Citroen e-C4 X review: Sleek saloon is comfortable in its own skin

I've got an odd relationship with the E-C4 - the electric version of Citroen’s quirky no-quite-an-SUV, not-quite-a-hatchback family car. 

The first example I drove sent me mad with appalling consumption and woefully inaccurate range predicting - issues with early cars I was assured were being fixed. The next time, I experienced something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, becoming one with the car as we battled bad organisation and broken/busy charging infrastructure on the tough NC500 leg of the inaugural EV rally of Scotland.

So is the third time a charm? 

This time around, I’ve been driving the sleek new e-C4 X body style in favourable weather and featuring fixes to address the range inconsistencies.

The X in the name signifies that this is the saloon-bodied version of the e-C4, launched XX after the regular hatchback. Citroen says it designed the second body style to offer an alternative to the sea of hatchbacks and SUVs that dominate the roads, combining 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”.

It definitely has a more elegant shape. While the front end is shared by both models, from the B-pillar backwards, the X goes its own way with a smooth, sweeping roofline that dives down to the tailgate with its subtly upturned edge. It’s simpler and neater than the slightly truncated and overly-busy back of the hatchback. It’s longer as well - with an extra 24cm of bodywork giving the car more pleasing proportions.

The two version’s wheelbases are the same, so all the extra length means the saloon has a bigger boot - 510 litres to the hatch’s 380. Which is great on paper but not so brilliant in practice. It’s a big space and, weirdly, you can still fold the rear seats down to enlarge it further. That means it's possible to fit a 26-inch mountain bike in there but it's made so much more awkward by the car’s shape and the relatively narrow opening. Things would have worked better if it had been built as a fastback with a full lift tailgate. 

Ahead of that big, awkward boot, the e-C4 X is largely the same as the hatchback. There’s a smidgen less rear headroom but still class-leading legroom and a very determined focus on comfort, with squishy yet supportive Advance Comfort seats and excellent noise insulation. 

The design of the interior is slightly drab, with blue flashes on the doors the only highlights among a lot of black plastic. To emphasise the comfort focus, most of the interior materials have a pleasing soft-touch feel and decent quality but it’s not the most attractive or inventive cabin design. 

On the road, the unashamed focus on comfort means this relatively low machine leans and rolls more than some far larger and taller SUVs I've driven recently but that does mean it rides brilliantly across the UK's crumbling roads. It's not quite a match for the larger C5 X but still more comfortable than anything else of a similar size and price. 

Just before my test car arrived, Citroen announced it was adding a more powerful battery and motor combination to the e-C4 and e-C4 X range. My car, however, was still fitted with the 50kWh and 134bhp arrangement, which makes for steady rather than scintillating progress. It’s nippy enough around town as long as it’s not in power-limiting eco mode but on the open road 0-62mph takes a languorous 10 seconds. 

Officially, the e-C4 X will do 221 miles on a charge and with decent weather and familiar roads I was happy enough with its abilities to get close to the 200 or so miles of predicted range. Compared with similarly priced alternatives, many of which will manage 250 miles with ease, that’s still not great but it is enough for most daily use and 100kW charging will add 80% in half an hour if you’re in a rush. 

If you fancy a bit more power and range, the new powertrain option is the same 54kWh/154bhp arrangement offered in the Jeep Avenger and a number of other Stellantis group cars. It boosts range in the Citroen to 260 miles.

That arrangement is only available in top-spec e-Series cars, where it costs less than £1,000 more than the 50kWh version. However, the smaller battery and motor remain standard across the rest of the range, where prices start from £31,995 - identical to the hatchback variant.  

That places it against models such as the Ora Funky Cat (worse range, less space) Renault Zoe (better range, a lot less space), MG 4 (better range, similar space) and entry-level Kia Soul Urban (worse range, similar space). The high-spec Shine verison I drove with options including leather massage seats was £36,000, putting it close to the bigger, longer range Kia Niro EV and BYD Atto 3, VW ID.3 and Cupra Born among others. 

Those cars offer a more complete package than the e-C4 X but the Citroen still manages to be a spacious and, above all, comfortable option for drivers looking for something a little more unusual. And after three attempts it's finally won me round.

Citroen e-C4 X Shine

• Price: £34,995 (£36,640 as tested)
• Motor: Single 100kW 
• Battery: 50kWh
• Power: 134bhp
• Torque: 192lv ft
• Transmission: Single-speed, front-wheel-drive
• Top speed: 93mph
• 0-62mph: 10 seconds
• Range: 221 miles
• Consumption: n/a
• Charging: up to 100kW

Rivals: Volkswagen ID.3, Cupra Born, Renault Zoe, MG 4, Kia Niro EV