Citroen C4 review - MPG, running costs & CO2

The standard Citroen C4 is now fitted with a petrol or mild-hybrid petrol engine designed to keep a lid on running costs and tailpipe emissions. There's also a fully-electric Citroen e-C4, which is fitted with an electric motor and battery for zero emissions while you're on the move. It’ll prove the cheapest to run if you can charge it at home but the most expensive to buy.

Citroen C4 MPG & CO2

The entry-level petrol is pretty economical, despite a lack of electrification, managing up to 48mpg with the auto gearbox – it’s a shame the manual has been discontinued, because this could do over 50mpg. This three-cylinder turbo should equal the running costs of most petrol versions of the SEAT Leon and Volkswagen Golf TSI. 

When equipped with the mild-hybrid Hybrid 100 engine, the Citroen C4 gets improved fuel economy of up to 62mpg and it’s actually cheaper than the pure-petrol model as it’s available in entry-level You trim. The Hybrid 136 is just as economical despite getting slightly more power, and both the Hybrid 100 and 136 both have CO2 emissions of 107-125g/km.

The entry-level electric e-C4 uses the same 50kWh battery and electric motor as the Peugeot e-2008, and gives the Citroen a range of up to 218 miles – there’s now a second electric option with a larger 54kWh battery, though, which gives a more usable on-paper figure of 257 miles, though it’s a few thousand more expensive as it’s only available on the top-spec trim. The smaller-battery model comes with 100kW DC charging, making it possible to take the battery from 0-80% in just half an hour at compatible public chargers – the 54kWh battery model is slightly quicker to charge with 115kW charging capability.

The C4 incurs the standard VED (road tax) rate of tax. The electric e-C4 is exempt from road tax due to its zero-emissions status, but this will only last until April 2025, from which point EVs will also have to pay.

Insurance groups

Ratings for the facelifted Citroen C4 are yet to be confirmed, but the previous Puretech 130 sat in groups 19 to 20, depending on the trim level and gearbox chosen. The e-C4 is more expensive to insure and sits in groups 21 for the less-potent version, while the 154bhp model is in group 24.

Warranty

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New Citroen models are sold with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which can be extended for an additional cost. This matches the warranty from brands like Ford and Volkswagen Group but it can't compete with the five or even seven years of cover offered by Hyundai and Kia respectively.

Servicing

If buyers don't like the large bills associated with servicing, Citroen offers servicing plans that make it possible to spread the cost of maintenance over monthly payments, making it easier to budget.