Citroën is taking advantage of the Paris Motor Show to unveil the World Premiere of the new C4 and C4 X, completely renewing its range of C-segment saloons. The Brand is thus continuing its exceptional momentum. Within a year, Citroën has renewed its range of commercial vehicles, upgraded the Berlingo and the SpaceTourer, changed the face of the B segment with the New C3 and New C3 Aircross, and is preparing to relaunch two major models in the C segment.
Launched at the end of 2020, the C4 ranked 2nd in Europe in the first half of 2024 in the mainstream C-segment compact saloon market (all energies combined), just behind the benchmark Golf. Accessible and versatile, enabling customers to find the offer best suited to their needs, it ranked 3rd in the ICE market. A forerunner in the C-segment electric car market, it is still in the Top 5 today, with a well-calibrated offer that is both affordable and efficient. Launched in 2023, the C4 X got off to a very strong start in the Middle East, and particularly in Turkey. Its development will accelerate its roll-out, and increasingly it will represent an opportunity in Europe.
Today, the C4 and C4 X are undergoing significant changes, gaining in maturity and character while building on their historic strengths such as comfort and space on board. They retain their unique identities in their respective segments – underpinned by a concept that combines several automotive universes – while at the same time changing their attitude with greater fluidity, balance and homogeneity. Customers in this segment are looking for more simplicity, tension, modernity and strength. The Brand is meeting their expectations, with a model that shows better stance on the road. On both models, the front end has changed, incorporating the new logo and the new Brand identity. On the C4, the rear end has also evolved to deliver greater purity and substance, while the C4 X retains its already highly attractive fastback styling.
This change in design is accompanied by enhanced on-board comfort, with the adoption of new redesigned Citroën Advanced Comfort® seats and a new 7″ digital instrument cluster to complement the 10″ touch screen. These features are complemented by Citroën Advanced Comfort® suspension, generous space in all seats, and almost 20 driving assistance technologies that are really useful in everyday driving. All that makes a journey in the C4 or C4 X a serene experience, unlike any other on the market.
In Europe, this change is accompanied by a range of engines that promotes electrification, enabling consumers to reduce CO2 emissions and optimize their budgets. Alongside the tried-and-tested 100 and 115 kW electric versions, customers will be able to choose from the new Hybrid 100 and 136 models. According to markets, the 1.2l PureTech 130 EAT8 will also be available to provide a relevant answer to all needs.
1. DESIGN: KEEPING IT BOLD AND MAKING IT SIMPLER
A more modern, streamlined front end
Both the C4 and the C4 X are distinctive concepts in their segment, offering a seductive blend of different automotive codes:
- The C4 – with its elevated, assertive stance – combines the dynamism of a coupé-like saloon with the subtle adoption of some SUV styling cues.
- The C4 X combines the elegance and fluidity of a fastback, the refinement of a spacious 4-door, and the attitude of an SUV.
Both models remove the superfluous to gain balance. While capitalising on the strengths of their distinctive silhouettes, the new Citroën C4 and C4 X are charting a fresh course towards greater modernity, character and maturity. By working on the front and rear ends (on the C4), the ambition was to move them towards greater simplicity, strength and structure in order to achieve increased overall balance and meet the expectations of customers in this segment.
Largely inspired by the 2022 OLI concept, the front end incorporates the brand’s new logo, which sits proudly at the centre of a redesigned radiator grille, giving the car a more assertive presence on the road. The bonnet, meanwhile, retains its original lines while adapting to highlight the chevrons, which are finished in Silver Chrome paint, adding a touch of elegance and refinement.
The slim, elegant LED front headlamps feature a characteristic light signature divided into three distinctive horizontal segments, ensuring instant recognition even from a distance. As you approach the daytime running lights, you immediately notice the precision shaping of the blades and central ingot, a sign of modernity in both the design and the manufacturing processes. The front indicators are LED, integrated directly into the lower part of the light signature.
These developments are not just a question of aesthetics: each element has been designed in close collaboration with aerodynamicists to optimise efficiency. One example is the work on the vertical peripheral edge of the front headlamps, which guides the flow of air and places energy performance at the heart of the process.
The front bumper incorporates a modern grille that towers over an SUV-inspired skid plate in the lower section, in Mercury on YOU and PLUS and Silver Chrome on MAX. The front end is highly structured, with a strong expression of character and verticality guided by the location of the new logo. Color Clips in Pure Black or Gold Satin are positioned vertically in the bumper grille, underlining the new structure and confidence of the front end. They also add a subtle touch of colour.
More fluidity: new aero wheels and refined side guards
At the sides, new 18-inch AMBER wheels with a bi-material, precision-sculpted diamond finish embody a perfect combination of style and function. Their aerodynamic design is not only easy on the eye, but also contributes to improved energy consumption.
