer, the Citroen C4 isn't it. Carry too much speed into a corner and it runs wide, while leaning over like a cruise liner in the process.

Still, it's not the kind of car you buy for Lotus Elise handling. And it's not exactly dangerous – far from it, there's plenty of grip and the steering is communicative enough for a Volkswagen Golf rival.

It's easy to drive around town, although rear visibility is stunted a bit by the two-part rear windscreen. At least all models come with rear parking sensors and most feature a reversing camera too.

The best thing about the Citroen C4 is the ride quality. All models come with 18-inch alloy wheels and relatively chunky tyres (a good thing if you don't want to lose your fillings), as well as the brand's trick hydraulic cushion suspension. These replace the bump stops with hydraulic dampers to absorb jolts in the road.

It's a system which has been used with mixed success in other models but, in the C4, it's superb. We wouldn't recommend bouncing over potholes for the fun of it, but it soaks up the roughest of road surfaces without providing a jittery ride.

The majority of Citroen C4 buyers plump for one with a petrol engine. That's a punchy little 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, badged the Puretech, available with three different power outputs: 100PS, 130PS or 155PS.

We've driven the mid-range Puretech 130 with both the six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic gearboxes. It's certainly got enough guts for day-to-day driving, although refinement takes a knock during harsh acceleration. Our preference is towards the auto – it suits the car well, while the manual transmission is a bit stodgy in its operation.

The Citroen C4 Puretech 155 is even peppier, which is quite amusing in a car that's otherwise distinctly unsporty. Mash the throttle and you can feel the front of the car lift up as it surges towards the horizon – it's kind of comical, really. Like the Puretech 130, it's not the last word in refinement, though, and that's a bit of an issue when it's up against competitors like the Volkswagen Golf 1.5 petrol.

If you spend your days traipsing up and down the motorway, you'd be better looking at the 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel engine. This is available with 110PS (and a manual gearbox) or 130PS (as an auto). We haven't tried either yet but will report back when we do.

The Citroen C4 is so full of safety technology that, in theory, it's actually quite difficult to be involved in a crash in the first place. Not that we'd recommend trying. The standard Active Safety Brake, for example, uses a camera to monitor the road ahead and will apply the brakes if it senses that you're about to hit another car. Active Safety Brake 2.0, which is standard on Shine and Shine Plus models, adds radar detection and can detect a potential collision in the dark. It can 'see' cyclists, too.

All models come with cruise control and a speed limiter, which is useful if you don't trust yourself not to break the speed limits. LED headlights give a clear view of the road ahead when driving in the dark, while there's the usual myriad of airbags.

Disappointingly (but not uncommon), the Citroen C4 uses a puncture repair kit instead of a spare wheel. A stranger omission is the lack of an alarm system on the entry-level Sense trim. 

Most Citroen C4 models can officially tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1200kg. If you're an inexperienced tower, we wouldn't recommend towing more than 85 per cent of the car's kerb weight. That results in a recommend maximum capacity of around 1100kg, depending on model.

Jump in the driver's seat and you'll sit higher than you would in a Golf, but don't expect to see over hedgerows or look down on other traffic. There's loads of room in the front – even the tallest of adults should be able to get comfortable quickly.

All C4 models provide manual height adjustment on the front seats (including adjustable lumbar support on the driver's seat), although you'll need a top-spec Shine Plus for electric adjustment. This also comes with a massage function on the front seats, which adds to the C4's soothing nature.

The back is spacious enough, too, particularly for kids. The coupe roofline limits headroom slightly, but most passengers will manage to sit comfortably without banging their head. There's also a lump in the floor which can be a bit of a nuisance if you want to carry three passengers – you'd be better looking at the bigger C5 Aircross, with its three individual rear seats, if that's a priority.

Capable of lugging 380 litres of luggage, the Citroen C4's boot is roughly the same size as a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf, but there are better alternatives if you need to carry a trunk full of stuff. The Skoda Scala can lug up to 467 litres of shopping, for example.

Access is helped by a height-adjustable boot floor which reduces the height of the lip for hoisting things over. And, of course, the rear seats can be dropped for those occasions when you need more space.

Citroen's clearly made an effort to lift the cabin in the C4 in terms of perceived quality. It's probably the smartest Citroen interior we've ever sat in, but it still doesn't feel as well finished as something like the Mazda 3. The dashboard is a bit scratchy, for example, and the door bins feel a bit flimsy.

