🔎 The Truth About the e-C4: A Brutally Honest Review 👀
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- Опубликовано: 8 июл 2024
- Join me as I dive into the realities of owning a Citroen e-C4. Despite its beautiful exterior and comfortable ride, the e-C4 has some surprisingly disappointing features. From an underdeveloped infotainment system where Android Auto fails to start automatically and a 10" screen with unnecessary temperature panels, to a glitchy Car Control App that's more offline than online, it's clear that Citroen has a long way to go.
Beyond these annoyances, the onboard computer fails to provide basic information such as consumption or miles driven since the last charge, and the supposedly "premium" seats in the Shine model are anything but comfortable. Not to mention the car's frustratingly narrow interior and the awkward position behind the wheel due to the large tilt of the steering wheel.
Further, the double trunk floor doesn't stay in place, and the heater and start buttons are awkwardly hidden. The car's steering lacks any real feedback, making fast cornering a guessing game. Despite other reviews painting a rosy picture, my experience with the e-C4 was quite the shock.
However, it's not all bad news: the ride is comfortable, the assists and adaptive cruise control work perfectly, and the external design is nothing short of stunning. Despite these positives, the car feels unfinished and unpolished.
I wanted to make a full review video, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to do so. Hence, I decided to share my experience in this format. If you're considering an e-C4, I'd recommend taking a look at the MG4 instead.
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0:44 Infotainment
1:55 Car Control App
2:35 Onboard Computer
3:13 Seats
4:43 Trunk, Button Visibility
6:24 Steering
7:09 Good Stuff
8:27 Conclusion
#Citroen #eC4 #ElectricVehicle #CarReview #EVReview #CitroenReview #Infotainment #CarControlApp #OnboardComputer #CarSeats 
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I fully agree with your review. I got this car just for a one day rental as a surprise option, and there is no premium in this car - at all. And it drives like a. boring ship. If I want a ship experience, there should be water underneath...
Hmm.. I have this car now for over 2 years.
The only thing I agree on is the App.
For me the seats are awesome and everything is adjustable. It is actually hard to not find a perfect position.
The four buttons on the left, you never ever use, that is why they are in the back.
I'm happy the seats are good for you. I thought they were fine during my test drive and they're normally "ok", but I get quite uncomfortable after driving for a few hours on a road trip.
As far as the buttons, well, I suppose one will not be using them very much due to how well hidden they are. I suspect I might even forget I have a heated steering wheel by the time winter rolls back around 😄
When you say you only agree with the app, do you mean the other things are different in your car or that you don't find them to be bothersome? Because I do admit that I have pretty high standards due to my last car, VW e-Golf, that was meticulously worked out. But as I've seen from some of my comments, not everyone has their standards that high.
@@siasek tbh, I hate driving VW. Had a few, but way too bumby. Seems you are referring to personal standards I guess.
hmm, which VW? For me the e-Golf was wonderful and certainly more fun and pleasant to drive than the e-C4. just that damn small battery got to be a pain 🙄
@@siasek Try the VW ID3 and it will drive you insane. VW don't make cars like Golf anymore. I had two of them and miss them every day. Drive the ë-C4 now and I am quite happy with the car.
I also traded in my e-Golf for an e-C4 because of the range, but I don't really like it. So many imperfections and that horrible inaccurate and uncertain steering!
I had taken my e-Golf to do a test drive with the Cupra Born, which is like a more designer ID3 and it didn't impress me at all. Such an out of tune car! But yea, I agree with you about the ID3. The e-Golf was golden and going from that to an ID3 (which I initially considered) would have been a major downgrade and letdown 🫤
People should probaly know that since thatr video the infortainment screen has been updated since and now it makes much better use of the screen size
It's sad that they had to make a new car model to make it happen0. 😂 Software and updates really aren't Citroen's strong suit.
Best reviews are people like yourself who actually live with the car you get a good honest review. You see guys on here getting a lend of a new car to review and there not going to be to negative in case they don’t get and more cars to review so there not the best reviews to depend on. I like the Peugeot e2008 there’s a updated model with more range and updated infotainment centre it’s just released so be a bit expensive for me but price drops on them fast
Agreed - I watched so many reviews of the e-C4 and none of this stuff got mentioned. Mainly the reviewers complained about cup holders and praised the completely useless (in my opinion) iPad holder in front of the passenger. Not exactly useful information 😄
The Peugeot e2008 seems like a pretty nice car, I'm just not a huge fan of the display in front of the steering wheel. Seems to me like it's at an awkward angle to see what's actually displayed there. But overall it seems like a nice ride. Hopefully the price gets more reasonable soon🤞
There is a new Infotaiment system that has been released for the e-C4 that e-C4X was launched with. Citreon announced the release on the 1st February. It looks like it fixes all the issues that you have raised. For example, Androiid Auto fills the whole screen and you no longer have the temperature levels taking over a large part of the screen. Unfortunately, I don't believe it will be possible to upgrade the older system to this new one. Pity as it is a huge improvement.
