Citroen e-C4 X Review 2024
Citroen e-C4 X At A Glance
Good-value pricing. A comfort-focused driving experience. Generous passenger space. Stands out from the crowd.
Saloon-style boot is less practical than a hatchback. Uninvolving to drive. A car that needs quite a lot of explanation.
You may struggle to make sense of what kind of car the Citroen e-C4 X is, so let’s try to make it as simple as possible. This is the saloon version of the crossover-style Citroen C4 hatchback, and is powered by electricity. Now let’s go into a bit more detail…
The C4 is Citroen’s contender in the midsize hatchback class – a rival to cars such as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. It’s quite an unconventional one, though, with the rugged styling and lofty ride height of a crossover, combined with a coupe-style sloping roofline.
The Citroen C4 X is the longer saloon version of the C4 hatchback. ‘Hatchaloons’, as they’re sometimes jokingly called, used to be quite common in the UK but there are now just three available – including this one. However, they remain very popular elsewhere in the world, so it was worth Citroen’s while to spin off a saloon from the C4. Time will tell whether or not there’s much interest in the UK.
Petrol and diesel engines are available for the C4 X in certain markets. In Britain, though, it’s only available with electric power – hence the e-C4 X name. Now that’s cleared up (phew!), what is the Citroen e-C4 X actually like?
Well, it comes with a 50kWh battery that powers a 136PS electric motor. That provides a range of around 220 miles, which is at the lower end of the spectrum compared to other midsize electric cars. According to Citroen, the relatively small size of the battery keeps cost and weight down, and the range will cover most people’s needs.
Performance is merely adequate versus similar electric cars as well. Still, it’s no slower than an equivalent diesel car, and the Citroen e-C4 X encourages you to take a more relaxed approach to driving.
It’s just so comfortable. You sink into squidgy yet supportive seats, and the suspension makes completely broken-up roads feel nice and smooth. It’s a lovely car to travel in, with a quiet interior, user-friendly dashboard and decent quality.
The emphasis on comfort means the Citroen e-C4 X doesn’t feel especially nimble or involving to drive. But that’s fine with us, because not everyone in the market for a midsize car wants one that feels firm and sporty (as so many of them do).
There’s more than enough interior space for most families. Indeed, four six-foot adults can fit in the Citroen e-C4 X reasonably comfortably. Rear-seat headroom could be better, thanks to the sloping roofline, but that’s the only real complaint.
The boot is massive, at 510 litres, so the Citroen e-C4 X looks more practical than the average midsize hatchback on paper. However, saloons aren’t quite as useful, because their boot opening is relatively small, which limits the size of objects you can load inside. You do get some clever interior storage, at least, including a drawer that extends from the passenger-side dashboard. Every car should have one.
There are three trim levels to choose from: Sense, Shine and Shine Plus. Prices range from £32,000 to £35,500, which is right in the middle of the spectrum for midsize electric cars. All three versions come well-equipped, so we reckon the e-C4 X represents rather good value for money – especially if you get one of the discounts that are available on pre-registered cars.
It may be a difficult car to explain, but the Citroen e-C4 X has a lot going for it, particularly in terms of space, value and comfort. Its relatively short range does demand some compromises, but it’s rarely likely to be an issue if you can charge at home.
If nothing else, the Citroen e-C4 X is a car that’s different from the norm and really stands out from the crowd, and we like it for that.
Reviews for Citroen e-C4 X's top 3 rivals
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Citroen e-C4 X handling and engines
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Handling and ride quality
As with the rest of the Citroen C4 range, the emphasis is very much on comfort in the Citroen e-C4 X driving experience. Even on a completely ruined road, it glides over holes, bumps and ridges almost as if they aren't there. The interior is very quiet and the seats are superbly comfortable. All in all, the e-C4 X is a wonderfully calm and relaxing car to spend a journey in.
From the driver’s seat, the Citroen e-C4 X feels light and responsive, although it’s not as nimble and poised as a more conventional midsize hatchback such as a Ford Focus. There’s quite a lot of body-roll in corners, but it’s well controlled – the car doesn’t feel like it’s flopping about.
