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It’s fair to say the Citroen e-C4 X is very much a variation on a theme. It’s an extended, slightly more distinctive version of the e-C4, accommodating a longer rear end in the same wheelbase.
So it has a bigger boot, a slightly better rear cabin space and, in my opinion at least, much tidier proportions.
Both of the above cars are all-electric, and they each present a very strong case for themselves. A claimed 222-mile range, 136bhp, quick charging times and an entry price of just under £32,000 – all in a pretty package.
When the e-C4 X was launched, I took it out on a test drive on a pre-selected rural route, but I’ve not had chance to drive one, and my opinion has changed very little. It’s still competent, comfortable and competitively priced.
Even with an out-of-fashion saloon-style boot on it, the e-C4 X swallows up large loads, and the weekly shop barely makes a dent in its capacious boot.
Taking passengers in the back is every bit as easy as it will be in the hatchback setup of its sibling too, although there’s perhaps slightly less headroom thanks to the sloping roof.
It’s actually a surprisingly big car once you get it out in the open. Not problematically so, but its generous proportions allow for more legroom, and that 510-litre boot, so you can forgive it being slightly trickier to park than earlier Citroen family cars.
Its 136bhp might sound adequate, but this is certainly one of the slower electric cars on the market. I guess you could say that’s a welcome break from the unnecessarily rapid family runabouts that have emerged, but it’s a less welcome departure if you want to sail past a tractor on a B-road.
The e-C4 X also feels less at home on motorways than some of its rivals. It’s a comfortable cruiser, but a few miles in the fast lane sees the energy consumption increase further than you might expect, and the range takes a tumble.
Having said that, while it’s not exactly athletic, the e-C4 X is a remarkable companion on twisty rural stretches. It has a new advanced “Comfort” suspension system, which pairs two hydraulic cushions to the shocks and springs instead of mechanical stops, and it makes for a glorious ride. Not in any way boat-like, but superb on bumpy British roads.
Comfort is quite the theme in the e-C4 X. It’s also been blessed with special seats, which have an extra 15mm layer of special memory foam, and they feel marvellous.
It makes the interior feel like a very nice place to sit, and lifts what is otherwise a fairly monotone cabin with some uninteresting plastics.
That said, the infotainment screen in my test model was superb, and it connected up well to Android Auto. The driver’s display is small and minimalist, but displays everything that’s needed. There’s also a head-up display – the old-fashioned sort, which projects onto a flip-up “screen”. I found this was right in my eye-line, and I couldn’t find a way of dropping it, which was a trifle annoying.
There’s three versions of the e-C4 X, the basic Sense, which starts at £31,995, or the Shine, which is £34,495. Another £500 gets you the Shine Plus, which gives you those sumptuous seats – but, truth be told, the equipment list is generous across the board.
I liked the e-C4 X from the outset. It has an appealing shape, class-leading comfort levels and plenty of practicality.
There are a plethora of credible rivals, including plenty of platform-sharing competitors from the Stellantis stable, but the e-C4 X definitely has enough individuality to stand out.