Ah, that is a shame! Finally they got something right but I'm still out of luck 😅 Still, taking a closer look at the infotainment in some of the newer cars coming out (for example the new Zeekr X, for which I am currently preparing a video), the infotainment that Citroen offers seems very old school. That being said, I'm happy they have made some improvement for newer systems. Definitely a step in the right direction 👌
Look for a video titled "New Multimedia System & Cockpit Citroen 2023", the new system is demonstrated nicely there. It's attached to new hardware so the update won't be possible to update the previous system to this one. Also, it is just the top 2 trim levels that get the new system, the 2 lower ones are stuck with the old system. With the update, the SOC is now also displayed in the driver display, why Citroen ever decided not to display SOC is a mystery to me.
I'll check that video out, thank you! Regarding your last sentence - I'm pretty sure at this point that the people who designed this car had never actually driven an EV, hence the many mysterious decisions 😄
Change the whole hardware to remove some temp crap? Seriously? Not impressed.
Thanks for this info
My pleasure! Hope you found it useful 😊
Maybe others don't mention some things because it's not an issue for them. Lot of reviewers like the seats for example. But such videos are good because you can pay attention to these things and decide yourself if it's a problem or not. Maybe there will be an update of this car soon because the new e-C3 and Berlingo has the new design language with the new logo etc.
That's true, I like your approach. I've kind of gotten used to the seats after a few months, but they're not the kind of seats that fit on the first sit, like they were in the Kia EV6, for example. 🙂
Unfortunately I don't believe there will be updates to older models, in 3 years they haven't even fixed the app. I'm not sure what's the hold up, it's like they only have one person working on it and he's always on vacation.
I'm looking forward to the e-C3, maybe it will be the first of the new generation of cheap EVs, which will be a definite plus for Citroen. But yea, I simply don't like my e-C4, there are so many flaws that it even spoils the overall impression of its positive aspects. Especially the unusable on-board computer annoys me every drive, yet it's such a primitive thing that I thought couldn't be messed up. Wrong... 😄 Perhaps I'm a bit spoiled though.. my first EV (VW e-Golf) was simply awesome, except for the small battery (first generation)
No comment about the range? Would be very useful to get some insights on that. Don't know why but second hand these are being offered at surprisingly good prices! Would be nice if someone could compare it to the MG 4 which is in the same price category (even though they are obviously very different in terms of driving).
I had made a video of the e-C4, unfortunately the audio didn't work so it was useless and I haven't gotten back around to it yet. I bought it precisely because a one year "used" from Germany MY2022 in full trim was about £11,000 cheaper than a new MG4 Trophy. (which was just starting out and not available at the time). But overall the e-C4 is a very average car, the only thing you can't really fault it for is the exterior design, they got that just right. Otherwise the driving experience is zero, great chassis but terrible steering with no feedback. In that respect it's the opposite of the MG4. But for example LKA and HDA work great in the e-C4, which is surprising considering how terrible the infotainment and EV features are (charging, apps, on-board computer...) Consumption is around 15 kWh/100 km in summer and around 18 kWh/100 km in winter. The car has bugs like - cooling/heating via the app can only be turned on when the battery is over 50% charged (genius thinking 🙄), the car always turns on the lights for a while when the app connects to it, the on-board computer has to be reset manually, no info on consumption since driving out, for example. The screen with the time to charge disappears as soon as anything is done in the car and doesn't come back, the MY22 doesn't and won't have a battery charge percentage because it can't (!) play the display software in front of the driver. You can't set a charge limit - it's either 11 kW or nothing. The interior is very narrow, barely fitting a seat belt between the seat and the side pillar. The range indicator is terrible, it basically makes up random numbers and the battery indicator is inaccurate, so you can only tell very roughly how much battery capacity you have, as if they did it on purpose. You can download new infotainment updates (+-5 GB one) - but there is no change log for them, so you just download and update for an hour without any effect - you don't notice any changes, nothing is fixed, nothing is improved. I could go on for a long time, but I know one thing for sure, my next EV will definitely not be Stellantis. 😄
