Citroën Ami evaluation | The Global Today

Overview

Again in September final yr Citroën introduced that the AMI can be in the stores within the UK as of spring this yr. Quick ahead to the top of summer season and it nonetheless had not been launched – however it wasn’t for need of attempting on Citroën’s half, with two main components holding their deliberate launch again. The primary problem was the potential for being hit with a post-Brexit customs tariff as a result of AMI is in-built Mexico – that took 9 months to resolve, and the second downside was with DVLA, whose web site states for a automobile to qualify as gentle quadricycle it will need to have an unladen mass of no more than 350kg – the Ami weighs 458kg! They clearly acquired spherical that as it may be pushed with a ‘Class AM’ driving licence. Within the phrases of PR Supervisor Mason Finney throughout the Citroën AMI replace on the UK media launch, it was a “lengthy and rocky street to get right here, however price it”. And we’ve got to agree. Inexpensive and accessible, the AMI may change city mobility for good.

Driving

The goal of stated launch was a “celebration somewhat than a check drive”, and with nearly all of media in attendance haven already pushed the AMI in Coventry nearly two years beforehand, it was little doubt a little bit of a PR stunt, too. So somewhat than following a advised route as is the norm on press occasions, journalists got an iPhone with a specifically designed treasure hunt app which noticed groups of two zip concerning the UK’s capital answering questions and rising to challenges whereas visiting iconic vacationer spots to realize factors. It was the right option to exhibit Ami’s quirky aspect, however my companion and I had been somewhat reluctant to participate in a few of the duties (resembling Careoke or pull individuals off the road to spell out the phrase AMI), and so predictably we completed final! Nonetheless, we maintained our dignity and targeted on Ami’s potential to navigate the busy roads of London.

Because it seems, it’s actually somewhat good at it – for a number of causes. Firstly, its measurement: Ami is 2.41m lengthy, 1.39m broad and 1.52m excessive. This implies you may squeeze it via just about any hole – and in slim clogged streets this proved invaluable. It nearly felt like we had been on a motorcycle however with the additional benefit of being in an enclosed, snug and protecting house. I are inclined to drive defensively in London – with taxis and buses undercutting everybody, and vans competing for restricted street house with cyclists, motorbikes and vehicles – it’s one of the best ways, and the Ami made one of these driving a doddle! My companion and I had been pulling off some bold strikes and getting away with it – whether or not that’s as a result of they’re not on the roads but and thus a novel sight, stays to be seen!

It’s so small, you may park two nostril to nostril and it’s the identical size as a automobile, and if the parking bay is large enough you may park nose-on into the kerb! How’s that for opportunistic parking? You can too use that tiny on-road footprint to nip into gaps that don’t exist for different automobiles! For the primary time in 20 years, I loved driving in London!

It’s additionally acquired an extremely tight turning circle, which at 7.20m is smaller than a London taxi. In any metropolis this can be a main boon, permitting us to u-turn in the midst of the street – the Freeway Code was clearly adhered to always! Compact and agile with a excessive seating place it’s good for navigating busy streets in addition to match into tight parking areas.

What else do you might want to know? It’s able to speeds of as much as 28mph, so good for cities the place the typical site visitors speeds are round 20mph – and even villages. It’s clean and silent drive makes for a stress-free expertise, and it gives nice all-round visibility. Above that – you begin to really feel very susceptible and piss off different street customers.

Downsides are its left-hand drive… though Citroën have put a PR spin on that saying it ‘permits the motive force the advantage of exiting the automobile kerbside’, and the journey could be very agency with restricted suspension journey. The reality is even earlier than the battle of getting it launched within the UK, Eurig Druce – Managing Director Citroën UK – admitted we weren’t even meant to get Ami. It was solely due to the hassle of the PR group drumming up 12,000 expressions of curiosity from potential British consumers in addition to 2000 reservists (regardless of an unknown price ticket) that the French automobile maker determined the automobile ought to cross the channel. It’s the rationale why it comes with an adapter for sort 2 charging stations, too. Whereas we’re on the topic it’s additionally annoying that the charging cable must be manually fed into its storage gap inside a recess behind the door.

Vary and operating prices

With costs ranging from £7695, Ami is accessible to check drive and order from Citroen’s on-line showroom (that includes a 360° visualiser and digital brochure), alternatively it may be had for simply £19.99 per thirty days with a buyer deposit of £3192 on PCP, over 24 months (by way of a Ami taking part retailer or authorised repairer), making it a really engaging provide certainly. We all know it’s not a automobile however when you think about the most cost effective automobile on sale is £12,250 (Kia Picanto) if you happen to do reside within the metropolis and it was your solely ‘automobile’ it’s excellent worth.

Moreover to have a good time the launch of Ami within the UK, Citroën has partnered with charging supplier ubitricity, to offer the primary 2000 UK prospects three months of free charging throughout its community of greater than 5400 kerbside cost factors.

Service packages (between two and 5 years), protecting routine servicing, upkeep, and prolonged automobile guarantee, battery guarantee and prolonged breakdown cowl (relying on chosen size) can be found from simply £10.81 a month and features a 10,000 miles each year restrict.

The 5.5kW battery supplies a spread of 46 miles and recharges in simply three hours, and whereas it doesn’t include a granny charger, there’s nothing to cease you shopping for an aftermarket adapter and plugging into your home socket at residence, to make it even cheaper to juice – we discovered a number of UK suppliers who provide an aftermarket adaptor, simply don’t count on Citroën to formally endorse this who’re protecting their backs on case no matter you supply isn’t protected.

