Citroën e-C3 Urban Range 2026 Review

Introduction

Citroën is comfortably into its second century now, having been originally founded back in 1919.

Of course, its modern cars bear no resemblance to those from more than 100 years ago, but looking back in time might have some relevance to the car we’re testing here.

When you first see the name of the car - the Citroën e-C3 - there's nothing particularly remarkable or significant about it, other than the inclusion of the 'e-' denoting that this is an all-electric version.

But this is a new model - and it’s a somewhat stripped-back version called the Urban Range, aimed at those wanting to do (as the name suggests) mostly short journeys in urban areas, with a focus on charging at home or at work.

It is still an e-C3; it's the same size, built on the same underpinnings (the Stellantis STLA Small platform, also used by the Fiat Grande Panda and Vauxhall Frontera). But the Urban Range is a new variant - a ‘slimline’ version of the same car on a budget.

Creating a simplified version enables the e-C3 to compete against the cheapest EVs on the market, such as the BYD Dolphin Surf - a relatively new entrant from China.

Some of this simplification has reintroduced old friends that are slowly dying out: a traditional key (no keyless entry or engine start buttons) and an old-fashioned pull-up handbrake (instead of a switch).

Does this remove the e-C3’s charm, or does this move an established brand into the bottom rung of the automotive ladder, alongside new Chinese challengers?

What are the Pros & Cons of the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

Pros:

• Comfortable ride
• Great value with decent standard kit
• Nice-looking interior despite its cheapness

Cons:

• No fast DC charging as standard
• Range is unsuited to longer journeys
• Noisy electric motor

What are the first impressions of the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

The e-C3 has a distinctive look.

Critics may say it's too van-shaped, with a minimal droop along the bonnet and a vertical drop-off at the front.

But it looks well-proportioned, with a thin bar running horizontally through the Citroën badge at the front, and razor-thin lightbars on each side, sandwiching the main headlamps from top and bottom.

Chiselled air intakes sit on either side, and there's a large lower grille beneath a body-colour bar that holds the numberplate, while the sides feature a notable crease about two-thirds of the way down the doors.

Cladding surrounds the French car, particularly thickly at the back, including filling the indentation which houses the rear number plate.

The taillights protrude slightly from the bodywork, joined by a horizontal black bar through the upper tailgate.

It is an attractive car in many ways. Family-friendly, not overly aggressive, but pleasant, contemporary and rather SUV-like, complemented by roof bars.

What are the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range’s key features?

There are two trim levels on the e-C3 - the Standard Range is only offered in the upper trim, and the new Urban Range is only offered at entry level.

The base model is called Plus and comes with 17-inch alloys, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a digital instrument screen, manual air conditioning, rain-sensing wipers, and a leather-effect steering wheel.

You also get LED headlights, electrically powered folding door mirrors, gloss-black roof bars, a two-tone roof, and tinted side windows.

Opting for a non-Urban Range model unlocks the Max trim. This adds SatNav, a DAB radio, a dark-tinted rear windscreen, a wireless smartphone charger, automatic air conditioning, electric rear windows, fog lights, and LED taillights, and a heated steering wheel and front seats.

Four power options are offered.

Electric models (called e-C3), both Standard Range and our Urban Range, offer 113PS.

Alternatively, the petrol-powered models (called C3) are offered as a 100PS ‘Turbo’ with a manual gearbox and a 110PS mild 'Hybrid' with an automatic gearbox.

What is the range of the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range, and what are the battery options?

The Standard Range gets a 44kWh battery capable of travelling 202 miles, while the Urban Range gets a smaller 30kWh battery.

That drops the range down to just 130 miles - and it'll likely be less, as EVs rarely achieve laboratory figures in the real world.

That said, the e-C3 can get close, but the actual result depends on driving style, speed and ambient temperature.

The e-C3’s batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries – heavier, lower charging speeds and more sensitive to cold weather than other common EV batteries, but cheaper and with a superior lifespan.

What’s the performance and drive like with the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

Performance isn’t majorly important for a car built for around-town driving, but for transparency, the e-C3 Urban Range's 0-62mph time is 10.4 seconds.

That is adequate for a car like this - no better or worse than the more expensive Standard Range - though given the Urban Range is lighter, it’s a little disappointing that it’s not fractionally quicker.

It copes well with driving through town centres, rush-hour traffic, and city streets.

While it lacks the burst of torque common in many EVs, it nevertheless performs admirably, offering sufficient levels of poke and accelerating from 20 to 40mph smoothly.

