Written by Ted Welford Updated: 6 February 2025

Overview

Citroen is a car company which has long championed value for money, but it’s taken things up a level with its new e-C3 Aircross, which isn’t just the cheapest new electric SUV you can buy, but also one of the most affordable electric cars full stop.

It’s sold alongside petrol and mild-hybrid versions, which we’ve covered in a separate C3 Aircross review, but the electric model is our focus here, not least because of its impressive £22,990 starting price. That makes it £500 cheaper than the mechanically-similar Vauxhall Frontera, which we drove at the end of 2024, and is already good value for money on its own.

Citroen has sold more than half a million versions of the previous-generation C3 Aircross since its introduction in 2017, and this new model aims to continue that success with its focus on value for money, spaciousness and funky styling.

It’s a completely new car inside and out, too, based on the same underpinnings as the new Citroen e-C3 hatchback, as well as the new Fiat Grande Panda. It’s this cheaper platform that helps to keep prices low, with less performance and range than most of its rivals. A Kia EV3, for example, can travel almost twice the range of this Citroen, yet is substantially more expensive. 

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The MG ZS EV is also worth a look if you want an electric SUV at the cheaper end of the scale, though we would also recommend looking at more substantial EVs such as the aforementioned Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq if your budget allows. It’s worth checking out our lease deals, too, because these cars might not cost much more to finance per month, despite having a significantly higher list price.

For some, the e-C3 Aircross’s claimed 188-mile range will just be too short, but we’ll explore more about this further in the review. If you’re interested in how we come to our conclusions, we have a dedicated page about how we test cars at Parkers.

But for now, read on to find out more about the Citroen e-C3 Aircross and, importantly, whether we think you should buy one.

What’s it like inside?

The new C3 Aircross’s interior is much better than you might imagine for the price, with a good mix of technology, physical switchgear and interesting styling elements. A squared-off steering wheel helps to modernise the cabin and is joined by a 10.25-inch touchscreen that’s almost identical to the one in the Frontera. Unlike the Vauxhall, though, the digital instrument cluster is integrated further back into the dashboard itself rather than being joined to the infotainment system and looks better as a result. 

The tech is quite simplistic but it’s worth remembering this is a cheaper car, and, therefore, forgoes some of the bells and whistles you get on more expensive rivals. We rate Citroen for bringing back a physical climate control panel as the previous C3 Aircross had these controls buried within the touchscreen. 

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Top-spec Max models (as was our test car) get smart white and black seats that look great. We’re not so keen on the cheapy-looking red labels on the door cards saying things like ‘be cool’, however. There is plenty of cheaper hard plastic used across the interior, but most of the main touchpoints feel built to a decent quality, and we think the interior is more nicely finished than the related Vauxhall Frontera. 

We also rate the C3 Aircross for its interior space. Though priced in line with the most compact of SUVs, it’s not far off the size of a Nissan Qashqai and offers just as much space inside, if not more. The boxy shape of the Aircross lends itself to being very practical, with lots of space in the rear for even taller adults.

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The boot is also a useful size at 460 litres, and comes with a height-adjustable floor to maximise its usability. There are only two slight downsides of the e-C3 Aircross. Firstly, it doesn’t come with the option to have it with seven seats like you can on petrol and hybrid versions, and the floor in the rear seats is also raised compared to non-electric models.  

Comfort

Citroen is a brand built around its cars’ comfort, and the e-C3 Aircross is another car that is more comfortable to travel in than most rivals. Plenty of glass and lighter interior materials make passengers feel more at ease, and the seats are great, being soft yet still having a decent amount of support. 

Choose the top-spec Max version and you will also get heated front seats, a heated windscreen and a heated steering wheel – all features rarely found on a £25,000 electric SUV. Those are only available as an optional extra on the Vauxhall Frontera, too. 

Safety

The new Citroen C3 Aircross is yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, and nor has any car built on this ‘Smart Car’ platform. We suspect that it’s not quite as safe as more expensive rivals and where corners might have been cut.

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Though the C3 comes as standard with mandatory driver assistance features such as lane keep assist and speed sign recognition, it all feels quite simplistic. Blind spot monitoring is added, however, on the top-spec Max model, though there’s no option to have features such as adaptive cruise control, which are now commonplace on many cars in this class, albeit more expensive ones. 

Electric motors

Though Citroen will introduce a slightly more powerful, longer-range e-C3 Aircross later in 2025, at the time of writing there’s only one EV model available. 

It uses a 44kWh battery paired to an electric motor producing 113hp and 125Nm of torque – all pretty small numbers by EV standards, but this is not an electric car you’ll buy for performance or range. It’s a good job, as a 12.9-second 0-62mph time is especially slow – and about a second slower than a Frontera, despite them weighing almost the same. 

Range and charging

If you want a long-range electric SUV, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross is probably not the car for you. Citroen claims 188 miles from a charge, but 150 miles is more likely in the real world.

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It can, however, charge at up to 100kW on a public rapid charger, meaning a 20 to 80% charge can take place in just 26 minutes in ideal conditions. A 7.4kW onboard charger is standard (and the power of most home EV wallboxes) and can charge the battery to full in just over four hours. A three-phase 11kW charger is available as a £360 option to speed up charging further, but it’s only worth choosing unless three-phase electricity powers your home or workplace where you’ll be charging. 

What’s it like to drive?

The Citroen e-C3 Aircross drives better than you’d expect a top-heavy electric crossover to, but comfort is its best strength. It’s ideal for around towns and cities where its suspension is able to absorb bumps and take the harshness out of rougher surfaces. Citroen has a patented suspension setup that is designed to do this without being bouncy, and it works well. It’s not as comfortable as Citroen’s more expensive C4 hatchback, but is generally rather good for the price. 

It handles surprisingly well, too. The steering is light and well-tailored to urban use, but is easy to place, and there’s not much body roll to contend with, which is excellent considering its comfort. Visibility is excellent too thanks to its large glass windows, and with a standard-fit reversing camera and fairly tight turning circle, it’s easy to park even in smaller spaces. 

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It’s far from perfect, though. If you live away from a town or city and drive on national speed limit roads (especially somewhere where remote), the performance is quite limited, and it easily runs out of shove, especially on inclines. If it was fully-loaded with a family of five and all their apparatus, it would feel especially slow. It’s also not a refined car in the slightest, with a pronounced whine from the electric motor audible at slower speeds and lots of wind and road noise at speed. It’s not a relaxing car for motorway journeys, that’s for sure 

What models and trims are available?

Citroen has simplified the C3 Aircross trim structure, with just two trim levels to choose from – Plus and Max. 

Standard equipment is actually quite generous for the price, including 17-inch alloy wheels, roof LED headlights and a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get electric folding door mirrors, climate control and a reversing camera. 

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If you want a few more features, the top-spec Max gets a surprising number of bells and whistles, including heated front seats, a heated windscreen and a heated windscreen. Further features include blind spot monitoring, a two-tone roof, wireless smartphone charging and blind spot monitoring.  

What else should I know?

Priced from £22,990, the e-C3 Aircross isn’t just the cheapest electric SUV but also one of the lowest-cost new EVs full stop. It’s a lot of car for the money, though we still need to await to see Citroen’s finance and leasing deals as the French firm’s offers are usually not very competitive. 

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It’s also worth comparing it closely with the Vauxhall Frontera. At face value the Citroen looks the better offer, but Vauxhall offers £500 of credit towards a home EV charger or for public charging on the Frontera, which you don’t get with the C3. It essentially means that with the incentive the two cars are identical for price.