Citroën e-C3 Urban Range

Overview

Citroën is shaking up the affordable EV market with the all-new e-C3 Urban Range. Priced from an aggressive €20,990, this French hatchback is laser-focused on conquering the city. It’s not about headline-grabbing range, but about providing comfortable, stylish, and genuinely accessible electric motoring for daily commutes. Packing Citroën’s famous ‘Advanced Comfort’ suspension and a quirky, SUV-inspired design, it offers a compelling package for budget-conscious buyers in Europe. This little EV has the potential to be a proper game-changer for those looking to make the electric switch without breaking the bank.

What's New for 2025?

The entire e-C3 is a fresh face for 2025, but this Urban Range trim is the newest and most affordable flavour in the lineup. Built on the clever Stellantis 'Smart Car' platform, it’s a ground-up redesign. While higher trims launched with a larger battery, this version introduces a smaller LFP battery pack specifically for urbanites who don’t need cross-country range. This strategic move allows Citroën to hit that jaw-droppingly low price point, making the 2025 e-C3 one of the most significant new entries in the European electric car scene.

Design & Exterior

Forget the old C3; this new model gets a serious glow-up with a funky, crossover-esque vibe. It’s got a boxier, more assertive stance, featuring Citroën's new retro-inspired oval logo and a distinctive three-segment LED light signature. The Urban Range keeps things simple but stylish. It stands at a compact 4015 mm long, 1755 mm wide, and a surprisingly tall 1577 mm, giving it a commanding presence for a small car. The raised ride height not only looks cool but also helps it shrug off city potholes with ease.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Inside, the e-C3 boasts the 'C-Zen Lounge' concept, a minimalist and surprisingly spacious cabin. The star is the innovative heads-up display that replaces a traditional instrument binnacle. While simple, the famous 'Advanced Comfort' seats promise a sofa-like ride. The Urban Range gets a clever smartphone cradle as its primary infotainment hub, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For a small car, practicality is impressive with a 310-litre boot, which expands to a massive 1200 litres with the seats down. Just don't go looking for a frunk.

Performance & Driving Experience

The Urban Range is all about city-centric performance. Its single front-mounted PMSM motor delivers 83 kW and 120 Nm of torque, making it feel nippy off the line. The 0-100 km/h dash takes a relaxed 11.6 seconds, so it’s no traffic light racer, but it’s perfectly adequate for zipping through town. True to its roots, the ride is exceptionally soft thanks to Citroën’s Advanced Comfort hydraulic cushion suspension, which soaks up bumps like a magic carpet. It's a front-wheel-drive setup geared for effortless and comfortable urban driving.

Range, Battery & Charging

Powering this city slicker is a 29.8 kWh LFP battery, giving it a real-world range of around 180 km, as calculated by Green Cars Compare. With an efficiency of 6.04 km/kWh, it’s a proper energy-sipper. At home on a standard 7.4 kW AC charger, it’ll take a few hours to top up, with an 11 kW option available. When you need a quick boost, it connects via a CCS Type 2 port but peaks at a modest 30 kW on a DC fast charger. This is a car designed for overnight charging, not rapid cross-country dashes.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

While a Euro NCAP rating is still pending, the e-C3 comes equipped with a solid baseline of safety tech to meet modern standards. Standard kit on the Urban Range includes essentials like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, speed limit recognition, and cruise control. It’s a no-nonsense approach focused on core safety. More advanced driver aids, such as adaptive cruise control or blind-spot monitoring, are typically reserved for the higher-spec 'Max' trim, keeping the entry-level model focused on affordability while still covering the crucial safety bases.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

Citroën provides competitive peace of mind for e-C3 owners. The vehicle is covered by a standard 2-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty across Europe. Crucially, the high-voltage battery pack gets its own robust warranty, typically lasting for 8 years or 160,000 kilometres, guaranteeing it will retain at least 70% of its original capacity. As with all EVs, maintenance costs are expected to be low, with fewer moving parts than a petrol car, meaning no oil changes and less frequent servicing visits to worry about. This adds to the car's excellent long-term value proposition.