@@siasek Thanks so much for this extended answer! Since I found out that I don't have to pay the local VAT in Sweden where I live, I discovered that a used (6-18 months old) is actually within budget (max 25k Euro), and the e-C4 is currently on top of my list. I don't drive that much and mostly cycle to work, but I drive 4000kms in 3 weeks when I go on holiday (from Sweden I drive to Italy and Switzerland to fulfil my cycling dreams☺). I did some research on ABRP and found that the e-C4 performs acceptably on motorway driving if you don't go over 110km/hr, the range isn't great but the charging curve is very good considering the battery size. It seems about on par with the ID.3 with the smallest battery. Citroen improved the e-C4 quite a bit over a years time, with improved heat pump for better range in winter, improved range indicator, slightly longer gearing, and then finally the new infotainment system. App is still terrible, but that I can live with. Every EV in this price range seems to be unfinished at launch, the ID.3 seems to fare rather worse in that respect with quite many people reporting faults with their car, and an unacceptable level of SW bugs. The MG 4 would be the perfect car for me, good consumption, charges fast, exactly the right size, fun to drive, and it looks great (my personal opinion) but.... I don't trust the brand..... highlighted by your recent videos about the MG updates. Many of the quirks would irritate me like the unusable ACC and auto-steer, and unfinished (obviously very Chinese) infotainment user interface. Also in all honesty I'd rather not buy 100% Chinese. Older models like Leaf, Zoe, Ionic 28/38kWh, and i3 are all useless on long trips. 3 Short questions: 1. What is the first registration date (approx.) of your e-C4? 2. Given the choice, what would you buy instead, knowing now about the e-C4? 3. Did you ever ask to update the car (not infotainment) at a dealership? Thanks again, really appreciate the channel! I change cars like every 8 years so buying a new car is a big thing for me:)
Unfortunately the e-C4 with heat pump can't heat the battery at all in winter, so it suffers from cold gate just like the e-Golf without thermomanagement. There is perhaps no greater torture than to arrive at the charger and see that it only charges 40 kW 😄. But if you can charge at home on AC, it won't bother you so much, and it doesn't bother me either since I got a parking space in an underground garage where I can plug in. On the highway we drive the e-C4 mostly with HDA at 125 km/h and the range is over 230 km in summer. It always charges at full capacity in summer - we use a cheaper 75 kW charging station here and it runs 75 kW practically all the time. But our version can't show % charge, outside of the charging screen which disappears as soon as you turn the car on, or in the app which is terrible, but lately it's been connecting to the car pretty well. It still takes minutes to update the data and you can't be sure you're looking at the current battery level. 🙄
To answer your questions - 1st reg. 7/2021, we bought on 3/2022 and the dealership uploaded the last version of the software that was available at the time. Since then, there have been 2 infotainment updates (download to USB and upload to car) that changed nothing, there was no changelog. I haven't been to the dealership, I don't plan to until next year, they don't realistically do anything for EVs there anyway, it just costs unnecessary money. After it's taken Citroen 2 years to "improve" the app with no real improvement, I have a hard time trusting that any other software update will help... The only thing I noticed after the last update was that my usable screen space got smaller 🤨.
Getting the e-C4 was a big decision for me too, mostly because my e-Golf was amazing, I just couldn't do the short range anymore. The price-performance ratio is still perfect for the e-C4, if you put up with its ergonomic shortcomings. I'd definitely consider a used MG4 Trophy now (MG has finally started sales in the Czech Republic, thus solving the service issue that wasn't yet available in 3/22), then again I'd consider a used Tesla 3 for the convenience of traveling via Superchargers, plus a good price per kWh, and otherwise the situation with used EVs for "reasonable money" hasn't changed much. Guess it'll still take a little more time.
@@siasek Thank you again for the extended answer! I have been wanting an electric car for quite some time, but yeah... those prices😳. I put a used e-C4 at the top of my list because the used prices were relatively good on these in Germany, though I'd have to import it, and have the hassle of selling my current diesel car. Given the money I'd go for a Polestar 2 or indeed the Model 3. Yesterday I've put the signature for a new, but pre-registered Corsa-e GSI. 2023 Model, it has for example the SOC on the driver display. No ACC (HDA) unfortunately. The 10 inch system, which is standard in the e-C4 is an option in the Corsa, so mine has the 7 inch system. Well, the price was so good, that I can accept these 'shortcomings', the electric car that I always wanted suddenly was inside the budget and I couldn't let this chance pass up. I was surprised about your comment of the supercharger: In many countries (Germany, Netherlands, Sweden to name a few) non-Tesla owners can charge at the Supercharger network, using the Tesla app. I've tried it, it works great, and prices are OK. I just checked the Tesla website, and indeed you're right, Czech Republic is not yet one of them. One remark about the e-C4, it could be worth to check out if the early ones like yours have the faulty OBC. The Corsa, which shares its technology with the e-C4, has been plagued with this, usually the charger fails after 2-3 years. Only the 11kW OBC is affected it seems, the 7kW is fine. If it fails, you can still fast charge it, but the AC charging stops working. It's a Eur4000 repair, but Opel offers 50% off the price, so still 2000 Euros left.... I did not want an early one because of this. Ofcourse, it could be the e-C4 is not affected at all, and has been provided with an updated OBC from the start. Fingers crossed🤞
Hey, I am just seeing your reply today... didn't get a notification for some reason.
Do you have your Corsa already? If so, what are your first impressions? The Corsa is one of the small EVs that I like, also the slightly bigger Mokka-e. I bet the price was quite interesting! I'd love to hear about your experience so far!
Not a single real problem in this video. These "problems" aren't real problems. Did You Even test drive this car before you bought it? If You realy dont't like car driving position and feel of the car general you notice that at first test drive.
