Citroen e-C4 X Review & Prices

The Citroen e-C4 X is an electric car that doesn’t fit easily into one category. Like the petrol-powered C4 X, it’s quite an unusual combination of traits, merging the high ride height of an SUV, the silhouette of a coupe, the price tag of a small hatchback and the saloon boot of, well, a saloon.

It’s a bit like an old cottage that’s been refurbished, adapted, built on and extended until there’s not much of the original left - while the e-C4 X is related to the regular Citroen C4 hatchback, it’s a very different proposition.

The e-C4 X, like the rest of the Citroen C4 range, got a mid-life facelift in 2024. The most noticeable change is to the front-end styling, which is much sleeker than it was before and features multi-level LED daytime running lights and narrow LED headlights. Though it’s not exactly handsome, it’s distinctive, and from the rear three quarter it’s almost elegant. Citroen’s new, much larger badge leaves you with no confusion about what brand it’s from.

As an electric family car, there are a lot of excellent alternatives to the Citroen e-C4 X that you might be considering. Budget offerings such as the MG4 or great electric SUVs such as the Kia EV3 spring to mind, but finding a direct alternative isn’t easy because of the Citroen’s unique silhouette. Other electric saloons on sale tend to be more luxurious offerings such as the BMW i5, though the Tesla Model 3 is a good-value alternative.

Inside, the e-C4 X is very similar to the rest of the C4 family. Since the 2024 facelift, it gets a new, posher infotainment screen and higher-quality digital dial display, but the bones of the cabin are the same - which means you get plenty of physical switchgear for ease of use, a simple and quite classy design and surprisingly good build quality for such a cheap car.

Space for passengers is nearly identical, with rear seats that are just slightly reclined from the C4 hatch, but the boot is totally different. At 510 litres in capacity, it’s massive, but being a saloon car with a fixed rear window you lack flexibility for carrying larger items.

The e-C4 X is fitted with Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ suspension, which has clever hydraulic elements. All you really need to know is that it deals with lumps and bumps in the road very well, taking the edge off speed humps and potholes in a way that most cheap cars don’t.

There are two battery and motor combinations available for the Citroen e-C4 X, linked to the trim level you select. Base-model Plus variants (the even cheaper ‘You!’ model available on the standard C4 isn’t an option here) get a less powerful motor and a battery capable of up to 221 miles between charges (officially).

Meanwhile, the top-spec Max model gets a larger battery and more powerful electric motor, good for up to 262 miles between charges and with improved performance.

Both models are as smooth and quiet to drive as all electric cars, but while they’re nippy enough around town you don’t ever really feel a surge of acceleration like you do in a Tesla Model 3.

Combined with the e-C4 X’s soft suspension, this is a car better suited to relaxing drives rather than extracting every drop of performance down a back road.

If all this sounds good, check out our best Citroen e-C4 X deals. You can also see other great Citroen deals, or if you’re buying secondhand, find a used Citroen e-C4 X for sale or see other used Citroen cars for sale. And remember that Carwow can even help you to sell your old car when the time comes.

With prices starting at just over £27,00 the Citroen e-C4 X is impressive value for what’s actually quite a large car. It’s comparable in price to models like the much smaller MG4, BYD Dolphin or Vauxhall Corsa Electric. And it’s not as if it’s particularly poorly-equipped for that price, with even the Plus model getting a 10.0-inch touchscreen with built-in sat-nav, LED headlights, climate control, a 360-degree camera and wireless smartphone connectivity plus a wireless phone charger.

Stepping up to Max trim brings you heated front seats and steering wheel plus some extra driver assistance kit. A nice touch is that you get the same alloy wheels between both models, so there’s no visual clue that you’ve gone for the cheaper model.

The Citroen e-C4 X is incredibly quiet and comfortable, but it’s not particularly thrilling on a twisty road

In town

The Citroen e-C4 X feels quite large but at no point is it intimidating to drive around town. The light steering is welcome here and it means that navigating narrow streets is easy enough.

You have a choice of three drive modes: Sport, Normal and Eco. Even in normal the motors can be quite slow to pick up the pace, which takes some getting used to when darting into a gap in traffic. Eco is lethargic and should only be used when you really need to eke out some extra range. Sport does sharpen up responsiveness, but feels antithetical to the car’s character. Opting for the more powerful motor gives you a little more get-up-and-go, but not much.

Rear visibility is okay, but the chunky pillars do limit the view over your shoulder somewhat. It’s an improvement over the regular e-C4, though, and the raised driving position gives you a good view of the road ahead, even if you do sit lower than in most traditional SUVs.

We found the brakes a bit too light, though. Slightly firmer resistance would make it easier to come to a smooth halt. And if you’re a bit too eager with the pedal the soft suspension makes the car lurch forward slightly as you stop.

Entry-level models get a standard safety pack with active braking, lane-keep assist and forward collision, but Shine and Shine Plus get some more advanced active braking tech and extended traffic sign recognition.

On the motorway

Once again, that Advanced Comfort Suspension comes into its own. At higher speeds you find the car just rolls with the road and is rarely upset by broken Tarmac. If we’re being overly critical, that floating sensation can make it feel like the car is never really settled, but it’s easy to forgive for a generally relaxing drive.

The lazy electric motors can mean that accelerating out to overtake middle lane hoggers can take a bit more throttle pedal than you might expect from an electric car. If you like your EVs punchy the e-C4 X might disappoint, but this is in-keeping with its ‘relaxing spa day’ driving experience. Perhaps consider the (bigger, more expensive) Tesla Model Y if you want your EV to pack a bit more punch.

