We got to drive the Ami buggy in its production form. The second-generation Ami is identical to the first in terms of dimensions.
Coming up with bold, unique, and quirky cars is something that is right up the French alley. The Citroen Ami, which you see here, fits that description all too well. Although itâs not really a car, but a quadricycle. This means that in many European countries, the Ami can be driven without a traditional driving license, as long as the driver is above 14 years of age. It also means that the Ami doesnât have to pass the regulations that are set for passenger cars.
It all started as a concept that was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019 and launched in 2020. After being on sale for almost 4 years, in 2024, Citroen showcased the second-generation Ami at the Paris Motor Show along with a buggy concept:
We got to drive the Ami buggy in its production form. The second-generation Ami is identical to the first in terms of dimensions. It measures 2.41 meters in length, 1.39 meters in width (excluding mirrors), and 1.52 meters in height. The overall build quality is okay. It has fibre panels, which seem sturdy enough: 
Whatâs unique about the Ami is its interchangeable panels and doors. The front and rear panels, as well as the right and left doors, are identical and can be swapped. Citroen swapped the mounting points so the passenger door opens normally, while the driver door opens like a suicide door. The quarter panels are also cleverly mirrored. These design choices help reduce costs and add to Amiâs quirky appeal:
The second-gen car has a simpler front design that now carries the new Citroen badge. You get LED headlamps and indicators below:
A closer look at the new Citroen badge and the âamiâ embossing on the front panel:
Single wiper at the front:
14-inch steel wheels shod with 155/65 section tyres. Bronze shade on these wheels looks good:
A simple lock & key system:
You get very basic mirrors. As mentioned earlier, the panels are interchangeable, and the arrow detailing that you see here is exclusive to the buggy version:
Rear glass gets some nice detailing:
âMy ami buggyâ written on the door sill:
Tail-lamps are in the same position as the headlamps:
Buggy version also gets a roof-mounted spoiler:
Also unique on this buggy version is this fabric roof that can beâ¦
â¦folded, and you get an open top!
On the inside, you get 2 very basic seats with bare minimum padding:
Nice pouch on the steering wheel to keep stuff:
Dashboard is as bare bones as it gets. Thereâs no air conditioning, no glovebox, nothing. Itâs more or less a platform to keep your stuff:
Talking about keeping your stuff, you get some rubber attachments to keep different kinds of things. