Practical experience Citroën ë-C4: owners about their electric car

Based on user reviews on this site, you could say that the latest Citroën C4 is particularly interesting as an electric ë-C4. Thirteen of the sixteen reviews relate to the electric variant, which always comes with a 136 hp electric motor and a 50 kWh battery pack. Later you can read what will become of the 355 km range mentioned by Citroën.

Comfort and handling

It is well known that Citroën drivers are sensitive to comfort, as the brand has built up a strong reputation in that area. Well, the hydropneumatic suspension has not been available for years, but Citroën says it offers an alternative with the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions. In any case, in the electric C4 it is enough for mostly positive reviews. “It drives, as befits a French car, very comfortably,” writes one owner. “The lack of a roaring combustion engine helps, as does the good insulation. I don’t think this version has the hydraulic suspension, but there is still nothing to complain about in that area.”

The electric powertrain therefore contributes to comfort, as another driver also experiences: “The car drives wonderfully and is a world of difference from my previous humming diesel car. The suspension is clearly noticeable, so you can drive the car calmly over bumpy road sections.” This is presumably referring to the PHC dampers.

By the way, should you think that people only compare the car with the comfort of earlier Citroëns? No, other classics are also reviewed. “Big advantages of the Citroen ë-C4 are the silence, the power and the smooth suspension,” writes this driver. “It immediately reminded me of the comfort of a Mercedes 300 d, but with much more power under the hood and much quieter.”

How the car withstands a comparison with an older Citroën? “The suspension comfort is less flexible than I expected, but that may be due to the Continental four-season tires that I have put under it,” writes an owner with a blow to the arm. “I had expected a kind of XM experience with the new suspension system, but this car really has firmer suspension than the Citroëns of the past.”

Of course there is more to say about driving than just the combination of springs and dampers. “Steers really well in the city, but in fast motorway exits the feeling is sometimes a bit off,” writes the owner who used an XM comparison above. “The car floats over the road thanks to its suspension. On the highway, I find the steering feel a bit light and it sometimes seems that you have to correct quite a lot, not disturbing, but present,” notes another owner.

Space and seating comfort

Although the ë-C4 shares its platform with the Peugeot e-208, the Citroën is about 55 centimeters longer. The wheelbase is also considerably larger at 13 centimeters and the trunk with 380 liters has 115 liters more capacity than that of the Peugeot. This results in a considerably more usable car, as this driver describes: “The seats are excellent, even in the back the legroom is generous and the headroom is fine.” However, not everyone is satisfied with the seating comfort. “Although the seats are comfortable, they are still quite low, so that half of your thighs do not rest on the seat (I am 1.82 meters). My 2-metre brother is a little less comfortable and has to put his seat all the way back, which is unfortunately limited due to the child seat behind the co-driver’s seat.”

Infotainment and controls

Where Citroën often developed a complicated operating concept in the past, simplicity is the trump card in the electric C4. “The convenience: instrument panel can be arranged as desired, very clear. The ‘Home’ and ‘Auto’ button are handy, always returning to the basics or the settings of the car,” said an enthusiastic user. He continues: “Point of criticism… I first have to go through a menu for automatic parking, which I think is a shame.”

The digital instruments cannot be set to your own taste in all versions, reports the owner of a basic version, who scores points with his creative translation of the English word ‘underwhelming’: “The infotainment screen is fine, I find the display behind the steering wheel mediocre . Not very excitingly designed and also what can be displayed on it and how that happens is somewhat intoxicating. There is also nothing to adjust in the Live version, except that you can briefly show some driving data.”

Anything but ‘douze points’ scores the Citroën app with which the car can be preheated, among other things. “The app is not entirely problem-free, unfortunately. Often it works flawlessly, sometimes there are connection problems,” writes the owner of the basic version. “Not a positive experience, really downright awful!” says another, “connection often doesn’t work or you have to refresh 5x.”

Consumption and electric range

Experiences vary about the driving range, although there is no one who comes close to the 355 kilometers specified by Citroën. What users do achieve varies widely, with the outside temperature proving to be an important factor.

“In the three months that I have had this car, I have not yet experienced a bottleneck,” writes an economical driver. “Effectively I drive 275 km on a full battery. Now this is not bad in the winter months I think.” That this is certainly not bad is evident from the experience of this driver, among others: “At low temperatures, the range does decrease. Where we could easily make a 230 km trip (on the highway) in the summer, we had to insert a fast charging stop after 160 km on the same stretch in the winter (on the cold Christmas Day of last year).

The way in which the remaining range is shown is not very reliable, several drivers note. One of them: “The predicted range in most Stellantis models remains a thing. You start with 348 km and after 50 km you have lost 100. If you look at the battery percentage, this doesn’t seem to match. It is also true that the longer you drive, the more up-to-date the predicted range becomes. It also decreases less and less quickly.”

Malfunctions and annoyances Citroën ë-C4

The electric Citroën C4 has not been on the market for long, so we still know little about any parts that are subject to excessive wear. Owners report few problems. The only serious issue reported by a driver is a faulty on-board charger. “After switching it on, I suddenly saw that the car would not charge and that the charging station was out of order. Tried at another charging station and at home, it didn’t want to charge there either. The ANWB indicated that the inverter in the car gives an error, the dealer has indicated that it is indeed broken and that it must be replaced.” One car showed unusual behaviour, reports its owner: “After a cold drive in a snow storm, the car would not respond at all the next morning. An hour later that had disappeared like snow in the sun and it has not happened again.”

The electric Citroën C4 seems like a serious offer. Although the promised 355 kilometers are not fulfilled, there are enough users who achieve a decent range. However, the car suffers a lot from the cold, which greatly reduces the driving range. And although the new C4 is not as comfortable as an old, hydropneumatic suspension Citroën, it still offers a smooth driving experience with plenty of room for occupants. For those who find the trunk too small, the Citroën ë-C4 X has recently been launched with a much more spacious trunk, although it is more difficult to load. Those who would like more driving range can now opt for a more powerful, more efficient powertrain.