If you think having an app that doesn't work is no problem, I bet they'd love to hire you at Citroen! 🤩
Look, I understand that not everyone expects their car to provide all of the functionalities a good EV should, but I like to keep my standards a bit higher. I did do a short test drive (not in the exact car I got, but same model), as this was the only opportunity I had and decided to get it as a transitional car, since I do admit that the price I was offered was wonderful and (as I mentioned) it definitely has a few good aspects as well. As you may have heard me mention in the video (though maybe not?), the seats only became an issue for me upon taking a road trip with the car. So, they're okay, but luxury is an overstatement. If you're happy with a useless SOC indicator, an app that doesn't really work, a 10 inch display that's really only 7 inches, etc., well then good for you! You probably find it a lot easier to find an affordable EV you will love unconditionally.
I did get a truly great price, so I am aware that I made some of these compromises willingly. It's also the reason I will be dumping my e-C4 sooner rather than later. But I think that when doing a review, we should be upfront with people and tell them about the reality of owning a car, not just add another "nice" review to the already existing pile. That way everyone can make a truly informed decision about whether the good price is worth the compromises.
@@siasek How much these "problems" have cost You extra money or extra repair time? People complain things too easily. If car Works you can go place A to B, Lights works Etc.. so there is no real problem.
Yea, that's fair enough. I think we just have a different perspective on this, which is good. That's what keeps life interesting. I guess my review was made for people who want a little more from their car. And even though I got a good price, the e-C4 is still not a "cheap" car. Not cheap enough to be happy with just getting from A to B. That's all.
These "problems" mentioned are worth hearing about.
Most car reviewers don't get cars from the manufacturers to test if they tell all the truth.
@@siasek Never had any problems with the Citroen App. It's more likely that you have not updated the firmware neither in the car or the app itself
Some versions do indicate the exact percentage of charge.
Some versions have the old-style physical key to insert and turn into "ignition".
Charging percentage is available from MY22, but unfortunately they are unable to update the firmware of the display in front of the steering wheel on older models. This is already indicative of how Citroen (Stellantis) approaches updates. They simply threw the older model customers who've already paid overboard. It's obvious that no one has actually driven the car in traffic, because no sane person would put it into mass production in this condition. 😄
Biggest disastrous issue after 5 months driving: The small battery does not charge when plugged in. Following 2 Citroen workshops this is normal. The car only charges the small battery when driving. We bought it to use it in towh and aroung, as the car only ranges for 150-200km. Such short ranges are too small to charge the battery. What a bad electrical car... There is more that is strange: the most expensive version comes with manual seat adjustments... and with manual rear door. The assistants are Citroen like, so no news about bad software for us as we are used to bad Citroen SW. Driving comfort is good.
I've heard about the 12V battery, but it doesn't really affect me, as I typically ride at least around 20 km and there have been no problems with it throughout the year I've had it so far. What annoys me the most is the totally useless on-board computer, I basically drive "blind" all the time. I don't know the drive time, I don't know the consumption per drive, I don't see the battery percentage (I have MY21). Otherwise I agree - the software is bad, overall I find it a totally average car. Comfort good, but on county roads my car is terribly unsure due to zero feedback from the wheels. I'm only comfortable driving it in the city and on the highway. I don't know about you, but my next car definitely won't be anything from the Stellantis group. 😄
I used to own one of these
Agree with all of your point, how ever the worst one was that they said that you should keep the battery between 80 and 20 in everyday use. Ok.. So how do I do that.. Is there a charge limit er? No.. Keep an eye out when charging.. And I charge at night..
Annoyed me so much that I sold it
You've hit the nail on the head, that's one of about a hundred things that annoy me about the e-C4, the car is so stripped down! Not even a limit setting, not even a current limit, the on-board computer is useless... even my 2012 e-Golf had all of these things! 😄 It's a real shame. I'm looking forward to getting rid of the e-C4 too.
@@siasek I now have a renault megane e-tech. It is like a different world.
EV went from annoyance to just plain practical and easy changing to that car
omg, get out of my head! I've been thinking about the e-tech a lot myself lately 😄 what motor and trim do you have?
@@siasek I chose the techno with a 60 kwh battery and 22 kw onboard charger.
Great car. Infotainment is amazing. The size of the e-c4 and the megane is similar, but Renault managed 80 litre bigger boot. The comfort of the seats of renault and citroen.. pretty much similar, but I was never that bothered by the e-c4 on comfort.
I regard the megane like a Tesla that I like better. I prefer physical buttons for the essentials, not everything on a screen even if I certainly can use the screen also.
The 22 kw onboard charger is amazing: Everybody speaks about.. how fast does it charge whilst I am thinking.. WHY?
The range is about 440 km.. After such a drive.. I want to go to the bathroom, maybe eat something.. If I go to a supercharger I would hardly even get my food before I have to run to move the car. With the 22 kw.. I can simply do all of it and even walking my dog a bit.
Doing so I discovered how wrong I drove my previous car before electric.. I stopped where I just drove past before.. and I have found so many gems of places to visit.