The electric motor does whine a lot under hard acceleration - that’s true of just about any EV, but it’s particularly noticeable in the e-C3.

Progress trails off markedly beyond about 50mph, though.

On motorways, the Urban Range feels out of sorts - accelerating from 50 to 70mph requires heavy throttle input, and the car feels strained.

Mind you, once it reaches national speed limits, it copes well - but it’s clearly better suited to low-speed driving: rush-hour commutes, shopping trips and nursery runs - and that’s why it has limited battery range and fewer luxuries.

Citroën makes a big claim: it offers best-in-class comfort thanks to its Advanced Comfort technology, which uses hydraulic bump stops.

It offers a comfortable and absorbing ride, though there’s still more of a thump over potholes than we’d expected, with a little after-bounce, while at higher speeds it doesn't feel particularly well-planted.

This is likely in part because of a higher centre of gravity - the e-C3 is nearly 10cm taller than its predecessor.

Mind you, it feels better planted at lower speeds and, when on roads in good condition, it still feels softer and more cosseting than plenty of rivals in this segment.

In terms of handling, the e-C3 isn’t built for taking corners at speed. Its tall stance and soft springs mean there’s body lean around bends, and while the very light steering weights up sufficiently for cruising down faster roads, it’s not responsive enough to tackle quick, twisty roads with confidence.

There is little front-end bite around higher speed bends, despite the tyres offering plenty of grip. But it’s still able to zip in and out of traffic, and, in the right environment, it can feel pleasingly brisk and capable.

Regenerative braking is performed by lifting and coasting. Still, it's rather weak; there's only one mode, and it doesn’t offer one-pedal driving. In fact, decelerating is much the same as in a combustion-engined car - simplicity, again, being the key.

Wind and road noise aren’t particularly well muted, though it's still better than some challengers. If anything, the only thing drowning the din out is the whine of the electric motor, which, as we said earlier, is loud.

It is still a calmer and quieter experience than your average petrol or diesel car, though.

How fast can the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range charge?

The e-C3’s charging options are unusual for an EV.

As standard, it only comes with 7.4kW AC charging - typically what you’d get at home from a wallbox charger.

It is fairly common for PHEVs only to offer AC charging, but it's unheard of in an EV.

Faster charging capabilities of 11kW AC or 30kW DC are available - but they’re optional extras costing hundreds each.

At 30kW, a 20-80% top-up takes 36 minutes; at 7.4kW, it takes over two-and-three-quarter hours.

To be fair, the whole point of the Urban Range is short journeys, meaning people will mostly be relying on AC chargers at home or work anyway. Nevertheless, excluding DC charging as standard is surprising, though it keeps the price down.

Find out more about EV charging in our guide to charging an electric car.

What are the running costs and emissions for the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

The e-C3 looks even more attractive as a budget-friendly proposition given the recent surge in fuel prices at the pumps.

It will be cheap as a company car, too, thanks to low Benefit-In-Kind tax due to its zero emissions, while road tax costs just £10 for the first year, rising to £200 a year thereafter.

Even better, it's eligible for a £1,500 Government Electric Car Grant, further reducing the leasing cost.

Citroën has been on the up, reliability-wise, in recent years, though there's still not enough data on the e-C3 to comment on this specific vehicle with confidence.

What’s the interior and technology like with the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

The interior is nice, albeit rather basic.

The rather odd steering wheel (small, slightly oval-shaped, with a marginally flatter bottom than top) is immediately noticeable, along with the 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which sits in the middle of the dashboard like a tablet.

There are two air vents beneath the screen, as well as a couple of trendy outer vents, positioned vertically at either end.

The dashboard is divided into three tiers - the top is effectively one giant hood, covering the top of the digital instrument screen, which sits far back.

Its middle tier then sticks out, while the lower tier is covered in a light grey, mesh-like fabric.

The seats feature large square patterns; there's a grey outline around the climate controls that links the dashboard to the centre console; and shiny piano black décor surrounds the gear selector, while the handbrake is a traditional one.

It is a nice look, considering this is a budget car, though the material choice is almost exclusively hard plastics, apart from the fabric on the dash.

The infotainment system is a welcome departure from plenty on the market nowadays, which stray too much into over-complicatedness.

By contrast, the e-C3’s is simple - but perhaps excessively so. Everything is logically positioned, it offers shortcut buttons, and the screen is reasonably responsive with attractive graphics which are sharp and clear.

But basic things we take for granted in cars nowadays, like a trip computer, are notable omissions. Because the Urban Range is only offered in entry-level trim, there's no SatNav (though using Google Maps via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is possible).

