Overview

Should you buy a Citroen e-C3?

Yes, but don’t be under any illusion that we think it’s the best small car on sale. It’s a wonderfully comfortable, surprisingly spacious and affordable small car, hampered by a shorter electric range than we’d like and a few jarring details that we bet will prove annoying with time – such as a boot lip the size of a steel girder. It’ll appeal most to those looking for a soft ride, laid-back dynamics and more conventional interior design, even though it appears sombre next to the more interesting might of the competition.

The million-dollar question is, is it better than the Renault 5 E-Tech? Well, the Renault is more fun to drive, has a longer official range and has a plusher interior than the e-C3, but is nowhere near as spacious for those in the back and comes at a price premium. However, there’s no denying the 5’s greater desirability, and that’ll be enough to sway plenty of buyers alone. Those that don’t at least try the e-C3 will be missing out, though.

What is it?

This is Citroen’s smallest electric car (the titchy Citroen Ami is a quadricycle and doesn’t count), and the brand’s most affordable electric car to boot. It shares its underpinnings with the Vauxhall Frontera Electric and Fiat Grande Panda, two stablemates from parent company Stellantis.  

It’s a very versatile platform. Need to carry more passengers? There’s the e-C3 Aircross, one of the cheapest (and most cramped) seven-seaters on sale. Don’t fancy a full EV? There’s a mild-hybrid Citroen C3 or one with pure petrol power, covered in a separate review.

The Citroen e-C3 is available in two trims and with just the one 44kWh battery. Don’t think of entry-level Plus as the spartan option, it’s the mid-range pick in the three trim European lineup. It gets 17-inch alloy wheels, two-tone paint, roof rails, auto LED headlights with automatic main beam, auto wipers, heated electric mirrors, air-con and rear parking sensors.

Plus is about £1,700 more and adds tinted rear windows, LED rear lights, rear electric windows, front fog lights, a six-speaker stereo, climate control, a rear camera, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen. It seems a worthwhile upgrade to us.

Only 12 months ago, the e-C3 would have had an easier fight against the cute-but-pricy Fiat 500e and MINI Cooper Electric, but since then the small electric car market has exploded with a barrage of affordable, desirable and exceedingly good small cars. The e-C3 falls right in the way of the Renault 5 E-Tech, Hyundai Inster and BYD Dolphin Surf.  

We’ve put the Citroen e-C3 through it’s paces and works out where it stands in the pecking order. Read on for the full review from Parkers, as we look at quality, practicality and features. Want to know how we conducted our testing? Head over to our how we test cars page to find out everything you need to know.