Citroën ë-C3 – Back to Basics

Citroën ë-C3 You – €24,290

With this article we can also take a first look at the ë-C3 in You trim, because this affordable EV was only shown in the more expensive Max version at its introduction. By the way, we already had that Max for our own camera lens. Compared to the Max, the You is easy to recognize. For example, the entry-level version has no roof rails, no ‘privacy glass’, no LED rear lights (unfortunately we don’t have a picture of those units yet) and no alloy. The wheels are also a size smaller: 16-instead of 17-inch. Under the front and rear bumpers of the Max there is a silver-colored element that Citroën optimistically calls a ‘skid plate’. That is also missing from the You, just like the roof painted in a contrasting color (black or white). In addition, the Citroën ë-C3 You does not have fog lights.

Judging from the photos, the cheerful, interchangeable strips on the C-pillar and in the front bumper also appear to be missing on the You. We don’t know for sure, because there is no official price list yet. We have to make do with the information on the pre-order page and what we already knew, but fortunately that is quite a bit. So we know that LED headlights are indeed standard, which is nice. White will be the standard color, but it cannot be ruled out that the ‘Monte Carlo Blue’ shown can also be ordered at no additional cost. In our opinion, that suits him perfectly. Citroën also saves some money on paint, because unlike the Max, the You does not get a layer of paint on the exterior mirror caps.

In the interior, Citroën demands greater sacrifices from the You buyer. The biggest difference with the Max is that the You has no screen, so you have to make do with a smartphone on a specially fitted holder in the middle. The screen will reportedly be available as an option, so this ‘problem’ can be solved if all goes well. There is no automatic climate control, but fortunately there is air conditioning. The cozy fabric halfway down the dashboard seems to be missing, so that the dashboard actually looks bare and cheaper than that of a Max. Looks and feels, because the steering wheel is also made of plastic.

Citroen C3 You

Citroen C3 Max. Notice the seats, the fabric on the dashboard, the steering wheel, the climate control, the piano lacquer finish and of course the screen.

To elect

What else are we missing when it comes to rock-solid equipment? Well, seating comfort. The driver’s seat of the You is not height adjustable. In addition, the basic C3 does have Citroën’s special Advanced Comfort shock absorbers, but no Advanced Comfort seats. The seats look a lot simpler than those of the Max and are undoubtedly less comfortable. There is another seat-related complication in the rear, because the rear seat backrest cannot be folded down in parts in this version. So it can only be folded in one piece, which means that at Ikea you have to choose between that bookcase and your child. The bookcase then also has to open the windows manually, because there is no electrical operation.

Although the exterior mirrors are fortunately electrically adjustable, there is no heating for the same mirrors. When it rains you have to operate the lever yourself, because there is no rain sensor either. Anyone who actually wants to use the ë-C3 occasionally for a long drive can enjoy the presence of cruise control. An active emergency brake, lane keep assist and the now mandatory speed limit warning are of course also present. Parking sensors too, but not a reversing camera. Although the ë-C3 will logically not be the safest new car on the market, it does offer the 6 airbags as standard that we also find in the Max version.

Equipment overview Citroën ë-C3 You

For an overview, we list what the Citroën ë-C3 You comes as standard not has:

• Front center armrest
• Multimedia screen
• Height-adjustable driver’s seat
• Advanced Comfort Seats
• Electric rear windows
• Automatic climate control
• Reversing camera
• Rain sensor
• Heated exterior mirrors
• Split-folding rear seat
• Light metal
• LED taillights
• Roof rails

And then we also present the highlights of what the Citroën ë-C3 You has as standard well has:

• Advanced Comfort suspension
• Cruise control
• Rear parking sensors
• Active safety braking and lane departure warning
• Traffic Sign Recognition/Driver Attention Alert
• 6 airbags
• Light sensor
• LED headlights

The ë-C3 Max has all the things on the ‘not’ list, but also costs €4,500 extra. Just say it: is that worth it, or is it easy to live with such a You as far as ‘You’ is concerned?

Citroen C3 You

Citroen C3 Max. Note the wheels, the color accents, the roof, the roof rails and the exterior mirrors.

Finally: is €24,790 still a bit too expensive? Then it is good to know that a real basic version will follow in 2025, which will cost less than 20,000 euros. Unlike the You, however, you do make sacrifices in terms of range, because due to a smaller battery, this as yet unnamed version only goes about 200 kilometers.