At DriveLife we have fond memories of the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine fitted to many Citroen and Peugeot models, and now being fitted to Opel models. It’s one of those things that adds character to the car, that engine that just wants to go, and sounds so good. That this engine has won international awards is no surprise.
So, what happens when a car like the Citroen C4 loses that characterful engine and goes full EV? Does this mean the C4 has lost something and is just another EV?
We spent a week and 500km driving the new Citroen e-C4 to find out if it’s worth adding to your new EV shopping list.
What We Like and Dislike About The 2024 Citroen e-C4 Shine
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Ride Comfy seats Visibility 360-degree camera Steering wheel controls work well Walk-away door lock/unlock | Lack of features for price Rear headroom Range lower than expected |
What’s In The 2024 Citroen C4 Range?
There are two models in the C4 range in New Zealand, the C4 Shine and the e-C4 Shine (tested).
The $46,990 Shine is powered by the familiar 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder Puretech engine that manages 114kW of power and 240Nm of torque. It’s mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels and is rated to deliver 6.8L/100km of fuel.
At $69,990, the e-C4 Shine is a pure EV and has a 100kW electric motor that puts out 260Nm of torque. This model has a 50kWh battery pack with a suggested range of 363km. It will accelerate to 100km/h in 9 seconds (with driver only in car). This model is also front-wheel drive and has a single-speed automatic transmission.
2024 Citroen C4 Standard Equipment Highlights
SAFETY & SECURITY
- ABS with Electronic Braking Distribution (EBD) & Emergency Braking Assistance (EBA)
- Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) & Hill Start Assist
- Airbags (x6): Driver & Front Passenger, Front side, Front & Rear-curtain
- Electronic code immobiliser, deadlocking & Child locking functionality on rear doors
- Front optimised safety headrests & rear retractable headrests (x3), height-adjustable
- Front & rear three-point retractable seatbelts with force limiters (front & outer rear seats)
- Outer rear seat ISOFIX mounting points (x2) with Top Tether
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- Adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go function and Speed limiter
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Traffic sign recognition & Speed limit recommendation
- Driver Attention Alert & Forward Collision Warning
- Active Emergency Braking (AEB) with night function, pedestrian & cyclist detection
- Post-Collision Safety Brake
- Blind Spot Monitoring
LIGHTING & VISIBILITY
- Eco-LED headlights with High Beam Assist
- LED daytime running lights (DRL)
- LED front fog lights with cornering function
- Wing mirror with LED side indicators
- Automatic lights & windscreen wipers
- Welcome & ‘Follow-me-home’ light function
INTERIOR FEATURES
- 5.5” digital instrument panel
- Colour head-up display
- Front & rear LED interior lights with reading spotlights (x4)
- LED ambient lighting, illuminated front footwells & sun visors
- Leather steering wheel with chrome trim
COMFORT & CONVENIENCE
- Progressive Hydraulic Cushion® (PHC) suspensions
- Smart Pad Support – front passenger tablet holder
- Electric, heated & folding wing mirrors with courtesy LED lighting
- One-touch electric front & rear windows with pinch protection
- Front, lateral & rear parking sensors with 180° colour reversing camera
- ‘Proximity’ Keyless access & Start push button
- Automatic dual-zone air conditioning
IN-CAR ENTERTAINMENT & COMMUNICATION
- 10” capacitive colour touchscreen
- Bluetooth, Wired Apple CarPlay & Android Auto with in-built 3D Navigation
- Audio system with 6 speakers & DAB function (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
The e-C4 Shine adds:
- Heated leather steering wheel with chrome trim
- 2-position adjustable boot floor
- Blue door panel décor
- Automatic dual-zone air conditioning with Pre-conditioning function
- Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity
2024 Citroen C4 Colour Range
- Bianca White (solid)
- Iceland Blue (metallic) $550
- Cumulus Grey (metallic) $550
- Nimbus Grey (metallic) $550
- Nera Black (metallic) $550
- Elixir Red (special) $950
- Pearl White (pearlescent) $950
For a full list of specs and options available for the Citroen C4 head on over to Citroen New Zealand’s website.
How Does The 2024 Citroen e-C4 Shine Compare To Its Competition?
There are options now if you want a smaller SUV EV. The Citroen is up against some good competition in this segment.
| Make/ Model | Battery Capacity kW-hr | Power/ Torque kW/Nm | 0-100km/h seconds | Range (WLTP), km | Boot Space, litres | Price |
| VW ID.4 PRO | 77 | 150/310 | 8.5 | 519 | 543 | $79,990 |
| Opel Mokka-e SRi | 50 | 100/260 | 9.2 | 363 | 310 | $69,990 |
| Hyundai Kona EV | 39 | 100/395 | NA | 305 | 332 | $69,990 |
| Citroen e-C4 Shine | 50 | 100/260 | 9.0 | 363 | 380 | $69,990 |
| BYD Atto3 Extended | 60 | 150/310 | NA | 420 | 440 | $59,990 |
| MG ZS EV | 50 | 130/280 | 8.2 | 320 | 359 | $53,990 |
Please note that DriveLife does its best to ensure the information below is correct at the time of publication, however, prices, specifications and models can change over time. Please bear that in mind when comparing models in the comparison table.
