Citroen E-C4 Any experience?

[Crook]

Hi

I'm trying to get a lease on an electric car primarily for use in London (I live about 30 miles outside) and running about locally.

I'd wanted to get an ID.3 but have suffered at the hands of a lease broker with whom I had a good signed deal on a 150kw that then vanished only to be replaced with the offer of one at £200 more per month...

I still favour the ID.3 despite the varied comments as it has good boot space and looks unfussy externally however the cheaper lease deals are hard to find which has lead me to the Citroen which is fussy looking but I don't dislike it (it's a company car so I don't care that much really) and it has a good boot and the range is enough to last a day of trundling about.

But the question is, is it any good? 0-62 is around 10 seconds (does that matter?) and I have no EV experience or actually getting a new car via the internet.

Any and all helpful advice appreciated, probably worth mentioning budget won't afford a Hyundai or anything else remotely exciting.

Many thanks

[Europa Jon]

I don't know much about the Citroën in question, but don't get obsessed with 0-60 times. Whatever EV you drive these days, the instant torque from standstill makes them very nippy in normal scenarios like traffic light getaways.
Perhaps you could arrange a test drive in one and see what you like & dislike about it.

[Crook]

Thanks for the reply. I was hesitant of going to a dealer to get a test drive knowing I would t be buying one from them.

Good to know on the torque.

[FiF]

You'll find that Stellantis have adjusted to a longer final drive ratio as they have found that drivers in that part of the market care more about range and efficiency than outright acceleration.

I haven't driven an e-C4, but have driven the ICE version. It's a fairly reasonable prospect, I didn't have an issue with the lane keeping system interfering with the steering, but others do find it intrusive. One complaint I did have was that in certain circumstances the 8 speed auto seemed to take too long deciding which gear to be in. I'm assuming with the direct EV drive that issue would completely disappear.

[TooLateForAName]

I think that its the same running gear as the peugeot and the vauxhall and the ds.

0-60 isnt a big deal - I'd still expect the 0-30 to be faster than most ice cars.

[Crook]

Thanks for the comments: I went and had a look at one today and it’s okay . Didn’t drive it but looking at costs and will make a decision once I have those.

[SpeckledJim]

Softly sprung and very comfy. Doesn’t reward any kind of hustle. Some hints of old-fashioned Citroen weirdness. Unimpressive lane-keeping robot thingy. Annoying non-round steering wheel. Small front door aperture. Small-ish boot.

Nice seats with a plush mattress-topper type effect to the covers.

It would need to be very cheap to get the nod over a Kia Niro or quite a few other alternatives.

[Crook]

Sadly the Niro is around 50% more expensive.

The cost equivalent of the Citroen is the Peugeot E-208.

[SpeckledJim]

Crook said:

Sadly the Niro is around 50% more expensive.

The cost equivalent of the Citroen is the Peugeot E-208.

In that case I reckon the nod might be what it gets. It’s not bad at all. 50% is a lot.

[AmitG]

OP - you probably know this, but there is also the e-C4X which is BEV but the back is more elegant compared to the e-C4 (it's a saloon), the boot is bigger and it generally looks a bit less wacky. IMHO it looks really good.

https://www.citroen.co.uk/models/new-e-c4-x.html

Worth a look?

[Crook]

AmitG said:

OP - you probably know this, but there is also the e-C4X which is BEV but the back is more elegant compared to the e-C4 (it's a saloon), the boot is bigger and it generally looks a bit less wacky. IMHO it looks really good.

https://www.citroen.co.uk/models/new-e-c4-x.html

Worth a look?

Thanks for the suggestion - I had a look at one at the dealers and it’s definitely a better looking shape however it’s a boot rather than a hatchback which I need for work stuff.

[MrB.]

The Citroën ëC4 is a cracking car, and I prefer it to the ID.3. I have driven it (and the new ëC4X) many times and featured it on my channel a few times too, and it always impresses me. Its not a dynamic drive, but its all the better for it focussing on comfort and ease of use.

I'd happily recommend one (the 5 door hatch would be my choice) and I think you'd be quite surprised how good they really are.

[Crook]

Thanks, that’s good to hear. I’m still waiting on costs but TBH I’ve made my mind up to get one so it will come down to available colours.

[FiF]

MrB. said:

The Citroën ëC4 is a cracking car, and I prefer it to the ID.3. I have driven it (and the new ëC4X) many times and featured it on my channel a few times too, and it always impresses me. Its not a dynamic drive, but its all the better for it focussing on comfort and ease of use.