When it comes to insurance coverage group for the Ami – there isn’t one because it’s not a automobile bear in mind. Principally, every insurer takes its personal view as a result of it falls exterior the scope for a standard passenger automobile. The DVLA’s stance is you have to have third celebration insurance coverage so that you’ll in all probability want to seek out specialist insurance coverage cowl.

Design

There’s no denying it turned heads within the metropolis – in actual fact we felt like fairly the celeb! A good friend stated it seems like how a child would draw a automobile, and we’ve got to agree – it’s cute, quirky and we love all of the little curious particulars – from the guide aspect home windows which flip to hinge upwards like the enduring 2CV to the suicide-style driver’s door exterior (in order that the panels are an identical on either side of the automobile ),  the Duplo-esque inserts within the storage areas and the material door pull cords within the inside.

The cabin incorporates little greater than two seats, a steering wheel, digital speedo and easy heater, so prospects will in all probability be tempted to reinforce their Ami by including certainly one of three Color Packs: Orange, Blue or Gray, which might all be fitted at residence. Every pack comes with colour-coded wheel trims, rear pillar decals, three colour-coded dashboard storage containers and bag hook, exterior door capsules, two door storage nets and black flooring mats with colour-coded trim. As well as, all color packs add a separation internet between the motive force and passenger foot wells, a smartphone cradle for the dashboard and the DAT@AMI connection field that enables prospects to entry key automobile data.

By My Ami Play and Citroën Change, house owners can entry extra options resembling navigation or radio, and make calls, with the smartphone doubling as an infotainment display. Coupled with the optionally available Ami Bluetooth speaker, which just like the telephone slots into a selected place within the dashboard, drivers can get pleasure from all of their media by way of the aforementioned management unit, which may be positioned wherever they select, to make sure ease of use.

Consolation and practicality

Having beforehand pushed it alone it was good to know that there’s sufficient house to comfortably accommodate a driver and a passenger. Regardless of its two seat configuration – the Ami is actually fairly sensible; there’s storage behind the seats and in entrance of the passenger’s legs, actually greater than sufficient room for a good weekly store. Over our two hour check drive we discovered the seats very onerous however your common Ami buyer will not be going to spend that lengthy behind the wheel.

Normal specification features a digital speedometer, LED entrance and hind lights, a panoramic glass sunroof (which by the way makes the cabin really feel good and ethereal) and a USB charging port. As beforehand talked about Ami is accessible in a selection of variants, My Ami Color (Gray, Orange and White priced at £400) and two larger trim ranges providing even higher ranges of customisation: ‘Ami Pop’ and ‘Ami Tonic’.

Ami Pop combines the Orange Color Pack with black trim on the entrance face, decrease entrance and rear bumpers, and across the hind lights, in addition to a black rear spoiler and orange decals surrounding the door capsules that includes a quantity ‘2’ design and prices £8495.

Ami Tonic is priced at £8695 and options new headlamp bezels, impressed by sun shades, and a brand new khaki and yellow color scheme with bespoke wheel trims in addition to ornamental roof rails. It additionally options ‘+’ and ‘-’ inside stickers on the A-pillars to spotlight its electrical nature. The yellow detailing may be inside, together with the door pulls, bag hook and the 2 entrance panel recesses, which distinction with khaki accents on the dashboard storage bins and door internet encompass. Yellow directional arrows are utilized in a enjoyable option to information passengers on find out how to use options such because the door handles and home windows.

For companies finishing up quick distance or last-mile deliveries, My Ami Cargo is obtainable in a single specification, priced at £7995. Instead of the passenger seat, My Ami Cargo includes a modular storage space that may be configured for a spread of enterprise wants. This consists of a modular higher floor (that includes a novel ‘cell workplace’ structure), a divider between the motive force and cargo areas, a modular cargo flooring with two positions, and a lidded field within the rear creating 260 litres of cupboard space. Coupled with the inside storage already current on-board, My Ami Cargo gives a complete load capability of 400 litres.

Verdict

An actual breakthrough from Citroën, Ami is a superb response to the challenges confronted in at present’s city environments. It’s exempt from Congestion and Extremely-low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) expenses, and with different cities seeking to introduce related measures, AMI is a future-proof answer. It’s an incredible various to a motorcycle, scooter or e-bike, in addition to small vehicles and an answer to every thing you hate about driving in cities – from parking to slicing via congested streets and air pollution. It’s low-cost to purchase and run, simple to park and drive and so long as you bear in mind it’s a quadricycle – so it received’t go sooner than 28 mph and it has restricted house and vary – then it’s an enthralling reply to metropolis mobility. The Ami isn’t for everybody, however it does enchantment to a large viewers – from era Z who stand out for local weather change activism and may’t afford a automobile, to households who need a second automobile to do the commute in and automobile collectors who fancy one thing quirky of their storage. If the Ami suits your wants, there’s nothing on the market that rivals it.

Key Specs

2022 Citroën Ami

Worth (RRP OTR): From £7695
Prime velocity: 27.9mph
0-27.9mph: 10 seconds
Energy: 8bhp (6kW)
Torque: 625Nm (on the wheel)
Driving vary (WMTC): 46.6 miles