Item: Citroën Ami
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

Citroën Ami

Cupra Born

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Citroën Ami retails at less than half the price of the cheapest 'proper' electric cars.&nbsp;It's cheaper even than the now extinct Renault Twizy, and unlike that car you don't need to pay a monthly fee to rent the battery.&nbsp;

You can only charge the Ami from&nbsp;a three-pin domestic plug socket, meaning you can’t use the public electric car charging network. Nevertheless, running costs should be low, as the impact on your electricity bills will be smaller than with a heavier, faster electric car, such as a Fiat 500.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> has yet to appraise the Ami for safety, but the presence of a thin metal frame around you – not unlike&nbsp;you'd put up for a tent – highlights the safety compromises required if you choose a quadricycle over an actually&nbsp;car. You are probably safer (and drier) than if you were on a bike, but traditional electric cars will offer you better crash protection and far more safety aids.

The Ami was too new to be&nbsp;included in our 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, although Citroën as a brand came 11th out of the 30 manufacturers in the overall league table. That's higher than Renault, Skoda and Volkswagen, and way above Fiat, which finished in last place.

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Every rational assessment of the Citroën Ami has to be weighed&nbsp;against its price and intended use – which is another&nbsp;way of saying that any ‘traditional’ car driver will find the experience massively compromised.

The biggest issue for most will be the 28mph limiter; just how constraining that will be for you&nbsp;depends on where you need to drive.&nbsp;In central London&nbsp;where many roads have a&nbsp;20mph limit anyway, it isn't such a problem.&nbsp;On freely moving traffic on 30mph roads, though, it's hard not to feel like a nuisance – and on a 40mph road you feel positively exposed.

Nevertheless, the Ami’s relatively low weight and the instant availability of torque from the electric motor&nbsp;means you can zip out of junctions and through slow town traffic with much the same ease as in a Smart ForTwo EQ.

The effectiveness of the Ami’s claimed 46-mile range depends on those same constraints, too. If you only plan to drive around a congested city, that’ll probably be plenty, especially when you consider that, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/citroen">Citroën</a>&nbsp;at least, the&nbsp;5.5kWh battery can be charged from a normal domestic plug socket in just three hours.

Certainly, if you need to do more than 30 miles in the summer or 20 miles in the winter, we'd recommend looking at a secondhand proper electric car, such as a Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe.&nbsp;

The Ami&nbsp;certainly isn't as comfortable as most proper electric cars, but the ride isn't awful as long as you remember to avoid big potholes and drain covers. Bumps are smoothed out better than in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/twizy/city-car/review/n163">Renault Twizy</a>.

Meanwhile, the&nbsp;steering is direct enough to make the Ami feel alert; darting in and out of traffic is no problem at all. And thanks to a tiny 7.2m turning circle, this tiny&nbsp;Citroën&nbsp;is extremely manoeuvrable. Its length (or lack of it) even opens up the possibility of parking nose&nbsp;in to kerbs.&nbsp;

Naturally, the electric motor means you set&nbsp;off in near silence, but you’ll quickly notice a significant amount of road noise filtering through into the interior.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

The Ami’s relatively low weight and the instant availability of torque from the electric motor means you can zip out of junctions and through slow town traffic with much the same ease as in a Smart ForTwo EQ. The 28mph limited top speed will be a big issue for many, though.

http://example.com

You've never seen anything quite like it, have you?&nbsp;What exactly is that car? Well, it’s the Citroën Ami&nbsp;– and technically it’s not a car, it's a large electric quadricycle.

Indeed, in&nbsp;some European countries the Ami can be driven by 14-year-olds without driving licences. Perhaps sensibly, UK regulations demand that you're at least 16&nbsp;and even then you need a special licence.

The Citroën Ami is wildly different, certainly, and undeniably a quirky take on getting around in towns and cities that are increasingly dominated by e-bikes and e-scooters. It also divides opinion.&nbsp;Based on our experience, its looks charm and appall in equal measure.

<iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GrDXIj0Mj00" width="560"></iframe>

There’s no denying its ingenuity, though. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/citroen">Citroën</a> has managed to squeeze in seating for two people plus some space for their luggage.

For all its Dinky Toy appeal and clever design touches, at 2.4m long and 1.4m wide, the Ami&nbsp;isn't actually much smaller than some other small cars, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/smart/fortwo-coupe/city-car/review/n18076">Smart ForTwo EQ</a>.&nbsp;A <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/twizy/city-car/review/n163">Renault Twizy</a> is even tinier, in fact.

The Ami’s electric motor produces just 8bhp and its top speed is restricted to 28mph. The official range is only&nbsp;up to 46 miles between charges, although Citroën says its tiny battery can be charged to full in as little as three hours from a normal domestic plug socket.&nbsp;

For all its quirkiness, though, just how good is the Citroën Ami? Join us over the next few pages of this review and we'll let you know how it stacks up for performance, comfort and value for money.&nbsp;

You won't currently find any Citroën Ami discounts&nbsp;on our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>,&nbsp;although there are some tempting deals on various other small cars.

The Ami is available only in left-hand-drive form. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/citroen">Citroën</a> says this allows you kerbside access when parking on the correct side of the road, although it isn't ideal in other respects. For example, visibility&nbsp;is restricted when changing lanes or pulling out of junctions.

