Citroen C4 review

• Overview
• What is it?
• But really, what is it?
• Is the C4 comfortable?
• How does it drive?
• What engines are there?
• Our choice from the range
• What's the verdict?
• Volkswagen Golf (Mk8)
• Peugeot 308
• Kia XCeed
• Driving
• What is it like to drive?
• But is it actually comfortable?
• What if you were really in a rush?
• What are the engine options?
• Interior
• What is it like on the inside?
• Is it nice and practical?
• What’s the infotainment like?
• Any cool tech?
• Buying
• What should I be paying?
• What are the trims like? 
• Which one should I go for?

Overview

What is it?

This is the third generation of the Citroen C4 hatchback – the first version in 2004 was the quirky looking family car that turned into a dancing Transformer robot in its telly ad, the second one in 2010 was all shiny chrome and bland anonymity. The latest car, launched in 2020, stands out a bit more, but possibly not for the right reasons.

But really, what is it?

It is a good question – it’s still a hatchback, but slightly taller. Not tall enough to be an SUV, and too sleek of boot to be a crossover. Someone in Citroen marketing might try and call it a coupe of some description, but if you hear them do it they need to be slapped on the wrist and told to stop.

The C4 sits on the same Stellantis EMP1 platform as the Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa, which must be stretched to breaking point in this format. That means teensy tiny engines, and in the e-C4 electric version (which we’ve reviewed here) the same e-motor and 50kWh battery set-up. There’s a longer, weirder version of the C4 called the C4 X, which has a growth on the back that some have described as saloon-like in appearance.

Is the C4 comfortable?

That’s Citroen’s thing, isn’t it. And the French carmaker should be applauded for not pursuing the same ridiculous notion of sportiness that plagues other vehicles on the market and inevitably means a brittle ride and obnoxious acceleration. Eventually we all get to the age where we want something a little more supple and soft riding, it’s just some of us reach that age sooner than others.

The seats are comfortable, you can tell Citroen’s put a bit of effort into those. You’d enjoy a nice long journey in the C4. The C4’s niche styling makes it a more comfortable car to live with, too – it’s that little bit higher to get in and out, and in theory the extra ride height offers a bit more travel in the suspension. The ride gets better with speed – it’s not quite happy over speed bumps and urban decay, but the faster the road the jollier the C4’s suspension seems to feel.

How does it drive?

The C4 is a solid drive – it’s not like Citroens of the recent past, with finger light steering and a numbness from your hips forwards. The handling is reliable and direct without being thrilling, but you at least always have a sense of where the nose is. The steering rack is actually fairly well geared for around town, with a decent lock.

The petrol and diesel engine options are all well suited to the ‘comfortable’ Citroen’s relaxed gait, although the automatic gearbox option is a little nervy for our liking, not always sure what gear it wants. The jerky, hesitant stop-start doesn’t help matters either, but you can start to adapt your driving around these things.

What engines are there?

In the ICE version of the C4 you get the choice of a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol in two states of tune, or a 1.5-litre diesel. The 99bhp/151lb ft petrol is only available in the entry spec and does 0–62mph in 10.8secs, while the main act is the 129bhp/170lb ft version of the motor with an 8.9secs 0–62mph time (0.5secs slower with the auto box). The diesel motor has the same power output as the beefier petrol, but offers 221 lb ft of torque and takes 9.5secs to get to 62mph.

The petrol versions all offer somewhere around the 50mpg mark in terms of official consumption (low 40s in practicality) while the diesel motor is rated around 55mpg.

Our choice from the range

CITROEN

1.2 PureTech Sense 5dr

£20,760

It’s good to find a hatch that isn’t like all the rest. The comfort and quietness proposition is met, and there’s plenty of interest in the design. It’s also better to drive than Citroen’s previously advertised ‘comfort’ cars, having found some new accuracy in its steering and straight line stability. That predictable behaviour itself reduces fatigue.

It’s probably not the most practical family car, all things considered, but those looking for something that’s consciously different and stands out from the same old same old that’s found elsewhere will be happy enough.

Volkswagen Golf (Mk8)

£11,807 – £47,095

Peugeot 308

£20,920 – £38,745

Kia XCeed

£20,570 – £35,000

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Driving

Driving

What is it like to drive?

The C4 fundamentally drives exactly as you expect it will. There are no particular surprises here – it’s more refined than Citroens were in the firm’s cheap ‘n’ cheerful era of discounts and fleet sales, which is nice. It offers a comfortable, composed ride that holds things together as long as you don’t try and get a bit greedy for speed. Then it all starts to get a bit wobbly and flustered.

But is it actually comfortable?

It’s easy to get cynical about the marketing and PR efforts of carmakers, who try to convince us that theirs is the best on the market. But the C4 actually manages to be (almost) as comfortable as the French manufacturer would have us believe.