The trips are just so much more enjoyable. And if I am in a rush.. it charges fast :)
Hah, that's exactly one I'm considering - Techno, EV60 with a 22 kW charger. I was also wondering if a 96 kW motor would be enough instead of 160 kW, but the prices are quite similar. I like the bigger trunk, but I don't understand why there is no double trunk floor in Germany. 🫤 Anyway, the infotainment in the E-Tech is so awesome! I bet you look forward to every ride. I agree with you that driving electric makes for a whole new driving experience, also better in my opinion. I've heard this argument of "Oh, it takes long to charge up and that's so inconvenient". But I've found it to be a great way to slow down and enjoy life a bit more. And visit some new places and get a chance to look around, like you say. I think it's great 😊
If this video is real honest I just wander what all your other videos are. In the first test drive before buying, you must have seeing the "problem" with the position off the staring wheel and the neck rest. All the other problems are the difference between German and French cars, and the reason people loves citroen😅 not so boring as Golf.
Hey, to me, the short test drive that I had simply wasn't enough time to recognize just how crappy some of these issues are. Plus I was a bit tired of searching for a good and at the same time affordable EV, maybe the price won out here a bit and I thought I could get used to the e-C4's shortcomings. I sort of have, but not really. Anyways, if you think an e-C4 is more fun to drive than an e- Golf, then clearly I can't trust your judgement or take this comment seriously. 😊
Very interesting and I should imagine extremely useful for anyone considering an e-C4. Liked and subscribed. Thanks!
Thank you for watching and subscribing! Hope you'll find lots of useful info here 😊 Welcome aboard!
Regarding steering feedback; I haven't tried the eC4 yet, but I have driven Citroen CX's for many years. The steering in those are (were) hydraulic (not servo assisted) like fighter jets and there was no feedback whatsoever from the steering. After a short while you got used to and I still miss it after more than 20 years. The feedback comes from the chassis and you use your back and pelvis to monitor what it's doing. Been driving in northern Sweden on snow and ice for more than a decade, I can assure anyone who is sceptic, it is hard to beat. I needed no feedback from the wheels...
huh, that's an interesting viewpoint. Maybe I'm old-school, but I just prefer getting feedback from the wheels to the steering wheel, both to know what the car is doing and for the joy of driving. Guess I wouldn't make a good figher jet pilot 🙈
@@siasek hi, thank you for your reply. I'm actually a pilot but unfortunately not on fighter jets... maybe piloting is for you!
To me, it seems that the steering feedback is essential on older cars with positive steering angle but new technology has reduced the need for it to a large extent - not taking into account racing. I wish you many happy miles with your Citroën and thanks for an honest review. 👍
I had a VW e-Golf before the e-C4 and I loved driving it, the steering feedback was perfect, even though it also had electric power steering. What I mainly dislike about my Citroen now is the lack of accuracy I feel around the center position. Like the car doesn't drive like it's on steady on the road, I constantly feel like I have to correct the direction, it's frustrating when making turns on back roads, for example! I feel like a lack of precision when turning the wheel. It's the first car where I've experienced making a turn and having to pull the wheel back because it was too much. That's how bad the wheel feedback is. I feel like they just blew it off.
Anyways, that's cool that you're a pilot, I imagine that can give a much different perpective on driving. I'd like to try it myself one day and find out if it is for me 😄
@@siasekI can relate to what you describe regarding a feeling of instability entering a corner. It shouldn't be that way. It can actually be the rear end causing it. There has been a recall on some production series, adjusting and replacing parts. Perhaps you could have a Citroën dealer look into it...
Interesting! I'm not sure it applies to my model, as there haven't been any recalls on it and it did go through service before I got it (I got a year old model from Germany), but maybe it's something I can look into. Thanks for the idea!
2023 version solves the infortainment system
Good! That's a step in the right direction. Unfortunately 2021/2022 customers can kick rocks, I guess, but at least Citroen is making a little progress. 😄 Still a lot that could be improved upon, in my opinion. The phoney "360 degree" camera comes to mind...
@@siasek also theres some other improvements on other screens and antenna, the problem is that also they removed frontal camera. I think its a good car afterall with problems like other brands. Good video btw
I think it's okay, but I'm really not a big fan. I may have high standards, having switched from an e-Golf, which was so well made (I just couldn't do the short range anymore, as it was a first generation).
I'm preparing a video on the Renault Megan E-Tech right now and I think that looks quite interesting - beautiful displays, Android Automotive, 22kW onboard AC charger and an elegant interior... it's making me consider making a switch!
Glad you enjoyed the video, thank you. 😊
@@siasek What do you think about 1.2 puretech 130? The gasoline engine for the c4
I honestly stopped paying attention to gasoline engines about 4 years ago, so I don't know. Do you drive a C4?
I agree with the app its terrible. The seats you have are not the premium ones. The premium ones are slightly softer and a bit more comfortable.
Unfortunately, the seats for the Shine are called "Citroën Advanced Comfort Seats" here. I know that there was a version with electric adjustment and massage, but we couldn't get this version in a year-old car, they were only availabe in Austria and the prices there were too high compared to Germany (where almost nobody paid 1500 EUR extra for electric seats). After about 2 months, I've gotten used to the seats, but they just leave a lot to be desired. Calling them "Advanced Comfort" is really a stretch. And the on-board computer? Scary, manual zeroing, otherwise you don't know anything for the last ride and who remembers to manually zero every time...
