The new Citroën C4 raises questions. What does it actually say here? Is it a coupé or a crossover? Or maybe a coupe and crossover crossover? In any case, Citroën’s classic idiosyncrasy seems to be back and we can only applaud that. And oh yes, the C4 is now also available in an electric version, the ë-C4.
The C4 certainly stands out. The rear side windows are reminiscent of legendary Citroëns of yesteryear, the spoiler that divides the rear window in two, refers to the less legendary (three-door version of the) first generation C4. The rear lights are a wild mix of lines and flow into the spoiler. At the front we see similarities with more current Citroën models. Pay particular attention to the way in which the Double Chevron is part of the decorative strips, which in turn run away as LED lighting. It is a daring whole and that is exactly what makes this C4 so much fun to watch. Even the name is a bit crazy, because why call it e-C4 when it can be ë-C4? You can see that this is an electric C4, not only from the nameplates, but also from the frames of the fog lamps, which are blue on the ë-C4. The same color is reflected in the sills and in two decorative panels in the front doors.
Nice compromise
The advantage of that longer wheelbase is mainly in the interior space, especially in the rear seat. Even the C4’s headroom is not that bad despite the sloping roofline, but the legroom there is really good. The trunk is also at 380 liters on the average level of the C-segment. The dashboard is a nice compromise between tranquility and extravagance. The clocks consist of a fairly small, trapezoidal screen, which is slightly forward and thus framed by backlight. It is fairly simple and sober in terms of the layout, which you can put together yourself by means of a few presets. Above it is a head-up display with the most essential information. A nice wide infotainment screen adorns the center console. Almost everything can be operated with this, but we are especially pleased that Citroën has also added physical buttons for the most essential things. The indoor temperature and volume of the music can be set the old-fashioned hands-on, instead of swiping and scrolling through all kinds of menus. There are two USB connections on the center console, a classic and a USB-C. The C4 does not have a poker, you can choose between P, D, R and N with an aluminum knob, so that the center tunnel has remained almost flat. Next to it are buttons for the driving modes (Eco, Sport and Normal) and a button to switch from D to B, whereby the regenerative braking is somewhat reinforced. A remarkable detail on the dashboard is the drawer above the glove compartment. It offers space for a tablet, but there is also an extendable holder for that tablet, so you can watch movies on the go. An extra smart detail is that the cover that fits in the holder is provided with a foil that prevents the driver from viewing. Safe in traffic and for those who sometimes enjoy movies that you would rather not let your partner know you are watching. The seats have somewhat short seats, but are otherwise very pleasant. Citroën has pulled out neat materials. A downside is that the rear view is rather obstructed by the thick rear spoiler. As a result, there was also no room for a wiper, which means that that little bit of visibility in bad weather quickly diminishes further.
Silky soft
Citroën naturally has a reputation to uphold when it comes to comfort and this new C4 does that with verve. The hydropneumatic suspension may have disappeared in the history books, with a kind of hydraulic damping cushions that previously debuted in the Cactus, Citroën still manages to live up to that proverbial floating carpet feeling. The C4 feels silky soft and even moderate or even bad road surface does not get the chassis crazy. At the same time, the car feels neither dull nor cloudy. The steering is very light and quite distant, but that actually suits the character and comfort of this car very well. What also contributes to this is that it remains nice and quiet on board. Of course, this is mainly due to the lack of a combustion engine, but also wind noise and rolling noises from the tires are well kept out. Despite the light steering, the car listens to the reins with sufficient precision. With its 136 hp and 260 Nm, the electric motor is spacious for a car like the C4. It is not one of those EVs that drive cars with a combustion engine into the head and the 10.1 seconds that we clocked (cold, wet road) from 0 to 100 km / h is not very impressive for an electric car, but intermediate sprints the engine is lively and alert enough.
It will not have escaped you from the photos that this test took place under winter conditions and that has an impact on the performance of the battery. Citroen optimistically promises that you can make a journey of more than 300 kilometers with a full battery, but the remaining range shrank significantly faster than the mileage at low temperatures. Moreover, that is not exactly linear, so you are forced to keep a substantial reserve and that again means frequently standing at the charging station or fast charger. Charging on AC power takes place with a maximum of 11 kW, while the fast charger on DC power takes the cars in up to 100 kW. The car has its charging connection on the left rear screen, so you can reverse parking in tight places without too much fiddling with the charging cable.