Citroen C4 hatchback - MPG, running costs & CO2

The Citroen C4 is fitted with a range of small, turbocharged petrol and diesel engines designed to keep a lid on running costs and tailpipe emissions. There's also a fully electric Citroen-C4, which is fitted with an electric motor and battery for zero emissions while you're on the move. It’ll prove the cheapest to run if you can charge it at home but the most expensive to buy.

Citroen C4 MPG & CO2

Most C4 buyers are expected to go for the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol variants, and these would be our pick too. Managing over 50mpg with a manual gearbox, this three-cylinder turbo should equal the running costs of most petrol versions of the SEAT Leon and Volkswagen Golf TSI. This is despite the fact that the PureTech engine does without clever technology like cylinder deactivation or mild-hybrid assistance; Citroen has managed to make the C4 quite a light car, which helps with efficiency.

A 1.5-litre BlueHDI diesel is also available in two power outputs, with both capable of increasing fuel efficiency to around 60mpg. The diesel engines cost a couple of thousand pounds more to buy than the petrol engines, however, so you’ll need to offset the better economy against the higher prices. For this reason, we'd only recommend the diesel C4 to drivers with a high annual mileage.

The electric e-C4 uses the same 50kWh battery and electric motor as the Peugeot e-2008, and gives the Citroen a range of up to 222 miles. It also comes with 100kW DC charging, making it possible to take the battery from 0-80% in just half an hour at compatible public chargers.

Every petrol and diesel C4 incurs the standard VED (road tax) rate from the second year onwards. The electric e-C4 is exempt from road tax until 2025 due to its zero-emissions status.

Insurance groups

The base C4 Puretech 100 is the cheapest to insure with a group 13 rating. Above this, the Puretech 130 jumps significantly to groups 19 to 20, depending on the trim level and gearbox chosen. Diesel-powered C4s start in group 20 for the BlueHDi 130 with an automatic gearbox.

Warranty

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New Citroen models are sold with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which can be extended for an additional cost. This matches the warranty from brands like Ford and Volkswagen Group but it can't compete with the five or even seven years of cover offered by Hyundai and Kia respectively.

Servicing

If buyers don't like the large bills associated with servicing, Citroen offers servicing plans that make it possible to spread the cost of maintenance over monthly payments, making it easier to budget.