The new Citroen C3 Aircross is an impressive and affordable family SUV

The old Citroen C3 Aircross proved to be a hit when it launched, offering lots of space and premium SUV styling at a low budget. The cost was kept down by the relatively weak motor and basic interior – but these were worthy compromises in the quest to create a comfortable family car at an unbeatable price.

Now there’s an all-new C3 Aircross – and it’s electric. It directly addresses its predecessor’s biggest shortcomings while doubling down on its strengths, so the new e-C3 is slightly more spacious, built on a more cost-effective platform, still an absolute bargain and available in two different flavours: a standard range car that offers 189 miles or an extended range version that offers 249 miles of driving.

Despite the loss of extreme excitement behind the wheel, comfort is still important. Citroën’s much-vaunted ‘Magic Carpet’ suspension makes light work of rough roads and there’s plenty of room for long-legged rear passengers or space-grabbing child seats, while the ride is dreamily comfortable, if bordering on immobile. If your nan was sitting in the back seat with a cup of tea – as your driving instructor always warned you – she wouldn’t spill a drop.

How we tested

To assess its practicality, range and trademark comfort on challenging British tarmac I drove the new Citroën e-C3 Aircross around the Chilterns, testing it on a mix of demanding B-roads, motorways, village roads and narrow country lanes.

Independent Rating: 9/10

Citroen e-C3 Aircross Specifications

Battery, range, charging, performance and drive

Since we first drove the e-C3 Aircross at the beginning of the year, the main improvement is the choice of two battery sizes. The Extended Range model uses a 54kWh battery to deliver an official range of up to 249 miles. That hardly makes it a long-range cruiser, but it does offer about a 25 percent increase in range over the basic E-C3 Aircross and peace of mind if you regularly drive with a full car.

The Standard Range version retains the same 44kWh battery we previously drove for a claimed range of 189 miles. Not great in 2025, but it’s good enough for people whose driving is mostly local. It also keeps the price pretty low, you have to admit, that’s the point. Both electric versions support DC rapid charging up to 100kW, which is totally respectable for this class. This means it takes less than half an hour to top up any battery from 20 to 80 percent.

However, performance is quite low on Citroën’s list of priorities for the e-C3 Aircross. The 113hp motor provides leisurely acceleration, with 0-62mph taking 11.7 seconds. It’s a world apart from the fast takeoff speed of an EV – you wouldn’t want to plunder the Louvre with an E-C3 Aircross waiting outside – but the leisurely pace feels in line with the car’s gentle nature, and once you’re in motion the electric motor’s immediate torque becomes apparent. You won’t struggle to merge onto the motorway or overtake, but you may feel your foot hitting the floor when navigating a twisty junction on a busy A-road.

What the e-C3 Aircross lacks in fast thrills it makes up for in ride quality. This is the first Aircross to feature Citroën’s fancy advanced comfort suspension across all models, and its impact is noticeable. With Citroen’s luxurious standard seats, the car glides over bumps and absorbs potholes with a suppleness and poise that puts many expensive SUVs to shame – doctors should prescribe the e-C3 Aircross for hemorrhoids.

Interior, practicality and boot space

The e-C3 Aircross is something of an optical illusion, its rugged SUV shape making it appear sturdier than it actually is. Yet, while keeping relatively compact dimensions, Citroen has created a cabin with an unexpected amount of space for a small SUV. Citroen claims that the five-seat electric model offers the best rear knee and elbow room in the segment, with 8 cm more for knees and 2.5 cm more for elbows than the segment average. I wouldn’t argue: the e-C3 feels spacious enough in the back, with the car’s boxy, upright SUV shape giving ample headroom all around.

The new e-C3 Aircross does not have the optional seven-seat layout found in the petrol and hybrid versions, presumably because the larger battery and economics will not allow it. Despite this, the five-seat EV remains practical. The boot offers a generous 460 liters of space, which expands to 1,600 liters when the rear seats are folded down.

Like seemingly every other car brand in 2025, Citroen’s interior styling aims to create a zen-like feeling in your own lounge. In the e-C3 this means a fabric strip running mostly along the length of the dashboard, which is surprisingly effective at offsetting the otherwise plastic interior. Citroen keeps costs down inside the e-C3 Aircross, but mostly does a commendable job of making sure things don’t look cheap or scratchy. The compact, leather-effect steering wheel (heated in the Max trim level) feels quite premium, and those comfortable seats could have been taken from a far more expensive car.

Technology, Stereo and Infotainment

All models have a 10.25-inch central touchscreen running relatively simple Citroen software, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to enable a wide range of functionality – which is useful as the entry-level Plus trim doesn’t offer navigation of its own. Sensibly, Citroen has kept physical buttons for key functions like climate control, so there’s less fiddling with the screen while driving.

The two trim levels, Plus and Max, are both well-specified for their price. The entry-level Plus adds a reversing camera, active lane keeping assist, blind spot detection, and an emergency active safety brake. Stepping up to the Max adds a bi-tone roof, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a charging pad for your phone.

There are two minor annoyances here: the charging pad is incredibly tricky in terms of positioning, requiring a lot of trial and error to get right; And speed sign recognition is often so wrong that you will ignore it. The beep that is heard whenever the speed limit changes is also annoying, and should be disabled every time you start the car. Sorry, these are three minor issues.

Prices and operating costs

For the price Citroen is charging for the e-C3 Aircross, you’ll have to deal with a lot of blips and bloops. The entry-level Standard Range model starts from £21,595, including electric car grant, going up to £25,495 for the Extended Range in Max trim, making it one of the most affordable electric family SUVs on the market.

This aggressive pricing, combined with the car’s space and comfort, makes the e-C3 Aircross an attractive value proposition, and puts any concerns about leisurely performance into a more proper context.

Citroën e-C3 rivals

FAQ:

How long does it take to charge?

On a 100kW DC rapid charger, both versions will charge from 20 to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes. It takes approximately 4-5 hours to fully charge a 7kW Home Wallbox.

How much does it cost – is it worth it?

With prices starting from an estimated £21,595 with the Government’s Electric Car Grant included, the e-C3 Aircross represents great value. Its value depends on whether you can live with the lackluster range and basic interior in exchange for comfort, practicality and a heavy wallet.

How is the battery and main warranty?

The e-C3 Aircross is covered by Citroën’s new 8-year/100,000-mile vehicle and battery warranty, which guarantees that the capacity will not drop below 70 percent during that time.

Why trust us?

Our team of motoring experts has decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are tailored with every type of driver in mind. We thoroughly test every car we recommend, so you can be sure our judgments are honest, fair and authentic.

Verdict: Citroen e-C3 Aircross

Citroen has directly addressed range concerns and demonstrated its strengths with the new e-C3 Aircross. It’s surprisingly comfortable, practical and spacious, and while the comfortable performance and moderate range aren’t likely to get your heart racing, it remains one of the smartest buys in family SUVs.