Citroën ë-C4X – spacious, comfortable and affordable

The Citroën ë-C4X isn’t really a new car, it’s a stretched version of the ë-C4, which we’ve tested on several occasions here at Elbil24. But its huge 25 cm of overhang, among other things, endowed the car with a class-leading trunk space of 510 liters.

In fact, with 460 cm, it is so long that it can be compared to popular cars in the D-segment, such as the Volkswagen id. 4 (458) and the Kia EV6 (468), although they actually belong to a size class below.

X for “co-design”

It is also difficult to say whether this is an SUV, crossover, coupe or sedan. Falling somewhere in between, it can boast, among other things, a floor height of 15.6 cm. Citroën itself refers to it as “cross design,” and there we have the explanation behind the X.

Because it is not an all-wheel drive, as one might think. This is still a car that is only delivered with one electric motor and front-wheel drive.

It is actually more or less identical to the ë-C4, except for the length and associated larger luggage space.

The driveline is the same, which means a 136hp electric motor, a 50kWh gross (46.2kWh net) battery and a WLTP range of 360km. Charging speed is limited to a maximum of 100 kW

Acceleration from zero to 100 is carried out in 9.2 seconds, and the maximum speed is 150 kilometers per hour.

Overall, there’s little here to impress in 2023, and we’re particularly surprised that Citroën is already announcing an engine and battery pack upgrade later this year. We promise slightly better engine performance and about four miles of extra range, which really is just about right.

This was previously announced for other Stellantis cars based on the same platform, eg Opel Mokka Electric And DS 3 electronic time.

At the same time, it is important to note that this is a fairly affordable electric car. The starting price is as low as NOK 354,900, then the new weight tax is included.

Three equipment packages

The basic version is completely stripped of equipment. If you spend NOK 20,000, you’ll get a better-equipped version called the ‘Shine’.

Then you can enjoy keyless entry and start, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, support for automatic upgrade of functions “over the air”, front and rear parking sensors with rear camera and much more.

The top version of the “Shine Pack” costs NOK 388,900 and here the faux leather has been swapped out in favor of velvety Alcantara, you get cloth floor mats for the front and back, and the car supports Level 2 self-driving.

Thus, you get an electric car with functionality that is in no way inferior to competing electric cars at around NOK 400,000.

Note that more can still be worn. A sunroof, improved sound system and heated windshield will bring the car to barely 400,000 kronor – and then you can still add a few extra kronor to the paintwork and advanced seats with massages.

Plenty of space in the back, but no support for trailers

In this price range there are also few that can fit in the 510-liter luggage space, but the utility would certainly have been better if the car had a large tailgate instead of a classic boot lid.

And then we have to highlight another attraction: the car is not certified for trailer weight. Any additional luggage may have to be carried on the roof, but weight is limited here to 75kg, as it is in most other cars.

If these are limitations to live with, there’s a lot to like.

Comfortable to last

The interior, comfort and technology solutions in the Shine and Shine package can fit very well into expensive cars without us feeling messed up for this reason.

The seats have been upgraded since we tested the ë-C4 and they’re very comfortable, with a number of adjustment options (Shine and Shine Pack).

The cabin is spacious and has a good view on all sides. The legroom in the back and the headroom are good enough for two adults of 180cm in height to sit comfortably. There are also charging sockets on the back for mobile phones and tablets.

On the front passenger side there is a smart tablet solution, which we showed earlier in this video:

In terms of driving, there’s also a lot to like. You sit comfortably and relatively high, and the noise level while driving is very low. The 10-inch wide screen in the center is positioned high, and can be viewed without losing touch with the road and traffic, which is definitely a big plus.

Also note that the infotainment system has been upgraded since last time, and is now on par with our expectations in 2023 – among other things, show several sources at once. You get an impression of the operation and response in the video above.

The car is easy enough to use, with a reasonable selection of logically placed buttons and levers. It’s a far cry from a rocket here, however, and the additional powers announced in the upcoming updated version are certainly welcome.

Even in Sport mode, there’s a bit of sportiness to track, and that can be seen when we give a little extra gas on the winding roads in the mountains north of Madrid. It’s not stuck on the road, so to speak – and we get confirmation that this is a car designed primarily for comfortable A-to-B transport – without too many twists and turns along the way.

It seems to deliver what it promises in the range

We couldn’t do a proper range test during the test drive, but after 153 kilometers, the battery capacity remained at 59 percent. The meter built into the car reported an average consumption of 1.53 kWh per mileage.

The temperature was mostly between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius and the roads were dry. Thus, the declared range of 360 kilometers should definitely be achievable, also in typical Norwegian spring and autumn days.

Initial conclusion

The Citroën ë-C4X appears to be a safe and spacious electric car. It’s very comfortable, and you feel like you’re getting a lot of space and quality for the money.

Whether it will become a big seller in this country is unlikely anyway. The competition is great, and many competitors offer better performance and range for around the same price, including newcomers like the BYD Atto 3 and MG4. However, it can’t match the ë-C4X’s luggage space, which currently appears to be the model’s strongest card.

We will of course come back with a full kit and a shipping test when the car arrives in Norway. This most likely happens after all the snow is gone after the winter. The version with better engine performance and a larger battery is expected a bit later.