All that said, most of the things you actually touch feel pretty well-finished. There are plenty of shiny black finishes, too, which adds to the premium ambience. If you want a truly upmarket finish, though, you'll have to look at cars like the BMW X2 instead.

The Citroen C4 comes with a 10-inch infotainment system which is standard across the range. It's a modern widescreen display with sharp graphics. Pleasingly, it's not entirely reliant on touchscreen operation – there are a few physical shortcut buttons to useful features as well as a knob for adjusting the volume. It's not quite as easy to operate as the Mazda CX-30 with its rotary controller between the front seats, but it's pretty good.

You don't have to pay extra for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, which is another bonus. These mirror apps from your phone, meaning you can browse your podcasts or use third-party navigation apps on the move. We often find that Google Maps is better than in-car navigation systems, and the Citroen C4's no exception. In fact, the entry-level Sense doesn't get nav at all, but that's not a huge concern if you've got a smartphone with plenty of data each month.

All models come with a 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. There's nothing particularly fancy about this – don't expect Audi's Virtual Cockpit levels of functionality – but it has a clear readout telling you how fast you're going. What more could you ask for?

You'll pay around £21,000 for the base-model Citroen C4 Sense which, frankly, ticks all the boxes for a lot of people. In real terms, that's around £240 a month on finance with a £3000 deposit.

The high-spec Citroen C4 Shine costs from around £24,000 with the Puretech 130 engine and manual gearbox, while the Shine Plus starts from £26,605. The priciest C4 (this side of the electric e-C4) is a Shine Plus BlueHDi 130 auto, which will set you back a smidgen over £28,000.

While the Citroen C4 isn't the bargain the Skoda Scala is, it's priced in-line with a Ford Focus, and you get something a lot quirkier for your money. It's also significantly cheaper than premium alternatives like the Audi A3 Sportback or crossover models like the Toyota C-HR.

If you're not fussed about the excitement of ordering a brand new car, you can save cash by looking for a pre-registered model. Often advertised as ex-demonstrators, pre-reg cars have minimal miles on the clock and will be ready to go, allowing you to skip the waiting list. 

All Citroen C4 models will be fairly cheap to run, but the BlueHDi diesel is the one to go for if you cover a lot of miles and want to minimise visits to the petrol station. Citroen is yet to confirm full fuel economy figures, but the BlueHDi 130 auto returns up to 64.9mpg in official tests. That means it shouldn't cost any more to run than a diesel Golf.

We'd recommend a petrol model for most buyers, though. In PureTech 130 form, the 1.2-litre petrol will return up to 54.7mpg with the manual transmission and 50.3mpg as an auto.

In terms of road tax (VED), most Citroen C4 models will cost £180 or £220 in the first year, but that's lumped into the on-the-road price so you won't really notice it. After the first year, you'll pay £155/year in tax. That's the same flat rate as rivals, aside from hybrid models which qualify for a £10 discount.

All Citroen C4 models come with Citroen’s Standard Safety Pack with video-assisted Active Safety Brake, Speed Limit Information, Lane Keeping Assist and Driver Attention Alert and Forward Collision Warning. Additional standard specification includes an electric parking brake, rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and Citroen’s Connect Box Emergency and Assistance System. For improved comfort, all Sense models come with Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushions suspension system and Advanced Comfort seats.

The entry-level Citroen C4 Sense also features LED headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels as standard. Inside, there’s a 10-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as DAB radio.  

Sense Plus trim adds navigation (with TomTom Live services), a tablet computer holder and a head-up display. LED interior lighting, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and two USB sockets are also standard. You also get a reversing camera, folding door mirrors and an alarm.

The Citroen C4 Shine comes with dark tinted rear windows and keyless entry/start, as well as a host of driver assist systems. These include the Safety Pack Plus (Active Safety Brake with video and radar technology), Speed Limit Information and Extended Traffic Sign Recognition, Adaptive Cruise Control and Active Blind Spot Detection. 

Topping the range is the Shine Plus model with its premium sound system and Hype Black interior ambiance. Black leather and textile upholstery is standard as well as electric driver’s seat adjustment and heated front seats. A wireless phone charger is also standard, as well as four USB sockets. The C4 Shine also comes with Highway Driver Assist, which uses cameras to adjust the speed and direction of the car within its lane.