The new Citroen e-C4 represents a big step towards an electric future. While also offered in petrol and diesel guises, the e-C4 claims a 217-mile range.

Citroen is no stranger to electrification despite the e-C4 being its first in-house mass-produced EV. There was once a prototype Citroen AX Electric, and let’s not forget the C-Zero collaboration with Mitsubishi. Abroad the French marque also offers the quirky E-Mehari and Ami quadricycle. However, the e-C4 is for the masses, and aims to play a vital part in Citroen’s electric journey.

Before we talk electric, let’s commend Citroen for not forcing everyone down that route. At this point in time an EV isn’t for everyone due to range, infrastructure and lack of overnight charging for many. The all-new C4 is offered as a petrol and diesel car, with the e-C4 effectively becoming an engine option. Normalising an electric powertrain is a big step towards Joe Blogs considering a switch.

It looks pretty funky, doesn’t it? The e-C4 is practically identical to its combustion siblings, hosting a design that blurs the lines between hatchback and SUV. Yes, it has that desirable raised driving position, but it retains the compact proportions of a family hatch. Customisation is high on the agenda with up to 31 different colour and trim combinations up for grabs. There’s also a smart set of 18-inch alloy wheel as standard on this electric model.

It’s a really distinctive car, with lots of dynamic design producing a shapely machine. Dimples and curves fill the silhouette, and Citroen’s Airbumps return as a nod to the departed Cactus. The latest incarnation of Citroen’s family face now stretches the width of this car and features some rather avant-garde lighting signatures in a ‘V’ formation. Its rear-end, complete with coupe-esque roofline, is a stout affair and far more reminiscent of an SUV. Additional interesting illuminations have been applied, but you might also notice a few design nods to Citroens of the past such as its GS and Xsara.

The cabin is full of interesting textured surfaces and provides a refreshingly different space to what is offered in more humdrum rivals. Perceived quality is quite high with materials being predominantly soft to the touch, while harder plastics are reserved for lower portions of the cabin. A low central console that divides front occupants accentuates a sense of space, as does the overall minimalistic design.

The focal point of the cabin is a standard 10-inch touchscreen display that absorbs much of the traditional switchgear. This screen is a great size and far easier to use on the move than the 7-inch offerings of the past. Citroen’s user interface is still a bit cluttered, but it is responsive and also compatible with Apple CarPlay. Another nice tech trait is the option of a deployable iPad/other generic tablet holder. It ejects above the glovebox for the passenger and is perfect for in-car entertainment over long journeys.

Space in the second row is said to be class leading with plenty of head and leg room on offer for adults. Even the middle passenger has a very minimal hump in the floor meaning that the central seat can serve as a reasonable comfortable spot for a third passenger.

Thanks to the new C4 being designed as an EV from day one, none of its electrical gubbins eats into boot space. A nice wide aperture makes loading easy, and 380-litres of space actually makes it 5-litres larger than the boot of a Ford Focus.

Powering the e-C4 is a 134bhp electric motor that also delivers some 260Nm of torque. A 50kWh battery lives in the belly of this car and can be charged from 0-80% in as little as 30 minutes via a 100kW fast charge. A more common 11kW charge will juice the car in around 5 hours.

Heading through the bustling city of Coventry, the e-C4 was in its element. Stop/start traffic and opportunistic gaps at roundabouts were all taken in its stride thanks to the instantaneous torque electric cars deliver. It’s not calibrated like a Tesla to snap the neck of your passengers, instead a more conservative approach provides nice linear acceleration with enough punch to do battle in the city. 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds doesn’t sound brisk, but its response to the throttle would have you believe it was a bit quicker.

Visibility is pretty good out of its big windows, however, the rear view is narrow and obscured by that lip on the boot. The car does come with a reversing camera, but it is not of a particularly high resolution. Thankfully parking the car isn’t too tricky thanks to predictable proportions and light steering.

Moving onto freer flowing roads, the zen-like atmosphere that electric cars create forms the basis for a soothing drive. The lack of noise or vibration from an engine means that the most audible part of its drive is some wind and road noise. Citroen wants part of its new renascence to be about comfort, and so engineers have worked hard to try and achieve this. It is safe to say they have succeeded with the ride being capable of soaking up the rutted surfaces our rough British roads provide. It’s supple and isolates the cabin from the worst of impacts with potholes. Even the spongey seats are engineered to help cushion occupants further.

A supple ride does come at the cost of composure when rounding fast bends, though. There’s plenty of reassuring grip, but there’s also body roll in equal measure. To be fair, the e-C4 is less susceptible to this due to its centre of gravity being lower than the petrol or diesel car, but it’s still notable. The kings of engaging drives in this class needn’t worry about the Citroen as its light steering is also lacking feedback.

Our brief first drive of the Citroen e-C4 reveals a vehicle with a clear set of priorities. Comfort is top of the billing – a quest the new car largely succeeds in – and its 217-mile range also makes this EV a realistic alternative to your current combustion family hatchback. Characterful design allows it to stand out in a largely conservative class, something that will appeal to the fashion-conscious car buyer.

Overall the e-C4 is a rather likeable EV that’s well-equipped and doesn’t cost the Earth, starting at £32,180. This was a very early opportunity to drive a left-hand drive preproduction car, and so a more complete verdict will have to wait until 2021, but the forecast is pretty good for the e-C4.

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