Expert review
Citroen e-C4 X (2024 - ) Electric review
The electrified version of the quirky C4 X crossover gets updated looks and tech
The Autotrader expert verdict:
3.5
The Citroen e-C4 X is probably the weirdest family car on sale today. An electric, contradictory cross between a family hatchback, a saloon and an SUV, it operates in a niche of... one, basically. It’s also quite easy to criticise: take a Citroen e-C4 hatchback, make it less flexible by replacing the big hole in the back with a separate, stifling boot, then make it look a bit weirder and disproportionate. Then give it a confusing name that makes it sound like an SUV when it isn’t one. Then charge more for it, effectively. However… There’s always a however, right? Because while all of the above is true, you might actually like the way it looks. And why not? It's hardly ugly, and the extra length gives it a bit more elegance compared to the electric C4 hatchback, arguably. The luggage compartment is bigger than the hatchback’s by volume, too. It’s technically no more expensive, either, priced like-for-like with the hatchback, it’s just that you can’t get a base model e-C4 X like you can with the hatch. And it’s truly rare and unusual, and you might dig that. Plus, in every other way it shares the good characteristics of its non-X namesake – namely superb comfort, lots of equipment, decent cabin space, very reasonable pricing, and a choice of electric drivetrains, one with a little more power and range than the other. There’s plenty going for it. Read our review of the petrol-engined C4 X
Reasons to buy:
- Highly unusual
- Feels like a lot of electric car for the money
- Spacious, floaty and comfy without being an SUV
Running costs for a Citroen e-C4 X
“The starting price is less than you’ll pay for a (relatively tiny) Peugeot e-208, which is extra baffling because it effectively comes from the same company.”
Citroen has (wisely) decided to price the e-C4 X very keenly helping it to qualify for the government's new electric car grant. The starting price is less than you’ll pay for a (relatively tiny) Peugeot e-208, which is extra baffling because it effectively comes from the same company; Peugeot and Citroen are both owned by Stellantis, and the two cars share a lot of parts. Who signs these things off? It’s worth pointing out, though, that Citroen residual values aren’t great, which will negatively impact your monthly payment if you’re financing your e-C4 X, as you probably are. Still, it’s a lot of car for the money, whether you go for the EV here or one of the petrol-powered versions.
In another wise move, Citroen offers the e-C4 X with two ‘engine’ options. The car with the lowest price comes with the 2020 car’s original 50kWh battery and a 100kW (134 horsepower if you’re old-school) motor. That keeps costs down. But if you want a top-of-the-range car, that one comes with a newer 54kWh battery and 154 horsepower motor. Not a great deal of difference in range terms, really – about 30-40 miles more between full charges compared to the 200-230-mile range quoted for the smaller battery. But obviously a MAX e-C4 is a slightly quicker e-C4, more on which in the Power section.
Expert rating: 4/5
Reliability of a Citroen e-C4 X
“The previous generation Citroen C4s had a quite dreadful reputation for reliability, but Citroen is forging a much better status these days.”
On one hand, you kind of know what to expect with a Citroen – a little bit of a risk. The previous generation Citroen C4s had a quite dreadful reputation for reliability. That said, Citroen is forging a much better status these days. It was the seventh most reliable manufacturer in a 2024 consumer magazine survey (though What Magazine? that was has slipped our minds), and in the same survey, this e-C4 was the company’s best performing model. Plus, any major issues that the C4 had will have been ironed out for this facelifted model. The electric one in particular should fare okay, what with electric motors being FAR less complicated pieces of equipment than internal combustion equivalents.
Expert rating: 3/5
Safety for a Citroen e-C4 X
“Withholding safety kit for top-spec cars might strike you as a little strange. Because it is a little strange.”
The safety dudes at Euro NCAP crash tested the C4 and e-C4 in 2021 and gave it four stars, which at a glance is a little disappointing – most cars in this class get five-star scores these days. Look a little deeper into the results though, and there’s not too much to worry about. Its adult and child occupant protection scores were good, with its overall score reduced for a relatively poor ‘vulnerable road users’ score. The e-C4 X doesn’t have as many airbags as it could though (nothing running through the centre of the cabin, nor for anyone’s knees), and only top-spec cars get blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control, as well as the ‘Safety Pack Plus'. This includes advanced cyclist detection, speed limit detection and “extended” traffic sign recognition, whatever that means. Withholding safety kit for top-spec cars might strike you as a little strange. Because it is a little strange.
Expert rating: 4/5
How comfortable is the Citroen e-C4 X
“For most people it will feel like a five-star comfort experience. But we’ve knocked a star off because Citroen simply cannot engineer a good-for-all driving position into its cars.”
Given that comfort is the e-C4 X’s primary quality (aside from generally being a bit weird) it might seem unusual this isn’t a five-star score. For most people, it will feel like a five-star comfort experience. But we’ve knocked a star off because Citroen, for whatever reason, simply cannot engineer a good-for-all driving position into its cars. Basically, if you’re tall or long legged, the pedals will be too close or the steering wheel too far away. You’ll never get both things in just the right place. Here’s an idea, Citroen: get a Volkswagen or a BMW, figure out the ratios for the wheel and pedal and seat placement, and just copy those. Nobody will know.
Anyway, it’s a real shame because the actual ride quality of the e-C4 X is exceptional. As are the seats themselves. And they combine to make this thing feel unlike any other mid-level family car. Try to drive it quickly around a corner and the whole thing becomes spongier than the coral reef, but at all other times (which is 95 per cent of the time), this is a supremely comfy thing to be in. And it’s spacious, front and back, so everyone in the thing will feel good
Expert rating: 4/5
Features of the Citroen e-C4 X
“Citroen eschewing the basic spec for the e-C4 X does mean it’s well-equipped, though”
Another defining characteristic of the e-C4 X is that it feels like A LOT of car for the money. More so than the e-C4 hatchback even, because the extra length gives it a greater sense of being a bigger, fancier motor. That said, it has a little less rear headroom than the hatchback because of the sloping design. It’s not the easiest thing to reverse park, either, owing to its long backside and poor rearward visibility. And while the boot is significantly bigger by volume (510 litres compared to 380 in the hatchback), it’s hampered by a shallow opening and its separation from the cabin – you can’t lift the rear glass. If you do regular tip runs or have a drumkit, this isn’t the car for you. Citroen eschewing the basic spec for the e-C4 X does mean it’s well-equipped, though. Loads of kit as standard – a big (quite laggy) touch-screen, wireless phone charging, navigation, chunky alloys, climate control. Save for a couple of nice convenience features, top spec (MAX) is mostly cosmetic upgrades. Mind, it is a bit odd (and frustrating) that blind spot detection is a MAX-only feature. Important safety things like that shouldn’t cost extra, in our opinion.
Expert rating: 4/5
Power for a Citroen e-C4 X
“This isn't a car that rewards enthusiastic driving, so we'd suggest a top-spec e-C4 X isn't the most prudent purchase.”
Citroen offering two distinct drivetrain setups wouldn’t feel that odd if they weren’t so similar on paper: a 50kWh battery and 100kW motor versus a 54kWh battery and 115kW motor. We discussed the battery range difference earlier but, in performance terms, the more powerful one gets to 62mph an eighth of a second quicker. 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds. You may have deciphered, then, that these are not rapid electric cars. They're smooth and... quick enough. That's all. Again, this isn't a car that rewards enthusiastic driving, so unless the extra few miles of range that the bigger battery comes with is a proper deal breaker for you, we'd suggest a top-spec e-C4 X isn't the most prudent purchase.