It’ll play ball if you need to get a move on, but the Citroen e-C4 X would rather travel at a more relaxed pace, and that’s fine. You don’t always want a car that feels focused and sporty, after all.
One minus point to note is that rearward visibility isn’t great. The hind quarters of the Citroen e-C4 X are pretty chunky, the back window is quite small and its rearmost extremity is a long way from the driver’s seat, all of which can make parking tricky. Fortunately, all models have rear parking sensors and two of the three trim levels have a reversing camera to help you out.
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Engines
The Citroen e-C4 X has exactly the same powertrain as the e-C4 hatchback: a 50kWh battery pack and 136PS electric motor. With 300Nm of torque available the instant you press the throttle, it’s pretty nippy around town. However, a 0-62mph time of 10 seconds is rather leisurely by electric car standards, even though it’s in the same ballpark as diesel-powered C4 models. Top speed is 93mph.
The Citroen e-C4 X is fully automatic, like all electric cars, so it doesn’t have a gearbox as such. What the gear selector actually does is switch the electric motor between spinning forwards and backwards.
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Safety
The Citroen e-C4 X hasn’t itself been given a safety rating by the experts at Euro NCAP. However, the organisation has confirmed that the four-star rating given to the Citroen C4 hatchback applies here. Four stars is sub-par for this type of car, but it doesn’t reflect any fundamental strength issues. On the contrary, the Citroen e-C4 X actually protects people inside the car very well.
However, Euro NCAP did highlight concerns over the effectiveness of some of the ‘active’ safety features under certain circumstances. For instance, the automatic emergency braking system struggled to detect a cyclist approaching from the side.
Citroen e-C4 X interior
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Practicality
The saloon-shaped Citroen e-C4 X is 2400mm longer than hatchback C4 models, and nearly all of that extra length is the boot. This is truly vast, with a capacity of 510 litres – 130 litres more than you get in a C4 hatchback. The space is a square and practical shape, plus there’s a bit of extra room at the sides and under the boot floor (where you can store the charging cables).
However, the usefulness of the Citroen e-C4 X boot is ultimately limited by its relatively small opening and fixed height; it’s much easier to get big and bulky objects into a hatchback. It’s also quite long, which can make it tricky for shorter people to retrieve anything that’s up against the back seat. Speaking of which, those seats fold down if you need to carry anything really long, such as a flat-packed bookcase.
As for people, there is plenty of space for them inside the Citroen e-C4 X, too. Up front, you’ll find sufficient room for pretty much anyone to get comfortable. In the back, there is tons of legroom, while headroom is a bit limited by the steeply sloping roofline. However, the latter will only really affect anyone over six-feet tall. As a family car, then, the Citroen e-C4 X works commendably well.
It’s also worth noting that the car’s high-ish ride height makes it easier to get into and out of than lower-riding hatchbacks (and perhaps taller SUVs, too).
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Quality and finish
Brilliantly soft yet supportive seats aside, the Citroen e-C4 X doesn’t exactly put you in the lap of luxury. Yet its interior is a pleasant enough place to spend time. Everything you use most often feels quite tactile, although there are some slightly cheap and nasty plastics used lower down in the interior. Top-of-the-range models feel a bit plusher, thanks to seats upholstered in Alcantara and leatherette.
The layout of the dashboard is easy to get to grips with and everything feels like it’s built to stand up to the rigours of family life. It’s just a shame the interior isn’t as quirky and interesting as some other Citroen cars.
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Infotainment
Every model of Citroen e-C4 X has an infotainment system controlled via a 10-inch touchscreen display. In the entry-level car, the system only has DAB radio and Bluetooth built in, but you can connect your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to use navigation and entertainment apps.
Citroen’s system isn’t the slickest. The graphics look a bit old fashioned and the screen takes a beat or two to respond when pressed. Connecting your phone gets around the former problem and the latter is alleviated in higher-spec models, where you can use voice commands and even hand gestures to operate some of the infotainment system’s functions.