Mind you, that issue is mitigated somewhat&nbsp;by the terrific view you get from the Ami's&nbsp;high driving position and the sheer amount of glass that surrounds you (including above your head). You’re always very aware of where the corners of the car are. The only issue is that the Citroën 2CV-inspired half-opening windows, which are split horizontally and can be flicked up, might make you feel a bit claustrophobic in the summer.&nbsp;

You open the car with a&nbsp;key (very old school), which you twist then give a hefty shove. Amusingly, the driver’s door is rear-hinged so that identical doors can be used on either side of the car to keep costs down. That said, at least the Ami has windows and doors as standard, which you won't get in a similarly priced electric motorbike.

As with the exterior, the minimalist nature of the interior is offset by the charm of its design, which appears to be at least in part inspired by Duplo. Minimalist is certainly the key word when it comes to the Ami – other than&nbsp;a small screen behind the wheel and a cradle for your smartphone, there’s very little equipment to speak of.

City-Car

Citroën is probably most famous for its quirky design, and the latest cars from the brand live up to this tradition, featuring paintwork-protecting ‘Airbumps’ and eschewing the sporty looks favoured by most rivals.

Indeed, Citroën tends to keep away from sportiness altogether and instead tries to put comfort first.

Value (but not cheapness) is also key to the appeal of most Citroëns. And the company’s range includes everything from small hatchbacks (such as the C1 and C3) to big, family-friendly seven-seaters (the Spacetourer and Grand C4 Spacetourer).

The C3 Aircross SUV is another of its popular models, while a larger C5 Aircross is planned.

CITROEN

Quirky quadricycle that’s laser targeted at the city driver niche

As in the extinct&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/twizy/city-car/review/n163">Renault Twizy</a>&nbsp;quadricycle, there's space for&nbsp;only one passenger – although the seats are side-by-side rather than&nbsp;in a jet fighter-style arrangement. There’s enough shoulder room&nbsp;for two adults to sit comfortably and you won’t find yourself struggling for headroom, even if you’re tall.&nbsp;

There's also an abundance of storage cubbies in the doors and at the base of the&nbsp;dashboard. Official luggage space is limited to a small cavern behind the seats, although there's generous room in front of the passenger’s legs to throw some more bags.

Of course, anyone who really values luggage space or needs to transport more than one passenger will want to look at a larger electric car, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/500/hatchback/review/n84">Fiat 500</a>&nbsp;Or a secondhand Renault Zoe.

OUR PICK

You don't get much standard equipment, although there are ways to personalise your Ami to make it stand out, including exterior graphics and orange detailing.

Vibe

vibe

The quirky Citroën Ami has to be one of the most polarising cars we've tested, and its price and intended use must be factored into any verdict. Although it’s slow and has a tiny range, it costs less than half the amount to buy than the cheapest proper electric cars, while offering far better protection from the elements than a motorcycle. For a small niche of city dwellers with specific requirements, it's a great buy – but the obvious compromises mean it will be a far harder sell for most drivers.

<h2>What we're looking for </h2><ul><li>Generous enough real-world range to fit most lifestyles</li> <li>Plenty of charging options and quick top-up times </li> <li>Usable space and strong practicality</li> <li>Comfortable ride that isn’t hindered by a heavy battery</li></ul>

With so many electric cars now on offer, we've split the smaller models from the larger ones to ensure that we're able to compare direct rivals.

As well as being adept at coping with city life, small electric cars need to be roomy enough for a couple of adults and able to drive a decent amount of miles between charges.&nbsp;

There are some great small electric cars to choose from. The affordable Seat Mii Electric proves you don't have to have break the bank to go green, the Renault Zoe has been improved in every area, making it a great small EV prospect, and the Kia e-Niro was named our overall 2019 Car of the Year.

Small Electric

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought almost exclusively as first cars or by people with no children – but the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">Volkswagen Polo</a> have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals. These cars qualify for the maximum plug-in car grant (PICG) of £1500.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/zoe/hatchback/review/n152">Renault Zoe</a> is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/leaf/hatchback/review/n17338">Nissan Leaf</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id3/hatchback/review/n21832">Volkswagen ID.3</a> are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up EV philosophy – and the American brand’s network of super-fast chargers – makes the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Model S</a> a tempting choice. It has a classy interior, loads of tech and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

Electric

Citroën Ami review

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Review of Citroën Ami interior by the expert What Car? team. Compare in car entertainment system, driving comfort and visibility with similar cars.

The Ami is available only in left-hand-drive form. Citroën says this allows you kerbside access when parking on the correct side of the road, although it isn't ideal in other respects. For example, visibility is restricted when changing lanes or pulling out of junctions.,Mind you, that issue is mitigated somewhat by the terrific view you get from the Ami's high driving position and the sheer amount of glass that surrounds you (including above your head). You’re always very aware of where the corners of the car are. The only issue is that the Citroën 2CV-inspired half-opening windows, which are split horizontally and can be flicked up, might make you feel a bit claustrophobic in the summer. ,You open the car with a key (very old school), which you twist then give a hefty shove. Amusingly, the driver’s door is rear-hinged so that identical doors can be used on either side of the car to keep costs down. That said, at least the Ami has windows and doors as standard, which you won't get in a similarly priced electric motorbike.,As with the exterior, the minimalist nature of the interior is offset by the charm of its design, which appears to be at least in part inspired by Duplo. Minimalist is certainly the key word when it comes to the Ami – other than a small screen behind the wheel and a cradle for your smartphone, there’s very little equipment to speak of.,

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