The Citroen C4 X sits between the existing C4 hatchback and the recently launched C5 X flagship in the French brand's range. It's a traditional four-door saloon in essence, but Citroen has aimed to give it a more elegant 'fastback' shape and the "modern attitude of an SUV".
While on mainland Europe some markets have the option of petrol and diesel versions of the C4 X, the UK (along with several other European markets) has chosen to only offer the all-electric Citroen e-C4 X to buyers.
The Citroen C4 X will go on sale in the autumn across most markets, so expect first deliveries to arrive in late 2022 or early 2023. Some markets get the option of petrol and diesel versions, but the UK choice is limited to the battery-powered e-C4 X.
Pricing for the Citroen C4 X has yet to be officially confirmed, but given it is effectively a saloon version of the C4 hatchback we would expect it to cost slightly more than that. That means an expected starting price of around £31,000 for the electric e-C4 X, rising to just under £36,000 for top-spec models.
Citroen claims the e-C4 X is a unique prospect in offering a "combination of design, comfort and saloon car spaciousness in the mainstream mid-sized market". With no direct saloon rivals the closest competitor is the MG 5, an electric estate car with a similar range and a starting price of just under £30,000.
Further electric competitors include the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq Electric, plus electric SUVs such as the Kia e-Niro and Skoda Enyaq. There are some traditional saloon car rivals for the C4 X including the Mazda 3 Saloon and the Toyota Corolla Saloon, but the former is petrol-only and the latter is no longer available to order new.
Serving as a saloon version of the C4, it should be a surprise that the Citroen C4 X has a very similar design. In fact, it's essentially the same car from the front end up until behind the rear doors, where the roofline is different and the body is extended for a saloon bodystyle.
Rather than a traditional three-box saloon shape, however, Citroen has given it a fastback bodystyle that's similar in concept to the Hyundai i30 Fastback. It means a more gently sloping roofline, steeply angled rear window-line and a short bootlid - although the C4 X doesn't have a fully opening hatchback with the bootlid hinges at the bottom of the rear window.
The wraparound LED taillights are different to the hatchback, too, while the Citroen badging is spelled out across the bootlid, with the number plate moved down into the rear bumper with its plastic cladding.
The Citroen C4 X is 4600mm long, although the wheelbase is identical as the C4 hatchback. Both cars sit on the same CMP platform, too. The extra 240mm of length over the hatchback has mostly gone into boot space, with even the e-C4 X offering up a generous 510-litre capacity.
Despite the rear accommodation being similar space-wise, Citroen claims to have reclined the rear seat further than in the hatch to boost passenger comfort. Those rear seats fold forwards with a ski hatch in the centre, while Citroen claims a 'generous' boot entry height for a saloon and a maximum boot length of 1079mm.
Like the C4 hatch, the Citroen C4 X embraces the brand's Advanced Comfort programme intended to de-stress and relax occupants. Wide Advanced Comfort seats feature with special thickened foam padding, plus optional rear heated seats and grey Alcantara trim boost this further.
The C4 X also features the same new-generation infotainment as the C4 hatch, called MyCitroen Drive Plus, featuring a 10-inch HD touchscreen with customisable widgets, natural voice control speech recognition, over-the-air map updates and a new smartphone app.
The only Citroen C4 X we'll be getting in Britain is the electric e-C4 X. And yep, you've guessed it, it shares its motor and battery pack with the e-C4 hatchback.
That means you get a 100kW (136PS) electric motor powering the front wheels from a 50kWh battery pack. With 260Nm of torque, it's sufficient for a 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds in Sport mode and a 93mph top speed.
The range is quoted as 224 miles on a charge under the WLTP test regime, which is actually slightly more than the e-C4 hatchback (which officially manages 224 miles). A drag coefficient of 0.29Cd for the C4 X contributes to that.
Charging speeds are up to 100kW, meaning an 80% battery top-up can be completed in around 30 minutes, while an optional 11kW on-board charger means a five-hour charge with a suitable three-phase wallbox. A more common single-phase wallbox can recharge the e-C4 X in seven and a half hours.
The Citroen e-C4 X comes with the usual three driving modes - Eco, Normal and Sport - along with Citroen's Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension system which is designed to maximise comfort and give the brand's trademark 'magic carpet ride'.
If you fancy a Citroen C4 X but you can't wait until the autumn to order one, why not just go for the regular C4 hatchback? For starters, you get the choice of more affordable petrol and diesel models along with the electric e-C4 variant, while you get the same technology, a similar design and a near-identical cabin. The only thing you'll miss out on is the boot space, which is reduced to 380 litres, and the styling, which divides opinion on the regular C4 hatch.
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Yes, the Citroen C4 is a good all-rounder, so long as you're not looking for the ultimate in desirability and an exciting driving experience. The C4 focuses on comfort and value, with plenty of useful tech, a really smooth ride and punchy engines plus an all-electric e-C4 model.
The Citroen C4 X has a longer body than the C4 hatchback on which it's based by 240mm. It's effectively a saloon version of the C4, although Citroen has styled it more like a fastback.
The UK joins several European markets where Citroen will only offer the C4 X in electric e-C4 X form. This is because Citroen is seeing a high sales mix of the electric version of the Citroen C4, and also because saloon models such as this are less popular than hatchbacks.