Those high-spec models also come with built-in satellite navigation and a head-up display that complements the standard 5.5-inch digital driver’s display, located behind the steering wheel.
Citroen e-C4 X value for money
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Prices
Prices for the Citroen e-C4 X start at the same £31,995 that the entry-level Citroen e-C4 hatchback costs, then top out at £35,495. We reckon the Citroen e-C4 X Shine is the one to go for; it comes with loads of desirable features and costs £34,495.
Those are the list prices at the time of writing, anyway. You can get a small discount on a pre-registered Citroen e-C4 X, but Citroen is moving away from its traditional model of offering hefty discounts on new cars in an effort to move perceptions of the brand upmarket.
Overall, the Citroen e-C4 X looks very good value, being priced right in the middle of the range for midsize electric cars.
Citroen e-C4 X 2024: Running Costs
The Citroen e-C4 X, like most of Citroen’s electric cars, is fitted with a relatively small 50kWh battery pack. This saves cost and weight, but does result in quite a short range of 221-222 miles, depending on which model you choose. That’s significantly less than provided by many other comparable electric cars, such as the Kia Niro EV, but it’s enough to cover all the journeys most people will do in a week.
As ever with an electric car, bear in mind that the official range numbers aren’t guaranteed. Driving in the real world, you may get more or you may get less. It entirely depends on what kind of journeys you do, how you drive and what time of year it is. In our unscientific test, we found a real-world range figure of around 200 miles to be perfectly achievable (on a hot summer's day, anyway).
Recharging the battery from 0-80 percent of its capacity takes half an hour using a 100kW public charging station. At home, a full recharge takes around seven hours 30 minutes with a 7.4kW wallbox.
There’s no vehicle excise duty to pay if you buy a Citroen e-C4 X privately. If you have one as a company car, benefit-in-kind tax rates are very low. Service intervals of two years or 16,000 miles should keep running costs down as well.
The car comes with a warranty lasting three years or 60,000 miles, while the main traction battery is covered by a separate warranty for eight years or 100,000 miles.
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There are three models of Citroen e-C4 X to choose from: Sense, Shine and Shine Plus. You get plenty of standard features whichever one you go for, but let’s dive deeper into the details.
The entry-level Sense model comes with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes DAB radio and Bluetooth. You can also connect your smartphone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to use navigation and entertainment apps. There’s a 5.5-inch digital display for the driver and loads of device charging sockets as well.
Elsewhere, you’ll find 18-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, dual-zone air conditioning and rear parking sensors. The front seats are height-adjustable and the driver’s seat has lumbar support.
Safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist and a driver attention monitor.
Step up to the mid-range Shine and the infotainment gains built-in satnav, while the system can be controlled by voice or gesture commands. The driver’s display is augmented by a head-up display on the windscreen, too. A heated steering wheel improves comfort, while a package of silver and black exterior styling details, including rear privacy glass, create a more upmarket look.
There are more features to help the driver out as well, including adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and a more advanced automatic emergency braking system that uses both radar and camera sensors.
Topping all of that, the fully loaded Shine Plus adds Alcantara and leatherette seat upholstery, heated front seats and a rear seat armrest with a through-loading hatch.
Model History
- June 2022: Citroen e-C4 X revealed
- January 2023: New Citroen e-C4 X Electric priced from £31,995
- March 2024: Citroen announces new powertrains for e-C4 X models
June 2022
Citroen e-C4 X revealed
Following in the footsteps of the Citroen C5 X, the design of e-C4 X offers customers a cross-segment design that combines the elegant silhouette of a fastback with the modern attitude of an SUV, whilst maintaining the timeless refinement and spaciousness of a four-door model.
With a 100kW powertrain, e-C4 X is capable of a range up to 223 miles (WLTP-certified), whilst allowing drivers to benefit from advanced ë-comfort – thanks to the virtual silence of electric powertrain – and saloon car spaciousness, with a 510-litre boot that is ideal for everyday use, especially for families.