On a twisty road

With all that talk of prioritising comfort it’s perhaps no surprise to learn that the e-C4 X doesn’t feel particularly at home when driving enthusiastically down a winding country road. The light steering that makes town driving easy is its undoing here, because there’s so little feedback it’s hard to judge your inputs nor have confidence in the front end’s grip.

There’s also a bit of lean mid corner, but actually not as much as you’re expecting considering the suspension can be tempted to wallow about at lower speeds from time to time. Regardless, this is a car that’s happier being the tortoise than the hare.

Boot space is impressive but the saloon-like opening could make it tricky to load larger items

The first thing you’ll probably notice when jumping into the e-C4 X is the comfortable seats, particularly with the Alcantara upholstery found in top-spec models. They’re perhaps closer to squishy armchairs than your average car seat.

The driving position takes some getting used to – we would have liked the wheel to adjust higher, for example – but otherwise it feels pretty spacious.

Between the passengers is an arm rest with a spacious cubby hole beneath, ahead of which sit a pair of cup holders with a slidable cover, another storage area, and a shelf for your phone. This is flanked by USB charging ports but also acts as the wireless charging pad, the latter of which is a £150 option exclusively for Shine Plus models, unfortunately.

Space in the back seats

Space in the back is generally good. There’s loads of legroom, with a six-foot passenger able to sit behind a six-foot driver without their legs touching the seat in front. Headroom is okay; not massive but enough for most to avoid rubbing their head on the roof. Your thighs should be pretty well supported by the seat, too.

Citroen reckons you should be able to fit three in the back but we’d suggest you’d have to be on very good terms as it would be a tight squeeze. One best left to short journeys, probably. The centre seat is a little raised and there’s a lip in the floor, so headroom is less impressive and you’ll be fighting for foot space with those either side.

Boot space

One of the e-C4 X’s key selling points is its capacious boot. At 510 litres it’s not only comfortably bigger than the 380 litres found in the regular e-C4, there’s also more space than any alternatives you might consider.

Its closest competitor is the Kia Niro EV, which has 475 litres, while the Renault Megane E-Tech gets 440 litres. The ID3 has 385 litres, while the MG4 props up the table at 363 litres, so if space is key you might have to walk away from the budget-friendly option.

With all that being said, the saloon-like entry to the boot is its biggest let down. It’s not the widest aperture, so if you have a large item you might need to get creative to squeeze it in and really maximise the space. There’s also a bit of a lip, so you’ll have to reach in and lift heavier items.

On the plus side, there’s handy cable storage so you won’t lose any of that space in order to take charging cables around with you.

Upmarket feeling for the price, but not exactly exciting to look at

Citroen is straddling the line between mainstream and posh with the e-C4. There are plenty of squishy materials that give a hint of premium, which is good when you consider the price.

It’s let down in a few areas, such as the digital instrument display behind the wheel. It’s fine at displaying all your basic information, but doesn’t use the full real estate on offer and ends up looking a bit cheap and basic. Especially with the chunky plastic that surrounds it.

The same can’t be said for the central infotainment display. All models get a 10.0-inch screen,and wireless smartphone connectivity is standard so even if you don't think much of Citroen's interface you can still bypass it with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Using the menus outside of the obvious radio and navigation systems isn’t always intuitive. Finding your way into deeper menus and settings can be pretty frustrating. That said, the high-resolution screen is easy to read with bright colours and is quick to respond to inputs, even if there’s occasionally a small lag as the graphics play catch up.

The steering wheel-mounted buttons are just that: actual buttons. It’s funny how refreshing it is to have some back-to-basics buttons that just work, instead of the unintuitive, touch-sensitive swipe/slide/prod shenanigans that are commonplace now.

Though there are two electric motor and battery options, unfortunately there’s no option for those who want to go big on range. The e-C4X’s 50kWh battery offers an official 221 miles between charges, which is lower than most alternatives. Opt for the bigger, 54kWh battery and range jumps to 262 miles.

For context, the MG4 is closest, with a maximum range of 281 miles from its pricier big battery version, while official figures suggest 340 miles is possible from long-range ID3 models. Even the Volkswagen’s entry-level 58kWh battery will take you 260 miles, though the e-C4X costs less and has similar range to the smaller of the two batteries fitted to the MG4.

Citroen has decided to stick with smaller batteries that use less materials, are cheaper to make and result in lighter cars – and how often does the average person travel over 200 miles in one hit? There’s sound logic, but you couldn’t be blamed for looking at options that will go further for around the same cash.

In reality, the 54kWh battery is the one to go for. The 50kWh battery comes with a less efficient electric motor, which means real-world range is limited to about 140 miles - less on the motorway or in winter. The bigger battery is more efficient and is capable of over 200 miles on a charge.

All models get a Type 2 Mode 3 charging cable included – you can upgrade to an 11kW cable for £300 – and a full charge at a 7kW home wallbox should take about seven and a half hours. With a maximum charge rate of 100kW at public chargers, 0-80% should take about half an hour, though like the range, this maximum charge rate is lower than you’ll see in other models.

Driver assistance systems aren't up to the levels of the more expensive electric cars, but it’s fairly comprehensive, including active safety braking, which can help slow the car to avoid or mitigate the results of a crash, as well as lane keep assist, lane departure detection, forward collision warning and driver attention alert.

Step up to the Max model and you get some more advanced kit. The active braking system only uses video detection in the standard setup, but here it’s assisted by radar and includes night-time and cyclist detection. You also get an extended version of the traffic sign recognition system found on base cars.

Reliability signs for the e-C4 X look promising. Citroen was one of the top 5 most reliable car brands in the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, and the pre-facelift C4 range came top of the 2023 survey overall.

There are few areas of concern, and the car's electric systems are all well proven in other Stellantis group cars - though some owners do report issues with the infotainment and driving displays.