The side guards have been redesigned to give a more fluid appearance. Their streamlined design helps to visually elongate the car’s silhouette, giving it a more dynamic appearance. In perfect harmony with the front grille, they are enlivened by Color Clips that run horizontally across the rear of the car, adding a personalised touch that enhances the unique character of the design.
A sleeker, more roadworthy rear end for the C4
At the rear of the new Citroën C4, simplicity and clarity have become the watchwords for the new styling theme, which eliminates all superfluous complexity to leave only the essentials. The connection between the lower part of the C-pillar and the rear lights has been made sleeker and tighter, contributing to the C4’s overall aerodynamic efficiency. The rear lights – the key elements of this unit – are designed to match the visual impact of the front end, while visually widening the rear of the vehicle and reinforcing its position on the road. The black band which links the rear lights – ,in Glossy Black finish – adds aesthetic appeal and serves as a backdrop to the emblematic Citroën name.
The new C4 X did not require any significant changes to the rear end. The boot lid, with its vertical section sloping forward, emphasises the car’s dynamism. The LED rear lights are in harmony with the front lighting, framing the boot opening, and the introduction of the new logo underlines the overall effect.
Two new colours in the range
This change in attitude for the C4 and C4 X is accompanied by a change in appearance. Two new colours have been added to the range. Manhattan Green – luminous, elegant and full of energy – and Mercury Grey, a sober, modern grey that will be available alongside the recently launched Eclipse Blue, with its appearance of depth, and Elixir Red, Okenite White and Perla Nera Black (pearlescent).
In addition, the two-tone option with black roof – adding a touch of distinction and exclusivity – remains available. This finish enhances the dynamic lines of these models and offers a more prestigious look.
“The new Citroën C4 and C4 X embody a significant evolution in our styling language. They not only display refined elegance, they also express a more robust character, a muscular presence that bears witness to our determination to continue to stand out from the crowd. The front headlamps, with their sharp design and LED technology, are not just a guarantee of visibility, but a statement of dynamism and quality. At the rear, simplicity is matched by visual solidity, with every element contributing to an impression of robustness. The rear lights, with their sculptural design, are not mere ornaments; they reflect the intrinsic strength of the new C4, a strength that resonates with the pioneering spirit of the OLI concept.” – Pierre Leclerc, Citroën Design Director.
2. ABSOLUTE SERENITY: LIKE NOWHERE ELSE
The new C4 and C4X offer an unrivalled driving experience, focused on their occupants’ well-being.
Winning combination: suspension and new Citroën Advanced Comfort® seats
The Advanced Comfort® seats have been redesigned to enhance on-board comfort. Visual comfort is provided by seats with a padded effect, inviting passengers to settle in comfortably for the road ahead. Seating comfort is enhanced by foam that is 15 mm thicker, providing a soft welcome from the moment they enter the vehicle. Dynamic comfort is enhanced by textured foam and a high-density layer at the heart of the seat, providing a more pleasant driving experience, even over long distances. Postural comfort is also enhanced, with improved support, as well as height and lumbar adjustment for the driver.
Combined with Advanced Comfort® suspension, these seats offer absolute comfort, transforming every journey into a gentle, soothing experience inside a veritable cocoon. This technology uses Progressive Hydraulic Cushions, which absorb road imperfections to provide a flying carpet sensation. It’s a major advance on traditional suspension systems, offering a calmer driving experience and simplifying life on board.
Latest generation infotainment system and new 7” digital cluster
The dashboard has not been left behind, with the introduction of an all-new 7″ high-definition instrument cluster positioned behind the steering wheel. It is linked to the connected 3D navigation – an option on Plus and standard on Max. This new feature enhances the perceived quality on board the C4 and C4 X, with a modern graphic interface that complements the 10″ touch screen. This digital instrument cluster has been designed for optimum clarity and intuitive information display. It is complemented by a colour head-up display that shows essential information, reducing eye strain and improving safety. The steering wheel features the Brand’s new logo.
The C4 and C4 X offer a latest-generation infotainment system with 3D navigation that is fluid, fast and ergonomic. This highly intuitive interface uses a 10″ HD screen and can be fully customised by customers thanks to its ‘widget’ system. Widgets offer a quick way of consulting applications and content on the vehicle’s touchscreen. The interface also features natural voice recognition and a digital assistant that can be ‘activated’ by vehicle occupants with the ‘Hello Citroën’ command: understanding what they say, answering their questions and executing their voice commands. And there are no more cables lying around the cabin, thanks to the wireless replication of your smartphone on the 10″ HD tablet. This system can be easily upgraded with ‘over the air’ updates.