Im so glad for this review, the thing with the touchscreen where you really only get 7 inch for the maps etc has put me off getting one
I hated this in the ds3 crossback that i had, that had a 10 inch screen but the sat nav was small in the middle but they are from the same car group so explains why
Hi, thanks for the comment! Believe me, it irritates me pretty much every day. 😄
I now have a box that will make wired Android Auto/CarPlay wireless in my e-C4, it works great (will be reviewing it towards the end of the month), but it makes the picture so small that anything on the screen is so hard to control!
So I can have cool apps on the screen, but I can't control them properly, and RUclips like that on a 7" space is rather laughable in the car. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy a car that has such a small main screen again, let alone one that still only has an Android car cutout from it. But I'm preparing a video about the Kia EV6 right now and it's in a similar position, it has a 10" display but it's so much wider than that that it's also hilariously tiny in portrait mode.
@@siasekjust watched more videos about the e-cv x and they show satnav being full screen
@@siasek i realised you have the e-c4...it is the e-c4 x that has the new satnav that fills the screen which is what i am about to order on lease now that i realised
That's right, the C4-X has a new version of infotainment. Sad that they couldn't fix it on the older version so e-C4 owners are out of luck and stuck with those totally useless giant temperature side panels. 😄😅😂😭
You can find fault with every car if you really look close enough. I’ve been looking to buy a EV and at present watching a lot of RUclips reviews and it’s difficult to actually find a perfect car. But I won’t just jump in and buy until am certain as it’s a lot of money you pay for theses EV cars am sorry your unhappy with your car all I can say is do a lot of homework for your next car.
Please be careful on YT - reviewers often work for car companies and either out of ignorance or deliberately gloss over the very things we're discussing here. We have an e-C4 that has a lot of issues that obviously aren't mentioned in the reviews. Yet we figured them out in the first week.
I'm not like extremely upset, as we deliberately chose it because we were able to get a really nice price, but it's still such a shame that one can spend hours upon hours researching and not find any of this stuff. I wish you good luck on your search! I think the market will continue to get better!
Same thing here! I really want my next car to be an EV, but it seems almost impossible to find an EV that works on long distances (it will be my only car and I drive long stretches in holidays) yet is trouble-free, does not have too many drawbacks, and fits the budget. It seems like all manufacturers choose to launch their EV's early, and improve the product over time. ID.3 owners will agree I think....
It’s often the little irritating stuff like that which really ruins things.
Useful to know ( and the Citroen is definitely not on my list anymore!).
Exactly! A hundred small shortcomings add up and up to make a bad car. It's also a bit "interesting" that you really don't hear about these things in other e-C4 reviews. Well, lesson learned for me 😄
Test driving this vehicle properly would have sorted out the most of your issues wich are pretty personal. The app and the infotainment are rubbish, i give you that. The app is not the car itself and therefor cannot be tested by testdriving and android auto can work everytime you start the car with a wifi dongle, still pretty lame it isn't wireless allready.
Mmm, I must disagree with you a bit. Properly test driving the car would not actually solve any of the problems that it has. As to whether they are personal or of interest to other potential buyers, I guess that comes down to personal opinion as well as standards. I made this video because I had several viewers asking me about my personal experience and decided a video would be more effective than responding to individual comments. What I did not mention, that might've been helpful perhaps, is the fact that my old car was a VW e-Golf, which was impeccable in many respects. Unfortunately it's a first generation EV and as such, I ended up outgrowing its range limitations. Now if I could've just swapped for a larger battery (this is not possible), I would've happily kept driving that beaut. When I got the e-C4, it was after a long journey (which I detailed here ruclips.net/video/ywwwYW_NYqE/видео.html) of trying out many EVs with many compromises but very high price tags. I ended up choosing the e-C4 as a transition car, because I was able to find it for a very reasonable price and figured if I'd be making compromises, I might as well pay less to do it.
Anyways, for me this is truly a transition car and I will not own it for long, but I figure it's good information for anyone who may be interested in the e-C4 as a long-term car. No other reviews that I've found dive into some of its less flattering particulars, so I think it's good to get the info out there. And then people can make an informed decision as to whether they are no-big-deals or deal breakers for them.
Thank you for watching!
@@siasek true test driving would not solve the problem, but could have prevented you from buying it as you are really annoyed by issues wich could have come forward in a proper test drive. 15 minutes as you mention somewhere is far from a proper test drive. Still you are free to an opinon of this car offcourse and fore sure the c4 has it's issues but for me not as you mention.
