The big difference between the C4 and C4 X is the boot space. This extra 140mm of rear end increases storage below the parcel shelf to 510 litres, which is very competitive when compared with other cars in the segment, but its long and low boot shape makes this hard to utilise. You can forget transporting a chest of drawers, for example.
The raked roof design of the C4 X doesn’t impact rear head room compared with the C4: even for adults around 6ft tall, it doesn't feel cramped.
For the facelift, Citroën has fitted new Advanced Comfort Seats in the C4 X, which are visually bulging with padding – 15% more than the slightly flat but broad seats they replace.
Although feeling largely similar to the seats they replaced, they definitely offer more lateral support and comfort than before and, say, the similarly priced and positioned Kia Stonic or Skoda Kamiq. However, the extra padding can be a tad hard in the upper back area (it's not adjustable) and there's a lack of under-thigh support.
The seat is adjusted manually, too, which means that finding the right seating position is harder than it may be. Heated seats are available in Max trim only.
Available space around the driver is about average. Citroën claims class-leading rear knee room, but we suspect this must be qualified with the front seats slid all the way forwards because, with the driver’s seat set for a typical adult, second-row accommodation levels are only average, as is rear head room.
The instrument and infotainment layout is unconventional, like in the C4. As part of the update, the 7.0in digital instrument screen has been updated. It provides a very simple digital speedometer.
Our test car’s head-up display, projected on a separate transparent pop-up screen (which is quite large) rather than the windscreen, adds some useful extra information, but options to configure both displays are limited. The ability to change the position of the HUD via easy to reach controls next to the driver is a nice touch.
The cabin is centered on a 10in touchscreen infotainment system, above two physical controls for 'home' and 'volume' and a volume knob to aid usability. There are also tactile and materially appealing physical controls for heating and ventilation.
The infotainment now runs updated software but is still a tad sluggish. It offers wireless smartphone mirroring and charging.
The factory sat-nav mapping is simple but clear, its directions are easy to follow and you can set destinations in spoken fashion at the first time of asking.
Overall, though, both screens feel old and outdated compared with rivals'.
The standard material fit and finish is a bit mixed and the cabin isn’t free from harder, rougher mouldings in easy to reach places.
Our Max test car appeared to have a pleasant aesthetic on the surface, with plush-looking seats, but was quite a dull affair in reality, with everything ahead of the front passengers black or dark grey.
The extensive use of gloss black plastic just promotes fingerprints and makes a clean cabin look dirty very quickly and easily.