One benefit of simple infotainment is that there are proper dials to control the air conditioning, as well as physical buttons to toggle driving assistance aids.

Being integrated into the top of the dashboard, the digital instrument display is usefully out of the way, enabling you to see it over the top of the steering wheel rather than through it, as is more traditional.

You will see references to a ‘head-up display’ in Citroën's marketing - but this refers to the digital instruments we're talking about, which are actually projected from beneath; it doesn't refer to a display on your windscreen.

Nevertheless, what you get is usefully readable, informative, yet concise.

Overall, the cabin looks the part, even though it’s obvious this is a budget-built car.

Is the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range practical, and how big is the boot?

The e-C3 isn’t the biggest motor, but it offers more measurable space than many foes, in part thanks to it being taller than the previous model.

As a result, the front offers good headroom and respectable legroom, though the lack of an armrest due to the traditional handbrake is a disadvantage.

The seats are comfortable but don’t recline much and are only manually adjustable.

In the back, there's at least a couple more inches of legroom than some competitors, though the floor feels slightly higher than you'd expect due to the battery pack under it. The car's increased height offsets some of this impact.

Nevertheless, it results in limited under-thigh support from the back seats, and the doors aren’t as big as you might expect from a car with such well-apportioned cabin space.

Visibility is good from the front due to a relatively high driving position, but it's a bit limited from the back. Rear parking sensors are included as standard.

Boot space measures 310 litres, expanding to 1,188 litres with the rear seats folded down, unsurprisingly in a 60/40 configuration.

The lower figure is virtually the same as some of its key rivals, though the space isn’t as easily accessible due to a high boot lip and the lack of a height-adjustable floor.

The cabin storage features large door bins (though the ones in the back are smaller), a couple of other cubbies, two front cupholders, and a tray for a mobile phone.

How safe is the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

The new e-C3 hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP safety boffins yet.

However, only one of Citroën’s last six cars tested earned a full five-star rating, with the others earning four stars.

Most score around 80% for adults, 85% for children, and 65% for safety assists, though that's no guarantee of the e-C3's outcome.

A pack of safety gadgets is included, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, speed limit recognition, driver attention alert, coffee break alert, cruise control, speed limiter and hill start assist.

You also get intelligent beam headlights and rear parking sensors.

Those opting for the Max trim (available only on non-Urban Range models) get a rear-view camera and blind-spot detection.

Can I choose optional extras with the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

You can, though the specifics for the Urban Range are still being finalised.

The e-C3 generally offers a range of body colours, including solid blue or white, metallic shades of black, grey, or blue, and a premium metallic colour called "elixir red".

There is also a kit to fit a spare wheel (though it doesn't include the wheel).

As we said earlier, 11kW AC charging capability is an upgrade, as is 30kW DC charging.

What are the rival cars to the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

The e-C3 Urban Range is very competitively priced.

That means its main foes include the Fiat Grande Panda - built on the same platform as the e-C3 - as well as Hyundai’s Inster and the Renault 5 E-Tech.

BYD also offers the similarly priced BYD Dolphin Surf, and there are two cheaper options: the Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03, though the former is rather basic and the latter is a tiny city car.

The Mini Cooper Electric and Kia EV3 also compete, but not on price - both are much more expensive.

What’s the final verdict on the Citroën e-C3 Urban Range?

The Citroën e-C3 Urban Range is impressive given its value for money.

In isolation, it lacks some of the features of the Standard Range and combustion-engined models offered in higher trim levels; charging speeds are poor, and the range won't be suitable for 'staycations' or long weekends away.

But as its name suggests, the Urban Range is a car to get you to work, the tots to nursery, and your weekly shopping home, where you’ll charge it most of the time.

In that respect, the limited range doesn’t matter - and if you top-up while you’re asleep, the slow charging speed won’t matter either.

When you compare it with similarly priced contenders, it still offers a lot of standard kit, particularly given that this is supposedly a stripped-back version of the e-C3.

It is also fairly practical and quite pleasant to drive.

Overall, the e-C3 Urban Range is a cheap-to-run EV at a very affordable leasing price - and, as it’s from an established brand, we reckon it will be a deservingly attractive option for those on a tight budget.

Where to next?

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Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Citroen ë-C3.

**Correct as of 22/05/2026. Based on 12 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12  monthly payments, or £3,446.52 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.

Every lease deal is a fixed monthly cost for the whole of your contract, apart from changes to government costs, e.g. VAT changes or road fund license cost changes and in certain specific cases where the funder changes the price. Electric range quoted is WLTP.

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