The 100kW full-electric drivetrain is powerful and energetic, with 136hp and 260Nm of torque that is instantly available, a 0-62 mph time of 9.5-seconds in Sport mode and a top speed of 93 mph (where legally permitted). Furthermore, regenerative braking enables the driver to partially re-charge the 50kWh battery pack and increase range while on the move.
Three driving modes are available – Eco, Normal or Sport – activated by a mode selector on the centre console. Eco mode offers the highest levels of efficiency, Sport mode offers the highest levels of performance, while Normal mode balances the two.
Drivers can charge e-C4 X at public charging stations and at home. From a 7.4kW Wallbox, charging takes 7½ hours with a single-phase supply or as little as 5 hours with a three-phase electricity supply and the optional 11kW onboard charger. From a 100kW rapid public charger, the battery can charge from 0% to 80% in just 30 minutes.
Vehicle charging and pre-conditioning can be pre-programmed using the car’s MyCitroen Drive Plus touchscreen interface or via the MyCitroen app. For added customer peace of mind, the battery warranty for e-C4 X is eight years or 100,000 miles, for 70% of the original charge capacity.
The e-C4 X benefits from Citroen’s new-generation infotainment interface, which was first seen on the Citroen C5 X. MyCitroen Drive Plus offers a highly intuitive new interface using a 10-inch HD screen that can be fully personalised by customers.
The new interface also features natural speech recognition – with a digital assistant prompted by the command “Hello Citroen” – to answer questions and carry out vocal instructions. The natural voice recognition system can understand 20 languages, provide visual feedback and respond to commands relating to vehicle systems, such as the climate control, audio media, phone and connected speech services.
Advanced Profile Management means the system can store up to eight profiles, with each profile paired with up to two smartphones. The system will wirelessly identify smartphone profiles when they enter the car. The system also features Over-The-Air Map Updates via TomTom, which ensures navigation maps are automatically updated monthly to provide the latest information to drivers. This service is provided free of charge for three years.
The new Citroen e-C4 X comes fully equipped with up to four USB sockets for easy phone or tablet recharging – two in the lower centre console and two in the rear of the centre console for easy access by rear-seat passengers. In each case, one USB type A and one USB type C socket is fitted.
Whenever drivers and passengers climb into the Citroen ë-C4 X, they can expect a supremely comfortable, stress-free and calming experience, thanks to Citroen’s Advanced Comfort Programme®, which exists to provide the best possible feeling of well-being for everyone onboard.
The Citroen e-C4 X features the brand’s exclusive Advanced Comfort® Seats. Wide and welcoming, they feature an extra 15mm layer of special memory foam for a unique blend of visual, postural and dynamic support. High-density foam at the core of the seats ensures optimal comfort, particularly on longer journeys, The wide front seat backrests in e-C4 X have reinforced support, lumbar and height adjustment, and the availability of electric adjustment. Citroen’s innovative and exclusive Advanced Comfort® Suspension provides further comfort and serenity with a ‘magic carpet’ ride effect when out on the road.
One benefit of the Citroen Advanced Comfort Programme® is particularly noticeable when riding in the rear. Best-in-class 198mm of second-row knee room and a more reclined (27-degree) rear seatback, plus an exterior width of 1800mm, means three people can comfortably sit side-by-side across the rear bench, with a total of 1380mm of width at the shoulders and 1440mm at the elbows.
Along with the 510-litre boot, additional space below the floor is provided for carrying extra items, and for neatly housing the charging cables. The rear seat backrests also fold forwards for additional carrying capacity, and a ‘ski hatch’ in the fold-down armrest allows for loading of particularly long objects so they can extend into the cabin. Up to 16 open and closed compartments add a total storage volume of 39-litres throughout the cabin.
