CITROEN E-C3

The new Citroen C3 is a very different beast from its predecessor. Where the old car was a regular small hatchback, the new model has a distinct SUV flavour to it. It’s based on a new platform which is cheaper to build than the old car, and as a result Citroen’s able to offer the all-electric Citroen e-C3 for pretty much the same price as a comparably-sized petrol car from other manufacturers.

It's the sort of remarkable value which means the Citroen e-C3 was Highly Commended in the Smart Spender category of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.

It’s like a holiday to Croatia - on paper, at least, you seem to get a lot for your money. But does that mean it’s even remotely desirable - or is it just cheap? That’s what we’re here to find out.

With prices for this electric e-C3 starting at less than £22,000, alternatives are difficult to come across. It sits a few thousand pounds beneath the cheapest examples of ‘proper’ electric cars, such as the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and BYD Dolphin, but is still more expensive than pure city cars like the Citroen Ami or forthcoming Dacia Spring EV. It’s a really exciting price point that could make electric motoring accessible to a new swathe of drivers.

Whichever model you select, you get the same combination of a 113hp electric motor and a 44kWh battery pack. Those are modest numbers, but they combine to give perfectly adequate performance even on a motorway cruise, and an official range of up to 199 miles.

The e-C3’s also really set-up for comfort, which is a nice change from all those try-hard faux-sporty SUVs. Though it leans a lot in the corners, the payoff is suspension that soaks up bumps and potholes with ease, plus really comfortable seats that take the edge off poor road surfaces.

DETAILS

It’s a couple of centimetres longer and a tad wider than the Citroen C3 it replaces. But at a full 10cm taller its silhouette is more akin to small SUVs, like the VW T-Cross. That means you get reasonable legroom for four six-foot passengers and bags of headroom inside, plus a 310-litre boot that’s bigger than you’ll find on a Vauxhall Corsa.

The interior, meanwhile, is clearly built to a price but hides it well through clever material choices. A big swathe of fabric trim across the dashboard covers up what would otherwise be hard, nasty plastic, and the steering wheel and switchgear - what little there is - actually feels pretty nice to the touch.

You get a really simple driver information display above the steering wheel which just shows your speed, range and efficiency information - no extra fancy touches like sat-nav directions or album artwork. For that, you’ll need to turn to the 10.3-inch infotainment system, which feels rather simplified compared to the setups you’ll find in other Citroens but does work well enough. You can always bypass it, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and even a wireless smartphone charging pad on top models.

SPECIFICATIONS

Range: 199 miles (WLTP)

Efficiency: 4.5 mi/kWh

Battery size: 44kWh

Max charge speed: 100kW

Charge time AC: 0-100% in 6 hours (7.4kW)

Charge time DC: 20-80% in 26 minutes (100kW)

Charge port location: Left rear

Power outputs: 113hp

Source: https://www.carwow.co.uk/citroen/e-c3