In addition, the C4 and C4 X offer ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, directly integrated into the infotainment system thanks to SoundHound’s voice and audio recognition system, and available via the ‘Connect Plus’ Pack. With ChatGPT, Citroën introduces a new generative artificial intelligence tool that makes voice recognition even more fluid and natural. On-board comfort is enhanced, thanks to a digital assistant that promotes an intelligent and interactive living space, making everyday life easier.
Technology for peace of mind
The new C4 and C4X feature up to 20 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which use automated technologies such as sensors and cameras to enhance road safety:
- Active Safety Brake: This system intervenes when a risk of collision is detected, automatically braking the vehicle to avoid an accident. It works day and night, and recognises various obstacles, including pedestrians and cyclists.
- Collision Risk Alert: At speeds of 30 km/h or more, this function alerts the driver to the potential danger of colliding with the vehicle in front of him, enabling him to react quickly.
- Highway Driver Assist: Combining adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning, this Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system allows partial delegation of driving, while maintaining the driver’s vigilance and control.
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go: This device adjusts speed according to the vehicle in front, maintaining a safe distance and even stopping and restarting the vehicle without driver intervention.
In addition, the new C4 and C4X also offer blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, coffee break alert, driver attention alert, automatic high beam, extended speed sign recognition, and speed recommendations…
Seeing better is also a source of comfort, and the models feature:
- Full-colour head-up display: projection of key driving data in colour directly into the driver’s field of vision for uninterrupted attention on the road.
- Reversing camera with Top Rear Vision: activated when reversing to display a 180-degree rear view on the touchscreen, with coloured indicators to warn of nearby obstacles.
- Vision 360: 360-degree panoramic view around the vehicle, updated in real time, to assist the driver during low-speed manoeuvres.
Space on board
Of course, all the architectural comfort features of the new C4 and C4X are retained.
The new C4 embodies the very essence of a versatile compact saloon, with practical exterior dimensions and a spacious interior:
- A wheelbase of 2,670 mm, providing 198 mm of rear knee room, rated Best in Class.
- Exterior width of 1,800 mm, comfortably accommodating three passengers in the rear, with shoulder width of 1,380 mm and elbow width of 1,440 mm.
- 380-litre boot with low, flat loading sill (715 mm) and straight sides for optimum use.
- Two-position boot floor for a maximum volume of 1,250 litres with the rear seat folded down.
- Side hooks for hanging bags and ski hatch for transporting long objects.
The new C4X embodies a remarkable fusion of elegant design and pragmatic functionality, while retaining the benefits of an architecture designed for comfort and aesthetics:
- Knee room in the second row: 198 mm, offering superior comfort in its class.
- Backrest tilt: 27 degrees, for a relaxed posture.
- Exterior width: 1,800 mm, allowing three people to sit side by side.
- Shoulder width at the rear: 1,366 mm, and elbow width: 1,440 mm, for ample personal space.
- The spacious boot is another major advantage, whatever the engine:
- Boot volume: 510 litres, meeting the needs of professionals and rental services.
- Maximum width inside the boot: 1,010 mm between wheel arches, for easy loading.
3. ENGINES: A RANGE TAILORED TO NEEDS
In Europe, promote simple and affordable electrified solutions
The new C4 and C4 X are perfect examples of Citroën’s response to the challenges of the energy transition. They provide efficient electrified powertrains that help customers move to electric according to their needs.
- The styling changes to the New C4 and C4 X will provide an opportunity to fully launch the Hybrid 136 and Hybrid 100 versions of these models, which were introduced in 2024. They offer an accessible, simple and versatile solution for customers.
- The range will be completed by the 110 kW and 115 kW electric models, offering respectively a range of 355 km and 415 km for the C4, and 360 km and 425 km for the C4 X*,, and which – by choosing a smaller battery combined with a really efficient fast charge – reduce cost, weight and energy consumption, while making it easy to cover long distances.
* Provisional WLTP data, currently being homologated
In addition and according to markets, a version with the 1.2-litre 130 EAT8 turbo PureTech engine will be available. With 130bhp and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, it offers a dynamic and fluid driving experience.
Hybrid 48v technology: simplicity, versatility and low fuel consumption
Citroën is introducing two distinct power levels, with Hybrid 136 on the new C4 and C4X and Hybrid 100 on the new C4. This technology offers budget control thanks to reductions in both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of around 20%. It is particularly beneficial for urban drivers, where it is estimated that up to 50% of driving can be done in electric mode, reducing both the carbon footprint and running costs.
With no need to recharge at a charging point, this technology is particularly easy to use and a source of peace of mind. Driving comfort is enhanced by the smooth, automatic management of the electric and internal combustion engines, which adapt to driving conditions without the need for driver intervention. This ease of use, combined with the battery’s ability to recharge during deceleration, makes these vehicles particularly well-suited for everyday city life.