Inside the e-C4 X, the emphasis is on creating a tranquil, positive atmosphere with warm materials and a generous glass area, which includes small rear quarter side windows to maximise the amount of light for occupants. Light-coloured roof lining and interior pillar trim add further brightness and warmth. Customers may wish to specify the large electric opening panoramic sunroof, which is available as an option on e-C4 X.
At night, the atmosphere inside is equally pleasant and reassuring, thanks to LED ambient lighting on the digital instrument panel, which is designed to match seamlessly with the front and rear interior lights, and the onboard comfort functions.
Front passengers benefit from access to Citroen’s Smart Pad Support™, a retractable tablet holder built directly into the dashboard, which enables the front passenger to make the most of time spent on the move. Below this is a Dashboard Tray, a large sliding drawer with a cushioned action.
Rear passengers can relax or work, with access to cup holders and storage space for smaller items in the central rear-seat foldaway armrest. There are useful document pockets on the backs of the front seats, and all passengers have access to wide and deep door bins.
The new Citroen e-C4 X is designed to stand out from the crowd and offers something new and unique for customers looking for stylish alternatives to the mass of existing hatchback and SUV body styles already available.
With an overall length of 4600mm, e-C4 X slots neatly into the Citroen line-up between the C4 hatchback at 4360mm long, and new C5 X at 4800mm. Its wheelbase at 2.67m, is the same as a C4 hatchback, both use the same ‘Common Modular Platform’ (CMP).
Aerodynamic efficiency is optimised through the body’s sleek, crisp roofline, which results in an impressive drag coefficient of cd 0.29, which benefits the all-electric range. When viewed in profile, the car’s dynamic roofline flows effortlessly and seamlessly, while the rear overhang cleverly disguises the length required to package the large 510-litre boot.
Distinctive new LED taillights carry through into the sculpted lines of the boot lid, pushing around the corners and along the sides of the car, complementing the distinctive front lamps and finishing in an arrow shape before the rear doors, which further amplifies the silhouette’s dynamic appearance.
Large, 690mm diameter wheels combined with a short front overhang give the car a raised ride height that results in an elevated driving position, reassuring drivers with excellent visibility over the road ahead. Matt black protective wheel arches and lower body skirts, featuring Airbump® panels with coloured inserts, enhance the feeling of robustness and protection.
The familiar front end incorporates Citroen’s assertive rounded design signature. The high, horizontal bonnet features concave indentations. Trademark chrome chevrons stretch across the width of the body, connecting with double-height front lamps using Citroen LED Vision lighting technology to reinforce the vehicle’s high-tech credentials and to provide maximum visibility for drivers.
The matt black lower skirt on the front bumper links to the side and rear protective elements, while air intake grilles use a ‘macro chevron’ pattern similar to that used for the Citroen AMI One and 19-19 concept vehicles. The hexagonal lower grille is flanked on each side by distinctive fog lamp bezels.
Up to 20 Citroen Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are available on the new Citroen e-C4 X to help improve safety while driving and to make life behind the wheel or inside the cabin less stressful.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems include:
- Active Safety Brake
- Collision Risk Alert and Post Collision Safety Brake
- Highway Driver Assist: Level 2 semi-autonomous driving aid, which combines Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Active Lane Positioning
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go.
Additionally available technologies are:
- Blind Spot Monitoring System
- Active Lane Departure Warning System
- Coffee Break Alert
- Driver Attention Alert
- Intelligent Beam Headlights
- Extended Traffic Sign Recognition and Recommendation.
The suite of Citroen technologies designed to enhance comfort and reduce stress includes:
- Colour Head-up Display
- Reversing camera with Top Rear vision
- 360-degree vision
- Additionally available – Proximity Keyless Entry and Start, Park Assist, Hill Start Assist, Static Cornering Light Function, Automatic Electric Parking Brake and Lateral Parking Sensors.
January 2023
New Citroen e-C4 X Electric priced from £31,995
Citroen has opened its order books for the new e-C4 X Electric – the brand’s first electric-only car to be launched in the UK. Its distinctive silhouette combines the sleek lines of a fastback with the ride height, practicality, and robust styling of an SUV. Available with an efficient 100kW electric motor, the new e-C4 X Electric is capable of 222 miles (WLTP combined) on a single charge. Prices start from £31,995 MRRP OTR.
