Citroen e-SpaceTourer Business Lounge M (2020 - 2024)

We are seeing a constant stream of electrically-driven people carriers coming to market at the moment as manufacturers strive to replace their once-popular diesel line-ups.

One of the more recent arrivals is the Citroen e-SpaceTourer which looks like an upright van, but boasts plenty of on-board luxury. It also offers the flexibility of seven, eight or nine seats.

The Citroen e-SpaceTourer is available in trim levels called Business Edition, Business and Business Lounge. In addition, customers can choose from two lengths called M or the slightly longer XL. We opted for the high-end Business Lounge M model for our test drive.

There’s no denying the fact that the Citroen e-SpaceTourer bears a resemblance to a van with its box-like design and minimal signs of streamlining. There are sweeping headlight clusters, distinctive Citroen chevrons, rear privacy glass, a panoramic glass roof, vertical tail lights, side steps and 17-inch alloys.

There is an extra flap on the front wing where the charge port is located and also a fixed-closed one at the rear where the fuel cap would be found on an ICE model.

Moving inside, the interior is very upmarket in the main, although the edging around the hard plastic door pockets is quite rough which is a shame. However, expect to find leather upholstery with front seats that can be powered, heated and even offer a massage function. 

On-board tech impresses too with a seven-inch infotainment screen, sat nav, Mirror Screen for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, Bluetooth, a DAB radio, voice recognition and plenty more besides.

There is an e-Toggle gear selector and driver information screen where the vital data such as speed, battery charge and driving range can be viewed.

Back seat passengers get their own climate control settings with six ceiling-mounted air vents, and window blinds offer added privacy.

The front-wheel drive Citroen e-SpaceTourer is powered by a 50kWh battery pack and has an official combined driving range of up to 137 miles under WLTP testing, increasing to 201 miles in a city environment with lots of stop start driving.

With 136hp and 300Nm of torque, the vehicle can complete the 0-60mph dash in 13.1 seconds and has a top speed of 81mph.

The acceleration, via a single-speed automatic transmission, is certainly smooth enough and it can effortlessly cruise on motorways at 70mph. You will notice the range drop quite rapidly at those speeds though, whilst it seems to last forever in busier city centres where the regenerative braking comes into force.

There is a B mode to increase the amount of energy recouped under braking, along with drive modes called Eco, Normal and Power that change the driving characteristics of the vehicle.

In the Eco setting, the speed, power levels and climate control functions are restricted to increase efficiency. However, flick across to the Power mode and you get a much livelier performance, albeit at the expense of the driving range.

Despite its size, the e-SpaceTourer is deceptively agile and easy to manoeuvre, and it also copes well on twisting country lanes where the elevated seating offers excellent visibility across the hedgerows.

Also surprising are the refinement levels with a fairly hushed cabin and the efficient suspension system smoothing out all but the harshest bumps and dips along the way.

The Citroen e-SpaceTourer M model, as tested, has two large electric sliding doors to offer easy access to the pair of seats in row two and trio of seats in row three. These doors can be conveniently opened via the key fob, a button on the dashboard or by touching the handle itself.

Our M version had a strong road presence stretching 4,959mm in length, 2,204mm across (with mirrors) and 1,890mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,275mm.

Climbing into the rear seats is easy enough as the seats in row two slide and fold forwards. In addition, there are grab handles along with a wide side step for added assistance. And the duo of second row seats can be removed, turned round with a table that can be raised for family coffee stops. 

One word of warning though, if you are reversing into a parking space and need access to the boot, leave plenty of room behind the vehicle. That’s because the tailgate opens out quite a distance.

With all seats in use, there is space for some overnight bags, but the storage capacity can be increased to 1,700 litres with five seats in use or 2,550 litres with just the front seats occupied.

There are a number of handy storage options scattered throughout the cabin too, including a large glovebox. This opens upwards but the lid doesn’t stay open on its own which is slightly annoying. There are cup holders each end of the dash and in the doors for back seat passengers, plus seat back nets and pockets, fold-down trays and a covered compartment on top of the dashboard.

For convenience, the Citroen e-SpaceTourer’s charging flap is positioned on the front left wing and boosting the 50kWh lithium-ion battery from 0 to 80 per cent via a 100kW fast charger takes just 32 minutes. Alternatively, a 0 to 100 per cent charge can be completed via an 11kW wallbox in four hours, 45 minutes while the same boost is achieved in seven-and-a-half hours using a 7.4kW box.

The Citroen e-SpaceTourer costs from £37,045 (including VAT) for the entry-level Business Edition M model and increases to £49,535 for the Business Lounge XL version. 

Our test vehicle, the Business Lounge M model, was priced at £48,695, although some optional extras saw the final cost rise to £50,665. These included a metallic paint upgrade (£575), a panoramic glass roof (£855) and individual armchairs in row two (£540).

As the e-SpaceTourer is a pure electric vehicle, it has zero carbon emissions, so there are a number of financial benefits. For example, it is exempt from road tax, Congestion Charge or low emission zone fees. In addition, unlike ICE-powered models, owners of EVs costing in excess of £40k are not penalised. But unfortunately, the Government has announced it will be removing many incentives for EV-owners in 2025. 

Many owners will consider using the e-SpaceTourer for airport runs or similar, so the Benefit in Kind tax rating of just two per cent makes for attractive reading and, of course, they would be seeking to claim back the £8,120 VAT on the test model.

The Citroen e-SpaceTourer comes with a fairly standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. However, the battery is guaranteed to deliver 70 per cent capacity for eight years or 100,000 miles.

The model, as tested, sits in insurance group 35.

It’s nice to see MPV sales picking up as they offer so much versatility and are often far more practical than SUVs, especially if you need to transport large numbers of passengers.

The Citroen e-SpaceTourer is an excellent example of how far these vehicles have developed and, unlike working vans of yesteryear, they offer an upmarket cabin packed with top notch fixtures and fittings.

The only downside however, is that very limited range. And we were testing the model without the added weight of extra occupants and luggage.