First Impressions Of The 2024 Citroen e-C4 Shine
Although our test car was finished in a boring grey colour, the C4 retains its slightly funky looks that we relate to this range. It’s good to see Citroen has not changed the grille area to make it look like an EV; the front of the car looks like a standard C4. That means lots of lines and angles, but it all sort of gels together somehow to give an appearance of a car that’s different, but not weird.
Although Citroen is obviously calling the e-C4 an SUV, that sloping rear takes away some of the ‘utility’ of SUV. It looks good but does reduce the height and usability of the boot. The rear door design of the e-C4 reminds me of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross of old, which had that same split-window feature. It looks great, and it is different.
In summary, it still looks like a Citroen but not in an overboard way; classy, but individualistic too.
What’s The Interior Like In The 2024 Citroen e-C4 Shine?
While the e-C4 costs just under $70,000, you get cloth seats front and rear. The dash is mostly textured black plastic, as are most of the door panels and all this makes the e-C4 feel a bit downmarket, despite its cost.
Since I had just swapped out of the Opel Astra GSe and into the e-C4, it was difficult not to make comparisons, especially since both cars are built on the same platform and even have almost identical steering wheels. After the dark, black interior of the Astra GS-e, the white headliner and pillars in the e-C4 are a massive breath of fresh air. It’s amazing how much just a change of colour like this can make a difference to the feeling of spaciousness inside a car.
I thought the flat pad at the front of the centre console was for wireless charging my phone, but it’s not. The pad really has that look about it, but it’s just a cellphone shelf (it is wireless charging in the Astra). Below this pad are USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as a 12-volt socket. It’s nice to see some manufacturers including both USB types in the cars, at least for the time being.
Those cloth seats aren’t heated at all, and neither are they electrically adjusted. There is lumbar adjustment for the driver, but it’s a simple dial, so just in and out to adjust the pressure on your back.
There’s a large glovebox lid, but like most Peugeot and Citroen models the actual usable part is quite small and in the case of the e-C4, about a quarter of the width of the lid.
Front-seat passengers have a reasonable amount of space, but with that sloping roofline, those in the back are more restricted for headroom. It’s worse for the centre-rear passenger because of the lights and light controls in the module on the roof, right above the centre-rear passenger’s head. Those in the rear also get a USB-A and USB-C port, so that’s a bonus.
The boot – even with that sloping roof – is a reasonable size at 380 litres. There are also side pockets in the boot area, and the boot itself (only in the EV version) is double-height so you can carry slightly taller items back there. There isn’t a spare, instead you get a puncture repair kit. There is no frunk in the e-C4, so this means no extra storage under the bonnet.
What’s The 2024 Citroen e-C4 Shine Like To Drive?
First revalation; the e-C4 has one of those little pop-up screens that I call a Poor Man’s Heads-Up Display (HUD). It still works, but never as good as a ‘real’ HUD that projects onto the car’s windscreen. Still, you get the current speed limit displayed as well as other info like audio track/station selection, and the car’s current speed. Better than no HUD at all.
The dashboard is a small unit of 5.5”, and is just a rectangular piece of plastic. We are seeing this more and more, especially in EVs. All the info you need to know is there in that small space, and the clarity of the screen is excellent. It just works.
I’d spend my week in the e-C4 comparing it to the Astra GSe, and couldn’t stop myself from doing that. In many ways, they feel so similar. One of the similarities is in the ride quality; the Astra rode extremely well, and so does the e-C4. It glides over bumps and simply reinforces that the French know how to build a car that rides well.
I charged the car up that night at home, getting an indicated 358km of range to empty. Over the week of commuting, I’d see just how far I could get in the e-C4 before needing to charge again.
During my daily commute, the visibility in the car is much better than the Astra; the e-C4 has a extra window in that sloping roofline, and it adds a surprising amount of visibility while on the motorway when changing lanes. One thing not helping with rear visibility is the back window; while the bar across the window doesn’t really affect your view out from the interior mirror, because of the split there is no rear window wiper, meaning a splotchy view when it’s raining.
The e-C4 does have a 360-degree camera system, and that is always hugely appreciated. This could potentially be one of the best inventions of the last decade. The resolution and quality of the image is good, it’s crisp and clear. The camera also comes on when you are getting close to an object that you might hit, another feature that is much appreciated. The only downside to the 360-degree camera in this model is that there is no way of turning it on manually. I do this at times to see how close I am to the kerb, but that’s not possible in the e-C4. Hopefully, we’ll see this added in a future update.
