Citroen e-C3 Review 2024
Citroen e-C3 At A Glance
The demise of the Ford Fiesta has left a huge hole in the small hatchback market. That leaves a sizeable — but shrinking — list of rivals jostling for position in an effort to take over the top spot. Tested here in electric form, find out in out Citroen e-C3 review whether it has what it takes to claim the Ford Fiesta’s crown.
Such good value is the Citroen e-C3, starting at £21,990, that only the smaller Dacia Spring undercuts it. Indeed, all other battery-powered rivals, from the Peugeot e-208 to Vauxhall Corsa Electric cost more — even the BYD Dolphin suddenly seem somewhat pricey.
Factor in petrol-hybrid alternatives such as the MG 3, Renault Clio and Suzuki Swift and the Citroen still feels sensibly priced. For those not interested in going electric, the petrol-engined Citroen C3 will arrive later for £17,790.
Happily, the Citroen e-C3 proves to be more than just an un-pricey face. It’s almost identical in footprint size to its predecessor, but stands a good four inches taller. If the previous Citroen C3 was a KitKat, the Citroen e-C3 has become a KitKat Chunky, its raised stance creating a strong whiff of baby SUV.
We fondly remember Citroens of yore for their idiosyncratic designs, with many models displaying a unique approach to exterior couture. The Citroen e-C3’s attempts are, perhaps, less successful, with a distinctly appliqué feeling to the hither and thither elements of added quirk, such as the three piece daytime running lights and matching, customisable colour clips on the front bumper extremities and rear roof pillars.
On board, the cabin finish is neat and considerably visually enhanced by two-tone upholstery, but too swathed in hard plastics to ever be considered remotely posh. A lightly padded full-width strip of fabric softens the dashboard considerably, while a scant sprinkling of glossy, piano black trim at the bottom of the centre console is about the only vaguely premium finish on offer.
Interior quirk is most strongly demonstrated not by the red flashes of fabric on each door pulls bearing encouraging messages such as ‘Be Happy’ and ‘Have Fun’, but by Citroen’s take on the Peugeot i-Cockpit dashboard layout, with the instruments viewed over the wheel rather than through it.
The front seats are exceptionally comfortable and a fine driving position is easy to come by, with generally good all-round visibility. We were a little disappointed by life in the rear seats, in comparison — adults will find their knees and feet craving more space.
The good-sized boot has a 310-litre capacity accessed over an absurdly high lip which requires a sound Clean and Jerk technique to clear it with a heavy suitcase.
There’s a choice of two Citroen e-C3 trims in familiar Plus and Max guises. In truth, the Plus specification includes a pretty comprehensive range of standard equipment, so unless you need such niceties as heated front seats, steering wheel and windscreen, electric rear windows, a rear parking camera, LED rear lights, automatic air conditioning and rear privacy windows, we’d save the £1700 involved.
Modesty is key with the Citroen e-C3, which combines a 44kWh battery pack with a 113PS electric motor driving the front wheels. This will hush the car from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds and on to a maximum speed of just 82mph. WLTP combined cycle range is quoted as 199 miles for the Plus, 198 miles for the Max. A 20-80% recharge with a 100kW DC connection should take just 26 minutes.
The first thing you notice when driving is how good the ride quality is. The second thing you notice is that the steering offers about the same level of feedback and feel as opening a submarine hatch. Despite the Citroen e-C3 being remarkably lightweight at only 1416kg, here’s not much fun to be found behind the wheel.
It’s not what might be deemed in any way rapid, but that’s probably a good thing: push too hard through corners and all aspirations of grip quite quickly give way to a determination to head straight on. There’s no drama and all is entirely predictable, but, frankly, it’s not remotely entertaining.
Not a problem, for the Citroen e-C3 has set out its stall with the emphasis on comfort. The only proviso we would offer is that we’ve been driving the cars on Austrian road surfaces as smooth as a freshly buttered bannister and it may be that they won’t find life quite so easy on the UK’s bombed-out boulevards. We’ll keep you posted.
So, in a market where prices are becoming ever more absurd, it’s refreshing to find a car that manages to undercut almost every rival, while still offering buyers respectable quality, practicality and, of course, just a whiff of quirkiness.