Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: Space & Practicality Comparison

Both electric vehicles offer a real-world range of over 200km, but which one is more livable within the city?

If you're trying to choose an affordable electric hatchback in India, you might feel undecided between the Citroen eC3 and Tata Tiago EV. Both EVs have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, but which one is the all-rounder? In this review, we'll compare the space and practicality of both the EVs to help you decide which one suits you best.

Before we continue, our partner website has conducted a ride and handling comparison of both EVs, which you can read here.

Key

To begin with the key, the eC3 receives a remote key with lock and unlock buttons, which gives it an outdated feel. Even in the top-spec variant of the eC3, the key needs to be inserted to bring the EV to life, as it doesn't have the push-button start feature.

On the other hand, the Tiago EV's key fob can rest in your pocket as Tata’s electric hatchback comes with a passive entry feature and a push-button start/stop as well. Unlike the eC3, Tata's EV also comes with auto-folding ORVMs.

Looks

The Citroen eC3 has an SUV-like stance due to its upright presence. Elements like body cladding and roof rails give it a rugged look. But it still gives an outdated vibe due to the flap style door handles and fender-mounted turn indicators. It also looks the same as the C3, and Citroen could have done more to differentiate the looks of its electric hatchback from that of its ICE iteration. 

On the other hand, the Tiago EV is a stylish hatchback that can be easily distinguished from the regular Tiago. Its distinct color scheme, bumper design, and blue accents allow this vehicle to stand out in a crowd. In contrast to the eC3, the Tiago EV is equipped with projector headlamps and turn indicators mounted on the outside rear-view mirrors (ORVMs). Additionally, the font used for the Tiago.ev badging on Tata's electric hatchback is one of the small touches that adds more value to the customers who are willing to pay a more premium amount for an electric vehicle.

In terms of dimensions, the eC3 occupies more space on the ground, i.e, it is larger than the Tiago EV. The eC3 rides on 15-inch alloy wheels, while the Tiago EV features smaller 14-inch steel wheels with wheel caps. However, the eC3 lacks the distinguishing factors typically associated with electric cars. In contrast, Tata's electric hatchback, despite its smaller size, possesses a more appealing overall design.

Interior

The eC3's cabin features a funky design, highlighted by contrast-colored door pockets and a dotted pattern on the dashboard. However, when it comes to quality, there is room for improvement as the materials used could have been better, and the panel gaps in certain areas could have been more uniform. Because of its height, the eC3 offers a higher driving position, resulting in improved visibility. This, in turn, facilitates better judgment of the car's dimensions in traffic.

The Tiago EV's dashboard showcases a sober and mature design. Similar to the exterior, the interior of the Tiago EV also incorporates blue highlights around the AC vents and instrument cluster. The quality of the plastics used in the Tiago EV is comparable to that of the eC3, but once again, the fit and finish is a concern with Tata's electric hatchback. In terms of the seating position, it is not as elevated as the eC3, but given its compact size, maneuvering the Tiago EV through city traffic isn't challenging.

Features

Common Features: Both electric hatchbacks are equipped with a touchscreen infotainment system that supports connected car technology, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. They also feature a tilt-adjustable steering wheel, digitized driver's display, height-adjustable driver's seat, and steering-mounted controls. 

Citroen eC3: The eC3 features a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, which is larger than that of the Tiago. Unlike Tata's electric hatchback, the eC3 also supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. However, during our drive, we encountered a bug while adding and removing Bluetooth devices. Additionally, there were instances when both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay disconnected abruptly. These issues could potentially be resolved in the future through a software update.

Citroen could also have done better with the instrument cluster inside the eC3. Yes it is digitsed, but the interface is poor and each and every parameter like battery percentage, trip A and B, range and charging information is displayed on separate screens. You need to toggle between modes to see each of these parameters, which becomes tedious while driving. 

But, what more? The eC3’s feature list seems to end here, as the list of missing features is even longer. At a price tag of around Rs 13 lakh (on-road), the eC3’s cabin comes with fabric seat upholstery, manual AC, and manual adjustments for ORVMs that feels too basic for a top-end variant of an electric vehicle which costs this much. Amenities such as passive keyless entry, rear camera, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring system, automatic AC, leather-wrapped steering wheel and automatic headlamps are also missing, which dilutes your overall experience with this EV.

