Citroen e-C4 X SUV (2022 - ) Electric review

Given the battery represents a huge chunk of the cost of an electric car Citroen’s deliberate choice to use a smaller one than most rivals helps pricing. Decent efficiency means it still offers enough range as well, the fact it requires less time and energy to charge than some rivals keeping faff and running costs down, too. The price is a little higher than the e-C4 on which it is based but you are getting more car for the money against this and other electric alternatives at this price point, though it’s pushed hard on this by the related Peugeot e-2008. Given the increasing costs of energy for charging at home and on the public network this is all welcome news, and the e-C4 X looks like a very attractive package in terms of both purchase and finance costs, as well as how much it will cost to live with.

At the time of writing the e-C4 X is too new to the market to make meaningful assessments of its reliability but the reputation of the wider Stellantis group of which Citroen is now part, and the shared technology with brands within it like Vauxhall and Peugeot, is all encouraging. A pity then this isn’t sweetened further by a longer warranty like those offered by Kia, GWM Ora or Hyundai but we’ll have to hope that isn’t a theory that will need testing.

The safety tech on the base trim level is pretty good and has most of the driver assistance systems you’d want, though the fact you only get parking sensors rather than the rear-view camera on the rest of the range is a worry given how little you can see out of the back. By the time you get to the mid-level trim most people will be choosing the technology steps up a gear, with more sophisticated automatic braking capable of detecting cyclists and other vulnerable road users after dark and assisted driving on the motorway. Having tried it we’d say it’s a useful back-up but not something to depend on, given the way it pinballs between the white lines as it attempts to keep you in lane and seems a little inconsistent in when it will intervene and won’t.

Citroen has reclaimed comfort as one of its core values in recent times, and everything from the mechanical bits in the suspension to the type of foam used in the seats is intended to soothe and relax. Under the Active Comfort branding, it’s good to see these features are standard on all models, too. It’s a perfect combination with the silent electric propulsion as well, the e-C4X wafting along with only the slightest of interference from sharper bumps. This plushness does mean it rolls around in the corners more than its more conventional rivals, though credit due to Citroen for maintaining body control in these situations to ensure nobody suffers sea sickness on lumpier roads. The extended body, saloon-like profile and bigger boot are claimed as selling points over the closely related C4 and, indeed, more conventional rivals. And it’s true you can fit tons of luggage in. But it’s not perfect, the shallow saloon-like boot opening less practical than a conventional hatchback while the sloping roofline limits headroom in the rear and there’s a bit of a lump in the middle of the floor meaning the centre passenger gets a raw deal on foot space.

In the usual way Citroen offers a token cheaper trim to nail the attention-grabbing starting price, the reality being most buyers will likely pay a little extra each month to get the equipment they really want. This includes extended functionality for the 10-inch central touch-screen to include Citroen’s app-integrated connected features, built-in navigation and various other features integrated into the My Citroen Drive Plus subscription, which is free for the first three years. Without that you’re left to rely on your phone apps via Android Auto or Carplay on the base model, which isn’t a disaster but does rather miss out on the full range of possibilities. Whichever you go for the screen is reasonably easy to operate, though the graphics can be a little fiddly and it sometimes takes a couple of failed swipes to stir it into action, which is annoying. We did appreciate the retention of physical rotary knobs for things like volume and heating, meaning you can easily operate them without taking your eyes off the road.

With a modest sounding 136 horsepower the e-C4X won’t be setting any pants on fire with its performance, though the smaller battery means it’s lighter than many rivals and helps offset that. Like any electric car it picks up smartly and silently off the line and is more than quick enough to keep pace in traffic but demand more of it for overtakes or other situations where you need a burst of acceleration and you may be left wanting. This more relaxed nature suits the comfort-oriented vibe of the Citroen, though, and the pay-off was impressive efficiency (measured in the number of miles you get for each kWh of energy in the battery) even on an enthusiastically driven mix of motorway and twisty backroads where EVs don’t usually shine. At the figures we were getting we’d be happy committing to 170 miles or so between charges on longer journeys, which is some way short of the official 222 miles but enough that you’ll probably be wanting to stop for a coffee and comfort break anyway by the time you need to plug in. When you do that you’ll be annoyed if you didn’t pay the supplement for faster 11kW AC charging, the standard 7.4kW fine for home but a bit slow if the public point you’re using requires you to use your own cable.