I'd happily recommend one (the 5 door hatch would be my choice) and I think you'd be quite surprised how good they really are.

Have followed your channel to give it a try.

I liiked very hard at an E-C4 some time ago but decided against, for same reason as rejecting a C5X, need something that is more of an estate car. Not enamoured of what's currently available.

Now if they did a Polestar2 as a wagon. Hang the cost.

[MrB.]

FiF said:

MrB. said:

The Citroën ëC4 is a cracking car, and I prefer it to the ID.3. I have driven it (and the new ëC4X) many times and featured it on my channel a few times too, and it always impresses me. Its not a dynamic drive, but its all the better for it focussing on comfort and ease of use.

I'd happily recommend one (the 5 door hatch would be my choice) and I think you'd be quite surprised how good they really are.

Have followed your channel to give it a try.

I liiked very hard at an E-C4 some time ago but decided against, for same reason as rejecting a C5X, need something that is more of an estate car. Not enamoured of what's currently available.

Now if they did a Polestar2 as a wagon. Hang the cost.

Thank you for following the channel!

Completely agree on the Polestar 2 as an estate. THAT would be quite a car! Especially if they did one as a BST edition!

[jinba-ittai]

Crook said:

Hi

I'm trying to get a lease on an electric car primarily for use in London (I live about 30 miles outside) and running about locally.

I'd wanted to get an ID.3 but have suffered at the hands of a lease broker with whom I had a good signed deal on a 150kw that then vanished only to be replaced with the offer of one at £200 more per month...

I still favour the ID.3 despite the varied comments as it has good boot space and looks unfussy externally however the cheaper lease deals are hard to find which has lead me to the Citroen which is fussy looking but I don't dislike it (it's a company car so I don't care that much really) and it has a good boot and the range is enough to last a day of trundling about.

But the question is, is it any good? 0-62 is around 10 seconds (does that matter?) and I have no EV experience or actually getting a new car via the internet.

Any and all helpful advice appreciated, probably worth mentioning budget won't afford a Hyundai or anything else remotely exciting.

Many thanks

I've got an e-2008 which has the same battery & motor, and is similarly sized. It's reasonably nippy, 0-60 in under 9, though need to put it in sport mode for this - which I do every time I get in the car as it generally feels much more responsive (and doesn't harm the efficiency, in my experience).

Over the first year I've got 3.7 miles/kwh which is decent given a lot of it has been on the motorway

It wasn't my favourite EV out there by any means, but the deal was too good to pass up. The ones I liked a bit more were 50%+ more per month (which is an even bigger % increase to outgoings when factoring in the cost reductions vs my old ICE car)

Jonny Smith's channel on youtube has a decent test where he compared the Stellantis offerings having lived with each for a while :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqCZjFbzGa8

[jonty88]

Had an e-C4 for 6 months as a temporary car until the I4 M50 arrived.

I had low expectations and as a family we grew quite fond of it as a run around. Very comfy, really well kitted out, decent size. It isn’t going to stir the soul or win any awards for performance - a really good and cost effective tool.

[Icehanger]

My boss has one and quite likes it, the rear spoiler does obliterate a lot of the rear visibility though and having the key in your pocket means it opens automatically when you go anywhere near it, and locks when you walk away. Apart from those things it seems pretty ok and he l;ikes it.
easily beats most things off the line till ~30.

If you're set on an ID3 have you looked at the Cupra Born? same thing just in a sexier dress

[WonkeyDonkey]

AmitG said:

OP - you probably know this, but there is also the e-C4X which is BEV but the back is more elegant compared to the e-C4 (it's a saloon), the boot is bigger and it generally looks a bit less wacky. IMHO it looks really good.

https://www.citroen.co.uk/models/new-e-c4-x.html

Worth a look?

Side tracking a bit but modern websites are absolutely awful.

First I get a pop up about cookies, then a survey about why ive visited the site then another pop up for something about the car....I'm not exactly sure as I just closed the window at that point. Why do so many of them do this?

[Crook]

Thanks for the comments, they're appreciated.

Re ID.3 / Cupra, they're similarly priced from what I've seen and the E-C4 appears to be relatively quite a bit cheaper since the cost increases on the VAG electrics.

It's a car for work / site visits / London and doing the shopping so comfy and relaxed sounds ideal