The wide, flat seats are decently cosseting (it’s like being on the Eurostar) and the suspension smothers obstacles like speed bumps with aplomb. Some of the niggly little ripples and cracks seem to sneak through, but you’d have to be in something £100,000 pricier to deal adequately with the terrible roads we have in the UK.

What if you were really in a rush?

The C4 starts to fall apart in a hurry – put the car into Sport mode and suddenly you’re left with a loud revvy mess, the auto box clinging onto gears like it’ll never get them back. The ride starts to degenerate into heave and roll until you dial things back again and go for the sedate option.

What are the engine options?

In the ICE version of the C4 you get the choice of a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol in two states of tune, or a 1.5-litre diesel. The 99bhp/151lb ft petrol is only available in the entry spec and does 0–62mph in 10.8secs, while the main act is the 129bhp/170lb ft version of the motor with an 8.9secs 0–62mph time (0.5secs slower with the auto box). The diesel motor has the same power output as the beefier petrol, but offers 221 lb ft of torque and takes 9.5secs to get to 62mph.

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Overview

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Interior

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

It’s actually a little bland and old-fashioned inside the C4 – we don’t want Citroen to fall foul of the temptation to smack in a huge touchscreen and hope for the best, but at the same time the chic style of the exterior isn’t really translated to the inside of the car. But if that’s the price we pay for getting aircon buttons back on the dashboard then we shan’t complain too loudly.

Is it nice and practical?

It is. There are some neat little storage points around the front seats, including a little hidden area just behind the transmission selector. The central cubby between the seats is a decent size and you can finally fit more than an espresso in the cupholder of a French car.

The boot isn’t as big as it could be – 380 litres with the seats up and 1,250 litres with the seats knocked down. Basically the same numbers as the Volkswagen Golf, and smaller than the 412/1,323 litres you get in the Peugeot 308. If you SUVified the latter car and went for the 3008 that’s even more practical still with a 520-litre boot. All of which is to say that the C4 is not quite as big as it looks from the outside.

What’s the infotainment like?

It’s the standard Stellantis set-up inside the C4 that we are familiar with from Peugeots and Vauxhalls galore. It’s not the most flash system, it’s occasionally a bit slow, but it does a serviceable job.

We’re not a fan of the blanked out real estate on either side of the Apple CarPlay display, the tiny screen acreage makes you feel like you’re squinting at an early Noughties aftermarket satnav you’ve suckered to the windscreen. Still, using the maps on your phone is much better than trying to understand Citroen’s homegrown effort on the move.

Any cool tech?

Citroens aren’t meant to be cool – this isn’t the Seventies anymore. The firm has tried, at least, and some passengers will be impressed at the fold-out tablet holder that sits over the glovebox. We’re assured by Citroen that the airbag is designed to go round any tablet that might be nestled there, rather than smashing it into your passenger’s face in the event of an accident.

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Driving

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Buying

Buying

What should I be paying?

The C4 range starts at £22,080 for the entry level Sense spec car with the 99bhp petrol motor. Sense Plus ditches that weedy engine and replaces it with the 129bhp version at £24,030, with the 8spd auto available for a £1,400 uplift.

C-Series Edition trim does the same thing from £25,580, although the diesel engine becomes available here for £28,610. Go for top spec Shine Plus specification and it’s automatic transmissions only, with petrol or diesel options. The former starts at £27,540, while the latter tops out the C4 range at £29,170.

What are the trims like? 

Sense actually gives you a decent spec, this is no rental car trim level. You get 18in alloys, auto headlights and wipers, dual zone aircon, rear parking sensors, 10in touchscreen with Apple and Android connectivity, cruise control, keyless go and a wealth of safety equipment.

Sense Plus adds more stuff to your infotainment, reversing camera, adjustable boot floor and the thing for your passenger to attach their tablet to. C-Series Edition bags you heated front seats and steering wheel, auto high beams on your headlights, adaptive cruise control, satnav, fancy ambient lighting and more speakers around the car.

In top spec Shine Plus you get all that (except the speakers for some reason) plus a head-up display, electrically adjustable seats with Alcantara trim and a folding armrest in the back seats that comes with a ski hatch.

Which one should I go for?

We’d be tempted just to go for the entry level Sense spec car, to be honest – you get a decent amount of equipment. If we were being greedy then the C-Series Edition with its adaptive cruise, ambient lighting and heated seats are rather tempting, but sometimes you have to be disciplined and put your practical hat on.

The entry car is the most frugal of the range and sits in insurance group 13, while the rest of the C4s are in 19 to 21. All adds up – though if you’re a company car buyer we’d say go for the electric version.

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Interior

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Specs & Prices

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