On the Hybrid 136 version, the 1199cc three-cylinder engine delivers 136bhp (100kW) at 5500rpm and 230Nm of torque at 1750rpm. Its design includes a variable geometry turbocharger and timing chain, enhancing its performance and reliability. Complying with the Euro 6.4 standard and operating on the Miller cycle, it benefits from optimised thermal efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions. At the same time, the permanent magnet synchronous electric motor delivers 21 kW (28 bhp) and 55 Nm of torque, managing energy needs at low torque demand and low speed. It also helps start the combustion engine and recharges the battery during braking, minimising wear and tear on the brakes. The system is complemented by a 48V belt starter for rapid starting of the internal combustion engine, an electrified ë-DCS6 six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and a 48V, 432 Wh Lithium-Ion battery placed under the front left seat, preserving interior space and boot volume.
The Hybrid 100 version is designed on the same technical basis, but with power of 100 bhp (74 kW) at 5,500 rpm and torque of 205 Nm at 1,750 rpm.
This new-generation 1.2-litre supercharged petrol engine has been developed for hybridisation and incorporates 40% new components.
A finely calibrated 100% electric offering
In 2020, Citroën was one of the first to offer a 100% electric range on a C-segment saloon, with two strong choices that are still part of Citroën’s philosophy today. The first is the use of multi-energy silhouettes that make the range simple and easy to understand for customers, who can then choose the energy that best suits their needs. Secondly, the choice of small batteries to limit weight and cost, and reduce both energy consumption and the budget. Equipped with a 100 kW rapid charge, our models are perfectly suited to daily journeys, while also being compatible with long-distance journeys.
The new ë-C4 and ë-C4X are an extension of personal space, a cocoon that transforms every journey into a moment of relaxation and pleasure. The promise of ë-Comfort is to be able to drive in electric mode, with no CO2 emissions while driving the vehicle, no noise and no odour, fluidity with no vibration, no jerks, no gear changes, ease with instantly available torque for stimulating driving sensations, and remotely programmable services for everyday peace of mind.
The distinction between the two electric versions of the new ë-C4 and ë-C4 X lies mainly in their range and their adaptability to different types of journeys:
- The version with a range of up to 415 km for the C4 and 425 km for the C4 X* is particularly well suited to extra-urban journeys, offering greater flexibility for long journeys without the need for frequent recharging. is particularly suited to extra-urban travel, offering greater flexibility for longer journeys without the need for frequent recharging. This version is equipped with a 54 kWh battery and a 115 kW motor, giving it greater capacity to meet the needs of users who cover longer distances on a regular basis.
- The second version, with a range of almost 355 km for the C4 and 360 km for the C4 X*., a 50 kWh battery and 100 kW of power, is an economical solution for everyday journeys in urban and suburban areas, while still being suitable for long journeys thanks to its fast charging system.
* Provisional WLTP data, currently being homologated
Recharging quickly on long journeys is an essential requirement, and the new ë-C4 and ë-C4X meet this need with the option of using 100 kW rapid chargers. The vehicle recovers around 10 km of range per minute and can recover 80% of its charge in less than 30 minutes. This flexibility ensures that, wherever you are, your ë-C4 or ë-C4 X will be ready for your next journey.
Citroën e-ROUTES: Plan your journey without constraints
The Citroën e-ROUTES application offers dynamic, stress-free route management and transforms the way drivers interact with their electric vehicles. It is a real personal assistant, connected to the car and adapting in real time to optimise the journey. Connected in real time to vehicle data, traffic conditions and the status of charging stations, e-ROUTES delivers optimum control over every journey. It adapts to changing conditions and suggests alternative routes if necessary, ensuring that drivers reach their destination with maximum efficiency. Not only does the application ensure that journey times are optimised, it also provides reliable, up-to-date information on the charging network, enabling drivers to plan their charging stops with confidence.
In 2025, the e-ROUTES trip planner functions will be offered directly in the car’s on-board infotainment system.
V2L: optimising energy use
V2L, or Vehicle-to-Load, technology enables an electric vehicle to supply electricity to external devices, transforming the car into a mobile and flexible power source. Citroën will incorporate this function in the new ë-C4 and ë-C4X. To use V2L, simply connect the desired device to the vehicle’s dedicated socket. This socket will be available as an accessory from the first half of 2025.
V2L is particularly useful in situations where access to an energy source is limited, such as when travelling or doing outdoor activities. Imagine being able to plug in your laptop, charge your electric bike, or even power a small fridge directly from your car during a picnic or a power cut at home. The capacity of the vehicle’s battery will determine the amount of energy available for external devices, and users need to be aware of energy management to ensure they retain enough charge for their driving needs.
SOURCE: Stellantis