The new e-C4 X Electric is available exclusively with a 100kW electric motor, paired with a 50kWh battery pack, offering up to 222 miles (WLTP combined) of range from a single charge. the new e-C4 X Electric comes as standard with a 7.4kW single-phase on-board charger and a Type 2 Mode 3 charging cable. A full charge from a 7kW wallbox will take approximately 7.5 hours. Supporting up to 100kW rapid charging, an 0-80% charge can be completed in as little as 30 minutes.
From launch, the new e-C4 X is available in three trim levels; ‘Sense’, ‘Shine’ and ‘Shine Plus’.
‘Sense’ models come as standard with 18-inch ‘Crosslight’ alloy wheels, Advanced Comfort® Seats, Keyless Entry and Start, as well as a 10-inch touchscreen equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto. All ‘Sense’ models also feature Active Safety Brake, Speed Limit Information, Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision Warning and Driver Attention Alert. ‘Sense’ models start at just £31,995 MRRP OTR.
Building on the standard equipment in ‘Sense’ versions, ‘Shine’ models gain My Citroen Drive Plus – Citroen’s next-generation infotainment and navigation system with integrated natural voice commands. ‘Shine’ variants also benefit from a head-up display, a reversing camera with Top Rear Vision, Automatic Intelligent Beam Headlights, as well as a heated steering wheel for added convenience and comfort. Safety is improved thanks to Advanced Active Safety Brake with night-time and cyclist detection, and Extended Traffic Sign Recognition. ‘Shine’ variants are available from £34,495 MRRP OTR.
Range-topping ‘Shine Plus’ versions improve on ‘Shine’ models, adding the Alcantara® seats that are heated for the driver and front passenger. ‘Shine Plus’ versions also come as standard with Highway Driver Assist, which includes Adaptive Cruise Control. ‘Shine Plus’ versions start from £35,495 MRRP OTR.
| TRIM LEVEL |
POWERTRAIN | CO2 g/km |
BASIC MRRP |
VAT | TOTAL MMRP |
MRRP OTR |
P11D VALUE |
22/23 BIK |
BIK 20% TAX |
BIK 40% TAX |
|
Sense |
100kW Electric 50kWh battery |
0 |
£25,987.50 |
£5,197.50 |
£31,185 |
£31,995 |
£31,940 |
2% |
£123.76 |
£247.52 |
|
Shine |
100kW Electric 50kWh battery |
0 |
£28,070.83 |
£5,614.17 |
£33,685 |
£34,495 |
£34,440 |
2% |
£133.76 |
£267.52 |
|
Shine Plus |
100kW Electric 50kWh battery |
0 |
£28,904.17 |
£5,780.83 |
£34,685 |
£35,495 |
£35,440 |
2% |
£139.76 |
£279.52 |
March 2024
Citroen announces new powertrains for e-C4 X models
Citroen has announced a new powertrain for its electric e-C4 X. The new 156PS powertrain is available on MAX trim variants. Drivers now have the choice between a 50kWh battery and 136PS electric motor combination or the new 54kWh and 156PS powertrain.
The 50kW variant is capable of up to 223 miles between charges and is available across all trim levels. The new 54kWh and 156PS powertrain is now available on both MAX and e-Series trim variants and helps the e-C4 X achieve up to 260 miles between charges.
Both the 50kWh and 54kWh powertrains support up to 100kW DC rapid charging, providing a 20% to 80% charge in as little as 30 minutes.
In addition to the powertrain updates, the e-C4 X now comes in two new metallic paint colours. Okenite White is the new standard body colour across YOU!, PLUS, and MAX trim levels while Eclipse Blue, which first debuted on C5 Aircross, is now available on all e-C4 X models.
Prices for the e-C4 X start at £36,365, while models with the new powertrain start at £37,265.
