Citroën ë-C3 review

Driving position

Don't be fooled by the ë-C3's supermini status, because the baby crossover styling bodes well for interior space.

As the driver, you sit nice and high, so you can see more of the road than you could in previous generations of the C3, which gives you the illusion that you're driving a bigger car – without the tradeoffs of ungainly dimensions.

The seats and steering are positioned sensibly, and there's enough adjustment in both that you can easily find a suitable driving position, even if you're a bit taller.

We fell in love with the little Citroën's digital instrument cluster, which sits in a band beneath the windscreen so it's easy to see. It's like having a head-up display, but without that awkward reflection that often makes head-up displays awkward to use at night.

It's a bit like Peugeot's I-Cockpit design, where you look over the steering wheel to see your speed and other information, but the steering wheel is in a much more conventional position than something like the Peugeot e-208 (where it's pretty low, and can rub against your thighs or knees).

Tech and features

Although the principle is excellent, the digital instrument cluster is very limited in what it can do. The only real customisation you can do is changing one portion to display things like the odometer, trip distance or a neat little bar chart to show how much power you're using (or regenerating).

Being computer-driven, you'd expect it to be able to keep up with the ë-C3's acceleration easily, but the speed jumps and misses quite a few digits when you're accelerating. It's a minor niggle, but surely it would be a simple task for Citroën to programme it in such a way that it shows every single digit.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system is also more basic than you get on other Stellantis products, including Citroëns, DSs, Peugeots and Vauxhalls.

It's got the basics, like a radio, but there are no options for controlling or viewing the car's internal systems, like configuring off-peak charging times or monitoring trip efficiency.

Again, being able to monitor how many miles per kWh you're doing is a basic bit of programming that we'd like to see.

Step up from entry-level Plus to top-spec Max and you get built-in sat-nav, too, but both trims have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which we find far more intuitive anyway.

Other features in and around the cabin include two USB-C ports, automatic lights and wipers and rear parking sensors, which might sound pretty basic, but given the ë-C3's exceptionally low starting price, it's great to see they've not been removed to save money.

Max trim adds a reversing camera (albeit not the best quality), heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. For not a lot more money (in the grand scheme of car costs), it's great value.

It also adds an upgraded climate control system, rather than basic air-con. It's super easy to use thanks to physical controls, so there's no prodding about on a screen.

A funky quirk of the ë-C3, even though it's electric, is that you start it with the key. How 2010s. Surely push-button start isn't that costly to add?

Electric motors and power

We didn't have high hopes for the 113hp electric motor, but that's where we were wrong.

The car only weighs 1,146kg even with a 44kWh battery under the floor, so the electric motor doesn't have to work too hard.

It picks up the pace around town and will even whizz down a motorway slip road with ease.

Overall, we were very impressed with this little motor.

Handling and ride comfort

Citroëns are typically known for their supremely soft suspension, and the ë-C3 uses Citroën's Advanced Comfort Suspension in a bid to live up to that reputation.

Compared with other Citroëns we've driven, it didn't feel a cushioned as we'd hoped. There was certainly a firm feeling on speed bumps, and potholed, patchwork-like sections of road made it feel more unsettled than, say, a Peugeot e-208.

Don't assume that's a bad thing, though, because the ë-C3 corners very well, and doesn't sway into turns as much as you'd expect given its added height.

Regenerative braking was on par with other electric hatchbacks and crossovers, and as seems to be the norm, there's no one-pedal driving. We praise manufacturers that add one-pedal support to their EVs, and it's a shame this city-dwelling supermini doesn't have it.

Boot space

Boot space is pretty impressive – at 310 litres, it's where it should be in this section of the market. The e-208 has virtually the same amount of space, but the BYD Dolphin SURF and Fiat Grande Panda do have slightly more space.

The space is a good depth, but there's a fairly high loading lip.

Rear seats

The back of the ë-C3 is surprisingly roomy for a supermini – taller passengers will struggle with legroom, but that's a trait of all small cars, and the shape of the seats helps make the most of what's on offer.

Headroom is even better, thanks to the boxy design of the car, so that's a big plus.

Storage solutions

Inside, you get a decent-sized storage bin in the centre console for catching bits like coins and keys, two cupholders and a wireless phone charger (on Max trims).

The glovebox could be wider (you can't fit the vehicle handbook in there), but at least the door bins are pretty large, with room for one-litre bottles in each of the four doors.

Safety

The ë-C3 comes with all the safety essentials, including a lane departure warning system, a driver attention monitoring system and autonomous emergency braking that uses video to detect what's ahead of the car.

The speed limit warning sound, fitted to all new cars built from 2024, is easy to turn off via a physical shortcut to the right of the steering wheel, too.

Range and charging

As mentioned above, there's no way to monitor efficiency in the ë-C3. Citroën claims it'll do up to 199 miles.

During our testing, which included a fair chunk of high-speed bypasses and climbs, we worked out (by comparing miles driven by battery level consumed) that we were getting a real-world range of 150 miles.

Expect around 150-170 miles of real-world range, which is a solid effort.

The best part is that this electric supermini uses an LFP battery – the less common of the two types typically used.

It can handle more charge and discharge cycles, which is good for longevity, and it's actually recommended that you charge to 100% regularly, so you can benefit from the full range.

Other cars are generally happier being kept between 20-80%, so you don't get to experience the full range unless you do a big charge ahead of a long road trip.

Reliability

Citroën and its sibling companies were among the first to sell mainstream electric cars when EVs really took off, and having sold thousands of the things, you know you're in good hands.

That LFP battery helps improve reliability even more – not that it was a concern to start with. It's covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, separate from the car's industry-average three-year/60,000-mile coverage.