Introduction

I love the way that Citroen continues to do its own thing and produce cars that are undeniably practical but quirky too. The e-C3 Aircross is a prime example, with loads of room on the inside despite its compact SUV billing, and plenty of personality packed in for good measure. In fact, Citroen has focused so much on the practicality that it somehow managed to shoehorn a third row into the seven-seater edition.

That follows a similar theme to my recent experience with the Vauxhall Frontera, another Stellantis group electric car that sits on the same platform. That, too, comes with a seven-passenger, three-rows-of-seats option as well as a few other tell-tale signs indicating it comes from the same stable.

Better still, unlike the revamped Citroen C4 that I drove directly before (which felt comfy but ever so slightly unexciting) the e-C3 Aircross is a much more enticing proposition. That’s partly down to the pricing strategy, with the petrol version starting at just £20,240 on the road. The electric e-C3 Aircross 83kW, which comes with a 44kWh battery in the posher Max trim, still only sets you back £24,990. Very tempting.

The styling

Much like the Vauxhall Frontera, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross sits quite high off the ground thanks to over 20cm of ground clearance that delivers a perky-looking stance. The compact SUV description sounds about right as it’s only 4.39 metres long, complimented by a 2.67 metre wheelbase. The 17in ‘Aragonite’ alloys add to the cool exterior look, which at the front end is a neat mix of horizontal and vertical lights.

There are customisable front and rear bumper clips too, which work to great effect if there’s a suitably contrasting body colour. As an added bonus, the Max trim comes with natty bi-tone paintwork roof that’s coloured in black or white, which makes the overall look quite bold. It’s topped off with the latest incarnation of the Citroen logo, presented via fairly sizable badges on the grille and tailgate.

Settling myself inside the e-C3 Aircross proved to be everything I’ve come to expect from this quirky brand, with a dashboard layout that’s definitely a step above the class average. Indeed, the speedo and other critical driver information is displayed quite a long way in front of the steering wheel, as a segment of a long bar that stretches from one pillar to the other. I rather liked the small square-ish steering wheel too, which had a nice thick grip. Anyone who’s not a fan of the same sort of thinking found in current Peugeots might not be as enamoured, mind.

A definite highlight of the Citroen e-C3 Aircross is, naturally, the seating, which is a common feature in the majority of these French-made cars. The ride was made even better thanks to the seats working in harmony with Citroen’s suspension setup, which makes the in-car experience super comfortable without ever feeling wallowy. A good thing, considering most of these cars are going to be carrying kids in the back.

The drive

With its weight of 1504 kilos and relatively small battery/motor combo, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross isn’t as sprightly as some rivals out there. The 0-60mph and top speed aren’t anything to write about either, but it gets the job done in decent fashion. Out on the motorway, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross trundles along very nicely, with a surprisingly quiet feel thanks to low levels of tyre noise.

Even when I was pushing it around the back roads, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross still had plenty of get up and go. It doesn’t roll much either, which was a pleasant surprise given its upright stance. Sure, this isn’t a fast car by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s got enough on tap to get out of sticky situations. I was a little reluctant to attempt too much in the way of overtaking though, with plenty of space to get a clear run and build up speed being the only real time I made the move to get past someone.

The range isn’t brilliant either, but this is a quick and easy car to charge, with 20 to 80% only taking around 26 minutes on a 100kW commercial charger. Overnight at home on my 7kW unit would therefore be no issue and that, I guess, is where many family-focused owners keen to keep charging costs as low as possible, will be doing the same. Citroen plans to unveil a bigger battery edition farther down the road too, good for 250 miles.

The technology

I think it’s well worth remembering the price point of the Citroen e-C3 Aircross, especially when it comes to the technology that’s on offer. Therefore, the 10.25in infotainment screen that sits on top of the funky dashboard layout is workmanlike rather than wow-tastic. It comes armed with all the stuff I need, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, all of which is packaged in a widget-style layout that makes it easy to pick through on the go. I was pleased with the wireless Wi-Fi charging zone below and the smattering of USB-C ports too.

My Max trim didn’t leave me wanting for anything, actually. Driver aids were plentiful, with the standard-fare offering of active safety brake, active lane keeping assist, driver alert and speed sign recognition all being obvious examples. The test car also featured front and rear parking sensors, blind spot detection and a reversing camera. The quality of the view was acceptable enough, although it doesn’t feel quite as sophisticated as some, but that’s to be expected for the cost of the car.

Citroen e-C3 Aircross verdict

Even if I splurged and bought this Max trim edition, the electric Citroen e-C3 Aircross is still less than 25K. That’s quite a lot of car for not an awful lot of money. Granted, there are compromises, with an acceptable rather than exciting suite of infotainment gubbins and a range that is easy to live with but could be better. However, the e-C3 Aircross continues to grow on me the more I see it and the irresistible level of comfort inside is hard to fault for the money.

Incidentally, the seven-seat option is only available on petrol/hybrid versions of the car. I still think the third row looks pretty tight anyway and is only really going to be of any use for smaller folks. As a five-seater though, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross works to great effect – plus there’s a 460-litre boot, which is only compromised slightly by the way the pillars lean inwards at the rear. Pop the 60/40 seats down and the carrying space expands to 1,600 litres. It’s a very practical package.

Citroen e-C3 Aircross technical specifications