If you want the space of an SUV but wish to avoid the ire of those easily irritated by your need for a family car with comfort, the Citroen e-C4 X has a design that might fit the bill. To simplify your life even further, Citroen only give you the choice of one electric motor and battery combination, saving you hours of internet searches and comparisons. Speaking of which, competition comes in the form of Kia Niro EV and Peugeot e-2008, MG4, the Nissan Leaf and the VW ID.3.
Special mention : Soft & cushy suspension, just as you’d expect. Perfect for areas with a lot of bumps or lumpy roads. Decent range, electric makes it perfect for the city, infotainment graphics are simple.
Needs work : Seats that you sit ‘on’ rather than ‘in’, cup holders are for big cups not single use coffee cups. Boot lid half pops open, range could be better, start button requires push and long hold.
| 134 BHP / 355 km Range | Electric / Auto |
| 0-100 km/h in 10.0 seconds | Road Tax €120 |
| Price: from €41,455.00 As Specc’d €45,160.00 + €2,050 optional extras | Boot Space 510 litres |
Every ë-C4 X is powered by a 134bhp motor that’s connected to a 50kWh battery, officially giving it a range of up to 355 kms between charges.
From the front, the X is identical to the existing e-C4 – so what’s the benefit of the new model? That new fastback shape means the e-C4 X is 4,600mm long – that’s 240mm more than the hatch. The result is a big increase in boot space. At 510 litres, the X gains 130 litres of volume over the standard e-C4. This makes it one of the biggest cars in its class, it’s much bigger than the MG4 with 363 litres, the MG5 EV estate at 464 litres, and Kia’s Niro EV at 475 litres.
The load bay is a fairly regular shape, and there’s an extra cubby under the floor to hold the charging cables. The rear seats can fold (they leave quite a pronounced step) which means that it’s possible to load longer items into a volume that expands to 1,360 litres.
The rear seats can fold which leaves quite a pronounced step unfortunately, but it is possible to load longer items into a volume that expands to 1,360 litres.
There’s a similar amount of head and leg room in the front of both models. There’s also a lot more room in the back for rear passengers too except for the middle passenger who has a bit of a hump to contend with.
The e-C4 X is capable of up to 357 KM of range, slightly more than the e-C4 hatchback. Thanks to 100kW charging, it’s possible to add 100 kms of range in 10 minutes, while a 10-80 per cent top-up is possible in half an hour.
The e-C4 X doesn’t offer a sporty driving experience even for one with electric power. The battery tech has come from the Peugeot/Citroen/Opel parts of Stellantis, so the 134bhp is enough to carry loads for only regular sized journeys, remove all weight and you can get 0-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds. Thus confirming it’s the type of refinement you’d expect from a Citroen.
The e-C4 X has the same dashboard as the standard C4. There’s loads of storage (16 cubbies in total).the chunky knobs and switches for air con etc are easy to reach and use on the move. While the infotainment system isn’t quite the sharpest or most intuitive to use in the class. The screen reacts quickly enough to your prods and is easy to read at a glance. The infotainment system used the latest software from the C5 X. It comes with Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay and smartphone mirroring. You’ll need mid-spec Shine trim or above if you want built-in sat-nav.
The interior quality is some of the finest from Citroën, It’s well built and there’s a good use of soft-touch materials throughout, with hard plastics reserved for areas where they get kicked about the most, near your feet. You can even get some Alcantara if you go for top-spec trim.
The C4 X is a car that is comfortable and relaxing to drive, and offers reasonable range. The chunky wheelarches lend it an SUV style with only a 1.5-metre roof height. Slow charging is reasonable, taking around 7.5 hours from a 3 pin plug.