Presented in 2020, the third generation of the Citroën C4 brought a breath of fresh air to the compact saloon segment by offering an absolutely unique concept combining the codes of saloon and SUV, while ironically introducing a new stylistic language from the CXpérience concept. Four years after its presentation, the C4 has to face a very different style, which it tries to seize for a major and effective restyling.
A great challenge
There are cars that are unlucky, and the C4 is certainly one of them. Launched in June 2020, just after the first lockdown, it had to suffer the consequences of a health crisis, with marketing in a country that was almost under lockdown and facing shortages of all kinds. There are easier and happier launches.
Nevertheless, the C4 has managed to establish itself in the compact saloon segment thanks to a unique concept that allows it to offer a unique attitude on the road, a clear break from its competitors. An attitude that combines the genes of SUVs (large wheels, high driving position, etc.) with those of sedans or even SUV coupes, which makes it decidedly explosive in its category, but which has allowed it to achieve remarkable performances in a segment that has shrunk considerably since 2018. As a result, in the first half of 2024, the C4 has managed to climb to second place in sales of general compact sedans in Europe, just behind the Golf, a position that no C4 has ever reached before. It is also true to say that the restyling was a great challenge, especially as it had to integrate a new design language for a car designed to bring another. Suffice it to say that it was a real challenge to renew this C4, which has undergone a major, almost 360° overhaul for the occasion, as the front and rear ends have been completely renewed, but the profile has been affected.
A major restyling
For this restyling, the brand's teams have completely redesigned the front end with a slightly different bonnet to integrate the new Citroën logo. The headlamps and bumper have been radically redesigned to transform the front end: the bulging eyes of the previous version have been abandoned in favour of a very wide front end with very thin, black-tinted headlamps that blend in with the fine radiator grille, visually stretching the car. The new light signature, derived from the Oli concept in a different definition, contributes to this widening with three horizontal light bars which, when the headlights are off, give the C4 a completely different and absolutely unique look on the market.
The rear has also undergone a major redesign with the dual aim of simplifying and widening. It has to be said that the first version had a rather bulky rear, with the rear spoiler, necessary for aerodynamics, and the lights that rose high on the quarter panel, giving it a massive appearance. For this restyling, the brand's teams wanted to simplify by doing away with the LED bars that rise up from the quarter panel, which are now all black like the spoiler, creating a new unit, while the lights are reduced and integrate the new light signature, taken from that of the front, with the aim of visually widening the car again. The same lights, tinted black, stand out slightly from the bodywork, as on the C3 or the C5 Aircross, and contribute to the aerodynamics, which are just as good on this restyled version.
Electrification as a priority
As you know, the CAFE 2025 standards have become much stricter, with a quota now set at 81 grams, which will require a significant increase in sales of 100% electric versions.
The latter have been part of the C4 range since its launch, it was one of the first compact saloons to offer them, and are well known with two power ratings, 136 and 156 bhp, for two different ranges: 360 and 420 km according to the WLTP standard. The brand also offers two 48-volt hybrid engines of 100 and 136 bhp, while a petrol version is still available, but its price and the associated penalty make it much less attractive. The hybrid versions therefore escape any penalty thanks to their low emissions (only 106 grams).
For this restyling, the brand has continued its efforts on the price front by reducing the prices of the electric versions to over 7,000 euros, making them much more competitive, with a Max version equipped with the long range (420 km) now priced at 38,000 euros, excluding government subsidies, making it one of the most accessible versions on the market.
In conclusion, with this restyling, the C4 has taken on the great challenge of adopting a new style while continuing to seduce the market with a different proposition. The brand has succeeded very well with this restyling, as the C4 sees its style simplified and strongly renewed, to the point of appearing like a new car, while retaining the unique attitude on the road that contributed to its success. The drop in price and the competitive hybrid versions should allow it to continue on this path for the rest of its career.
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