The app is worthless,
Cupholders (no coffeecup will fit),
The infotainment without using carplay/androidauto is slow,
The range indicator is almost never accurate (the newer versions do show percentage and an update for BMS is on the way to take away this accuracy, wich i first need to see before i believe it as building an app is already a thing for stellantis)
Definitely agree on the range indicator. I think I only showed it in the video with an arrow, but didn't go deeper into it. But it's definitely a bit finicky. I didn't focus on some other things (like cup holders) mainly because I've seen the covered in other reviews so figured that info is already out there. But yea, I'm not really that annoyed - it's a decision I made so that's on me, and I have gotten more used to the car's shortcomings after driving it for a while, but I still think it's good to inform people.
I am also curious to see if and when this update will bring improvements, but I'm also not holding my breath 😄
I need more details about car on road, battery issues maybe with the charge, stability on drive but... Thanks for the review!
Hi! Of course, this video doesn't cover all the details.. if you'd like, you can get more info in my video where I compare MG4 vs e-C4 and discuss things like charging, consumption and range, onboard computer and a few other tidbits: ruclips.net/video/-c4LM6QTzRs/видео.htmlsi=xW94ZzxiCI8bWrd1
Why do you have "these two gauges that you do manually zero every time you get in"?
I still have my ICE car, waiting for a suitable EV... And I also have 2 small pages about the fuel consumption per 100km and the distance since the last reset.
They don't automatically reset each time I refill the car, but I reset one of them every time I do fill up the car with fuel, but that's to get a feeling about the consumption in winter and summer (it changes!) and about the kilometers I get from refill to refill. That's not every time I start the car.
And I would not reset it in an EV even if I would recharge it daily over night, because the consumption of one day is not soo useful. But well, if you record your distance for commercial use to get a refund, maybe you need it daily, but not everyone does. Therefore I get it why it's manually resettable and does not vanish (reset to 0) without noticing it.
You have negative points that are just out of your hate maybe.
And you would have found out about the steering wheel that's not your taste in the first test drive. Don't postpone to find the right seating position AFTER buying a car, do it on the test drive.
Which car holds the trunk floor up by itself?
The buttons behind the steering wheel, the start button behind the wheel, huh, wich car has the start button NOT there? Maybe a Tesla, they make it different, but you would hate it.
And again, the steering, you would have found out about it on the first test drive. You obviously were "absent" on that test drive.
First I’d like to mention that my previous car was a VW e-Golf, which was an immaculate car in many perspectives. This is probably why I have high standards. I would have loved to keep my e-Golf, but it was a first generation and had a limited range. If I could’ve just changed the battery, I’d have done that. Unfortunately, this isn’t an option. My search for an optimal follow-up car turned up many cars that fell short and their price was way too high for all of the compromises I’d be making. (if you’re interested in details, feel free to watch my video on our EV search here: ruclips.net/video/ywwwYW_NYqE/видео.html)
I do have a dream EV (Polestar 2), but am not getting it yet, as I have other financial goals I want to meet first. I then found the Citroen for a very good price and decided to get it as a transition car, knowing I would be making some compromises, but at a price that was not as high as some of these other half-baked EVs.
As far as the individual concerns, I will try to explain in more detail:
Onboard computer:
Here the ideal is, as always, to have options. The VW Concern has always had three on-board computers - from departure, from refueling (charging) and long-term. All can be manually reset if necessary, but otherwise work completely automatically. Each one shows average consumption, average speed, distance traveled etc. Having only two manually resetting on-board computers is a cop-out and untapped potential. And yes, I will always criticize this with any car that gives the driver no choices.
As far as finding a comfortable position behind the wheel, you may have heard me mention (though seems like you did not), that this really only became an issue once I spent more time in the car. What is comfortable for a 15 minute test drive doesn’t always hold up for hours on the road, etc.
As far the buttons, you may have heard me mention (though seems like you again did not) that I consider this to be a smaller pain, however, those small pains do add up and compound over time. As far as the Start button goes, here I must again praise my old e-Golf, which had it in the perfect place, visible and all. In fact, Citroen could have placed the e-C4’s Start button here as well (or just done away with it altogether), and instead put it in a weird spot, seemingly for no reason.
Which car has a boot floor that can be propped up so you don’t have to hold it as you load stuff? Ding ding ding, once again, it's the VW e-Golf. Making a boot floor that can be propped up or “hooked” to stay up is pretty primitive, so not making it that way just seems lazy.
The steering: yes, one can feel it immediately on a test drive. Does this mean that there is no room for improvement? Yes, one can “get used to it”. But I personally believe that they can do better.
With all of this being said, the Citroen e-C4 did still come out for me as the best buy for the money for what was on the market. As I have acknowledged, I got it knowing I would be making compromises, but as it is a transition car for me, I figured I can deal with them for a year or two. BUT! I don’t believe that means I should just shut up and not let others know about its numerous shortcomings. What if someone wants to buy it to drive for the next 10 years? What if it’s someone’s first EV? They would probably be crying and swear EVs are just awful.
To me, making an honest review that’s not kissing the brand’s ass, informing people about a car’s shortcomings and holding automakers to higher standards does not come from a place of hate. To me, hate is a useless emotion and I certainly don’t poison myself with it.
Anyways, hopefully this makes things a bit clearer. Thanks for watching!