On my Daily Drive, I often use adaptive cruise control to manage stop/start traffic for me. I absolutely love that the e-C4 will automatically accelerate away once the car in front moves off; there is no need to press the cruise control button again, or tap the gas pedal – the e-C4 just moves off on its own. I’ve only seen this in high-end euro models, so it was great to see it in the e-C4. The adaptive cruise control system itself worked very well and I barely thought about it – a great sign that it is well set up. One thing to note is that the e-C4 does not have any sort of steering assist, as most of its competition does have this feature. Not the end of the world to not have steering assist, but I was a little surprised to not see it on this model.
For those who love to control their brake regeneration to get the maximum charge out of hills etc, the e-C4 has a “B” mode button down by the gear selector. This will not allow the driver to ‘one-pedal’ the car, but it does add a reasonable amount of regen to your drive. As far as brake regeneration goes, that’s all you have in this model. There are no steering wheel paddles or other adjustments.
You do get three drive modes in this car; Eco, Normal, and Sport. Eco mode is perfectly acceptable for average driving, as the instant torque of the electric motor means Eco mode is a doddle, you just get less acceleration but it’s still usable. Normal mode is the default when you start the car (as against the Astra GSe which actually remembers its drive mode) and is the mode I used most of the time. If you need performance, then Sport mode is for you. It perks the car up a little, but don’t expect Tesla-style performance. The e-C4 gets to 100km/h in 9.0 seconds, so it’s no rocket ship as some buyers expect all EVs to be. Perhaps that’s due to the extra 300kg of weight the EV carries, meaning it’s slightly slower to 100km/h than the petrol version.
Thankfully, Citroen has elected to keep the most-used aircon controls as buttons and dials, and we love them for that. Some of the buttons cluttered among the dials are harder to get to, but still much preferable over operating the aircon via a screen. The AC is at least dual-zone in the e-C4 and there is the feature of being able to preset the aircon to start at a certain time of day, so you can jump into a nicely warm (or cool) car.
I mentioned the steering wheel controls are almost identical to those in the Astra GSe, and that’s no bad thing. They work very well, and after a while the driver does not need to look at what button they are pressing, and that’s an indication of well-designed controls.
The infotainment system is the latest rendition and it functions perfectly well. It’s relatively speedy and simple to use. There isn’t a lot there, especially after all the adjustments I could access in the Hyundai Kona Limited 1.6T AWD we recently reviewed, but the essentials do what they should.
There are a few other little niceties I found during my time in this model; all the windows are automatic up/down, and I wish every car had walk-away door locking like the e-C4. Those cloth seats are extremely comfy; not much side support, but the cushioning is spot-on. I could imagine they’d be very nice to travel on during a Wellington-Auckland road trip.
After 229km of driving, my range was low so I decided to charge the e-C4. With 40km of range left, that meant a real-world range of 269km, well short of the WLTP figure of 363km. As we’ve said before, Wellington’s hills are an EV-killer and hammer any EV’s ability to get anywhere near its WLTP range, but still – 269km was fairly low. A nice touch is the pop-up on the centre screen that alerts you to a low range and with suggestions of charging stations near you.
After driving the e-C4 Shine for 500km, my end energy economy figure was 16.3kWh/100km, in comparison to the WLTP figure of 14.5. The real-world result I got was pretty much spot-on from what I expected.
2024 Citroen e-C4 Shine – Specifications
| Vehicle Type | 5-door small-medium SUV |
| Starting Price | $69,990 |
| Price as Tested | $69,990 |
| Engine | Single electric |
| Power, Torque kW/Nm | 100/260 |
| Transmission | Single speed |
| Spare Wheel | Puncture repair kit |
| Kerb Weight, Kg | 1,561 |
| Length x Width x Height mm | 4360x1800x1520 |
| Boot Space / Cargo Capacity, Litres (seats up/seats down) | 380/1,250 |
| Energy Economy, kWh/100km | Advertised Spec – Combined – 14.5 Real-World Test – Combined – 16.3 Low Usage: 6-10 / Medium Usage 11-19 / High Usage 19+ |
| Towing Capacity Kg, unbraked/braked | NA |
| Turning circle metres | 10.9 Small: 6-10m / Medium 10-12m / Large 12m+ |
| Warranty | 5-year/100,000 km Warranty 5-year Roadside Assistance 8-year traction battery warranty 3 years fixed servicing $1,199 5 years fixed servicing $1,990 |
| Safety information | ANCAP Rating – 4 stars – Link Rightcar.govt.nz – 4 Stars – QHQ374 |
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