CITROEN'S EXTRA X-FACTOR (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_citroenc4x_2023

By Jonathan Crouch

Citroen redefines what a compact family saloon can look like with this C4 X. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 61

The C4 X is 'the best of a hatchback, with the modernity of an SUV and the timelessness of a saloon', according to Citroen. Or you could simply see it as a sedan version of the brand's quirky C4 hatch. Either way, it's an ambitiously styled EV or combustion-powered four-door family saloon that's compact yet spacious, with a simply enormous boot.

Backgroundword count: 170

X seems to mean different things to different brands. Citroen doesn't see the letter as designating an SUV. Instead, for them, it references what the brand calls 'the crossroads of different universes', a melding together of different genres, the sort of thing we've already seen in the company's large C5 X. With the C4 X, the styling brief was rather less ambitious, but it still hopes to blend hatchback, crossover and sedan genres together into one appealing compact shape that at first glance, could fall into any of those three categories. We've seen something similar (but rather more dramatic) with cousin Stellantis Group Gallic brand Peugeot's 408, but the C4 X is a more straightforward design that sits on a different, simpler, CMP platform and is offered with a wider variety of powertrains, available in petrol, diesel or full-electric forms. As you might expect, everything is based on the C4 hatch, but from the B-pillar back, things are a great deal more spacious and interesting. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 362

The C4 X does of course drive just like the C4 hatch and, as with that car, the brand hopes that the way this car rides is what will sell it to you. It features a clever Progressive Hydraulic suspension set-up. Here, the car's springs and shock absorbers work in concert with hydraulic compression and rebound stops, which are supposed to slow body movement over bumps and tarmac tears. You'll want to know about the engines. There's the brand's usual PureTech 1.2-litre 3 cylinder petrol unit, available in two states of tune with 100hp (manual) or 130hp (EAT8 automatic) options. The other auto combustion-powered C4 X is the Hybrid 136 e-DCS6 version, which uses a dual-clutch 6-speed auto with an electric motor built into the transmission casing. On the move, the Hybrid system's 136bhp 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol engine and the electric motor can operate together - or separately. And, unlike with a mild hybrid system like that fitted to say, a Golf eTSI, here the car can be driven for short urban distances (under 18mph) on electric power alone. The motor also assists the engine under acceleration. The e-C4 X model comes in two forms. The first version has the older Stellantis Group EV powertrain system - a 50kWh battery and a 136hp electric motor, with a driving range of 219 miles. With this, 62mph from rest takes 9.5s on the way to a modest 93mph top speed. You'd prefer though, if possible to stretch to the newer package, which pairs a slightly larger 54kWh battery with a faster 156hp motor to offer a driving range WLTP-rated at up to 260 miles. Like all EVs, the e-C4 X can recover energy when decelerating or braking. And there are three drive modes - 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport' - that can vary the level of engine power and the energy draw from the air conditioning to boost driving range. The e-C4 X has a 'Brake' feature to amplify the deceleration of the car without pressing the brake pedal. This set-up allows for the recovery of energy when slowing the car and allows the driver to partially recharge the battery and increase driving range.

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