Tata Tiago EV: Well, the Tiago EV feels a segment above when it comes to its list of amenities. Though it gets a smaller 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, it compensates with an 8-speaker Harman sound system, which delivers a better audio experience than the eC3's 4-speaker setup. But that's not all, the Tiago EV's feature list also includes push-button start/stop, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), a rear parking camera, adjustable headrests for front passengers, automatic air conditioning, and a cooled glove box.

The digitised instrument cluster in the Tiago feels way ahead of the eC3. The interface is stylish, easy to read and more information such as battery percentage, range and odometer can be viewed together.

Rear Seat Comfort

Citroen eC3: Citroen has done a good job here as the eC3 feels more spacious than the Tiago EV. The cabin of the Citroen’s EV feels wider and offers a good space for two people at the rear. Adding one more person would make it a little congested, but still better than the electric Tiago. It also offers ample headroom and legroom enough for an average Indian height. 

The cushioning of seats is comfortable, but the thigh support could have been better. Overall, the eC3 is a comfortable car for small city drives.

Tiago EV: Due to its smaller size, the Tiago EV is not as spacious as the eC3, and its rear seat is not suitable for accommodating three people comfortably. While the legroom in the Tiago EV is adequate, it doesn't provide the same airy feel as the eC3. The backrest angle is relaxed in the Tiago EV, but the thigh support could have been better here.

Practicality

Both the eC3 and Tiago EV offer good practicality as they both get 2 cupholders, a storage area under the handbrake, bottle holders at the rear and door pockets. However, the eC3 has more charging ports than the Tiago EV, a USB port and a 12V charger for front, and two USB chargers at the rear. The Tiago EV on the other hand gets a USB and a 12V socket in the front, but at the rear it only gets a 12V power socket. Both EVs don't have a USB C charging option.

The center console of both EVs also has a deep storage, but the eC3 also gets a dedicated smartphone tray. However, there’s one ergonomic issue in the eC3: the rear power window controls are located in front of the bottle holder, making it difficult for the passenger to access the switches when a large 1-litre bottle is placed there.

Boot Space

The eC3 is the clear winner in this department. It not only offers uncompromised boot space but also gets a spare wheel. The Tiago EV’s boot space is less, but it also doesn’t get the spare wheel. This is done to accommodate the battery pack inside the Tiago EV.

 Also, it’s difficult to fit a full size suitcase inside a Tiago EV, whereas eC3’s flat boot floor helps in easy accommodation of big suitcases. The rear seats inside both the EVs can be folded for extra room.

Ride Comfort

Although both EVs offer good ride comfort, they exhibit slight variations in their response to road undulations. The eC3, with its ample suspension travel, tends to experience more body movements, giving it a somewhat SUV-like riding characteristic. On the other hand, the Tiago EV's ride is more hatchback-like, which means it takes speed breakers and undulations better. But, the lesser suspension travel compared to the eC3 means it won't be as good when you go off the road or on a broken patch of road.  

In simpler terms, the Tiago EV will feel less comfortable when encountering potholes or bumps, but it feels more plush in the city and maintains stability at higher speeds. This ensures a smoother ride experience in various conditions, providing a sense of confidence and comfort to the driver and passengers.

Warranty

Both the Tiago EV and Citroen eC3 offers warranty coverage on battery pack, electric motor and vehicle, which are detailed in the table below: 

 The table clearly indicates that Tata has not compromised on giving assurance to its customers, not only by offering a longer warranty period but also by maintaining the same duration for the electric motor. However, the vehicle warranties for both the eC3 and Tiago EV are identical.

It is also important to note that the eC3 comes with an air-cooled battery pack whereas the Tiago EV comes with a liquid-cooled battery pack. In peak summers, it is the Tiago which will be able to better manage battery temperature. However, in the weather we tested the two cars, both performed as expected, with the eC3 seldom showing a battery temperature warning on the instrument cluster, but not affecting the performance. 

Price & Verdict

All prices are ex-showroom Delhi

Both electric vehicles offer a range of over 200km based on our real world tests, which is practical for city usage. While the eC3 is more focussed on space and practicality, the Tata Tiago EV offers more premium amenities and better performance, and most importantly, it costs less. The eC3 on the other hand costs Rs 90,000 more than the Tiago EV and only offers around 20 kms more of range, but it lets you down in terms of features.This makes Tata's electric hatchback a value for money product and a better fit for your family.

So, who should buy these? The eC3 is for those whose primary focus is space and ground clearance, but those who want a premium cabin experience, fun to drive element in an EV, the Tiago EV is the one to go for.

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