Seats are great, infotainment poor for the earlier models, really bad mistake.
The app i use for pre heat only if i can get it to talk to the car.
Climate stuff takes time to use properly.
Yes, that app is such a travesty. And I really don't understand some things in the infotainment, maybe most of all those silly temp. panels. And that useless onboard computer! It may as well not be there for all the good it does.
I wouldn't call the seats great, well at least not the ones I have, which are not electrically adjustable, to me they're average at best. And definitely uncomfortable to me for longer rides. But other than that we're on the same page.
Biggest load of crap I have ever owed carnt wait till next September to get rid of it
😄 I know what you mean! I got it a year used, so the price was right, but I really ended up not liking so much about it. Am also looking forward to parting ways with my e-C4.
Should have gotten that Model 3 ;).
I ended up with an ID3 and I'm quite happy despite its obvious flaws.
I might end up with a used Model 3 or Y in a few years though. Unless those ID2 and equivalents end up being really good.
I'm also keeping my eye out for a reasonably priced used Model Y. I think I may be happy with that one.
It's exactly these obvious flaws that are making many European auto makers look amateur. How is the touch steering wheel in the ID3? I feel like I couldn't get used to it...
@@siasek I sure think I would. It doesn't look as well proportioned as a Model 3 though, so I'm looking out for that one
The touch buttons on the steering wheel were a mistake. But personally I think it's not as big a deal as the software hiccups. The drive is pretty good though.
I prefer the Y since it's a liftback, guess I'm not a huge fan of sedans in general.
What kind of software issues bother you most with the ID3? For me (as is evident from the video) it's nearly everything in the e-C4 (the app, useless onboard computer, SOC bar that shows pretty much nothing, etc.)
Luckily VW has also admitted at this point that the touch steering wheel was a mistake. Hopefully they'll be the last ones to try such an abomination 😅
@@siasek I don't mind a true liftback, but I generally prefer lower cars, including sedans.
My ID3 occasionally doesn't recognize the key. Android Auto takes too long to start, and once in a while the mic doesn't work. Sometimes audio doesn't work. The navigation is pretty bad, voice recognition is next to useless. Etc. Etc. When it works it is a pretty great car though.
I do also really want a simple method to preheat while driving for optimal fast charging. I think this'll come in a software update, but since a bunch of cars were bricking themselves via the OTA you now have to wait for VW to invite you for this update. I have one of the earliest ID3's produced.
Yesterday there was a Kia EV6 next to me charging at 170kw while I was charging at 42kw even though the battery was only 25% and should have been able to charge much faster. Right now I'm charging after a bit of a longer drive and started doing some regen "brake checks" in the 15 minutes before charging. Whether it helped or not, it was at 72kw just now.
Thank you very much for your reply, I really appreciate the info. It's the everyday little things that spoil a person's impression of the whole car. We tried the built-in navigation in the Cupra Born and it was just awful. In my former e-Golf, Android Auto worked perfectly and it was one of the first cars to have it (MY 2016) and unlike the e-C4, it started itself without annoying clicking on the display before each drive. It's amazing how VW can go backwards and make some things worse, like key recognition. I never had any problems with keyless for years.
The charging thing makes me sad, I have the same in my e-C4 - it doesn't warm up the battery at all 😮💨. So last winter I was charging around 40 kW too, which is sad. MG4 got it right - it just has a "heat battery" option in the infotainment, that's how it should be in every car. It's up to the driver to decide when they need to heat it up and when they don't. I know Regen battery warming very well, in e-Golf it was often a necessity too + battery temperature monitoring via OBD2 + CarScanner app! Once it was above 9 degrees it was running at full power (42 kW in the e-Golf)
Fingers crossed for an update soon with new features and no bricking!
You sound as if some people want to hide things from the potential customers (hush hush) and that is weird, if you are interested in something (particularly a car) you test drive it and look through it in detail before purchasing one! So, the one to blame is… you! And what’s funny is that you are the only one to criticize some aspects of the car (like buttons) when in so many other cars they wish there were more of them!!! And btw, there is a new infotainment system now that takes the entire width of the screen and is customizable! All cars have their qualities and defects, you just need to make the right balance to see if it corresponds to your needs.
yea, ok. thank you for your input
Infotainment can make or break a car as far as I am concerned and this one is just so dull, it puts me off getting what is an otherwise nice car. Whoever designed this is a very poor graphic designer. The so called facelift UI isn't much better either to be honest, still rather a lot of dull, teal coloured rectangles and squares. With modern screens we have 16 billion colours to choose from!
You're absolutely right, the e-C4's infotainment is like an utimate demonstration of untapped potential. Just like the display in front of the driver and the unusable on-board computer. (no data about trip consumption, charging...) I basically get little to no information from my displays. So I just drive around blindly 😑😅
These comments say more about you than about the car. Please hold your hand still when you talk. Look like a traffic warden
😄 Relax bro.
And your comment says more about you that about the person you are criticizing. And after using this car 5 hours, I fully agree with her assessment. And believe that she can do with her hands however she pleases.