This latest addition to the French carmaker’s lineup is the only European electric car that’s Category A-friendly, but will it be enough to sway car buyers?

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Photos: Muhammad Mu’tasim

SINGAPORE

Citroën is no stranger to controversial design. In its 105 year-long history, the carmaker’s flair for the dramatic has almost always left journalists and critics divided in opinion.

Whether it’s the Little Tikes-esque Ami electric car or the blobby C4 Cactus, they offer rather unique left-field alternatives to consumers who are looking for something with a certain je ne sais quoi.

And it’s certainly no different with the new ë-C4 X Electric.

Exterior

Just like the ë-C4 hatch, this electric saloon features unconventional curves and lines that look more at home in a Picasso art gallery than on a car. Elements like protruding wheel arches, Airbump plastic cladding, and double-stacked LED headlights all give the ë-C4 X a very distinct, if a bit polarising, personality.

This being a proper saloon, it gains a slightly more traditional three-box silhouette to accommodate a generous 510-litre boot – a full 130 litres more than its hatchback sibling. Do not be deceived by its sleek fastback-style rump, however. The bootlid opens up like on any other normal saloon car.

Other nifty features include a full-LED arrangement for the tail lights, ë badges mounted on the front doors, and various double-chevron design motifs scattered around the vehicle.

It’s not exactly a Pininfarina masterpiece, but it’s certainly a look that will stand out from the usual generic ho-hum commuter cars that can be seen puttering around our roads.

Interior

Jumping inside, the ë-C4 X Electric provides a very comfortable cabin experience that, once more, goes against the grain. Its fabric Advanced Comfort Seats are soft yet supportive, and even has contrast upholstery for added visual pizzazz.

The carmaker’s also proud of the fact that they recline up to 27º more than on the hatch, which may seem insignificant, but does wonders when you just want to catch a quick snooze in comfort (while stationary, of course).

Comfort is assured for the rear passengers too, with gobs of space for three full-size adults and AC blowers for much-needed cooling.

Citroën has wisely opted to go for the physical switchgear route, which means core functions like the HVAC, audio, and digital instrument cluster settings can be accessed by pushing well-damped buttons found around the dash or on the steering wheel.

Even the head-up display features physical switches for adjustment just above where the driver’s knees are, instead of relying on soft-key settings.

You can also go through infotainment options via a 10-inch central touch display, which runs My Citroën Play. It’s hardly the most intuitive system out there, if we’re being frank. Some swiping gestures are not made explicitly clear, making the process of navigating around the interface rather frustrating.

All’s not lost though. The system plays ball with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, offering wireless connectivity for both platforms. Speaking of which, there are both USB Type A and Type C ports available in the ë-C4 X, along with a wireless charging pad.

Curiously enough, a separate compartment slides open above the glovebox to reveal a tablet mount. We reckon it’ll mostly be utilised to entertain the younger passengers on the move, but it’s still an oddly specific function to note.

Driving

If you are looking for a fun Sepang track weapon to set record lap times with, the ë-C4 X is not it. Power comes from a single front-mounted motor and a 54kWh battery pack, outputting 100kW (134hp) and 270Nm of torque.

It’s not so much of a neck-snapping surge, as it is a gentle yet persuasive push when you put the pedal to the metal. This French saloon prefers instead to cruise around in urban environments, where it glides along the streets quietly without fanfare.

Noise insulation is rather good, and even with lots of hard plastics in the cabin, nothing groaned or creaked.

And then there’s the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions suspension system, which supposedly soaks up bumps and undulations more effectively than regular springs. We drove over many road humps and at various speeds, and can safely conclude that they work as advertised.

Sure, it’s not as magical as a proper hydropneumatic setup from the good old days of Citroën, but if it can absorb rather harsh bumps without disturbing the cabin, it’s a big enough step in the right direction.

Its steering is also shockingly light, which plays to its advantage around neighbourhoods and multi-storey carparks. Tight corners are a cinch, and you never have to turn at full-lock. Along expressways at high speeds however, the lack of steering feedback can be a bit unnerving to some folks.

On a full charge, the ë-C4 X can travel up to 436km (based on the WLTP cycle), and consume about 14.1kWh/100km. Our test showed marginally higher power consumption at 14.4kWh/100km, which means that the official figures are indeed accurate.

Partly to thank for the Citroën’s decent consumption figures is its slippery surface, with a recorded drag coefficient of just Cd 0.29. Another contributing factor is its regenerative braking function, which minimises free-wheeling rather effectively, all without causing the car to unceremoniously grind to a halt.

Price and Conclusion

Even with the compact EV space getting more and more competitive with each passing day, Citroën’s making a strong and compelling case with the ë-C4 X.

A decently efficient and peppy powertrain, plenty of comfort-oriented options and features, plus a full-size boot; it has everything you’d ever need and want in a family saloon!

And priced at S$158,999, it’s almost $37,000 less than the only other Cat A-friendly electric saloon in the market, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 RWD.

Now, if they could just bring back the spaceship-like styling from the classic SM…

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Citroën ë-C4 X Electric

Drivetrain type	Full electric
Electric Motor / layout	Single / Front-Wheel Drive
Motor power / torque	134hp / 270Nm
Battery type /net capacity	Lithium-ion / 54kWh
Normal Charge Type / Time	11kW AC / 3.2 hours
Max Fast Charge Type / Time	100kW DC / 30 mins
Electric Range	436km (claimed)
0-100km/h	10.0 seconds
Top Speed	150km/h
Efficiency	14.1kWh/100km
VES Band	A1 / -S$25,000
Agent	Cycle & Carriage Citroën
Price	S$164,999 with COE and VES
Availability	Now
Verdict:	Everything you’d ever want and need in a compact family car, but with the usual French quirkiness sprinkled in liberally, and now in electric form.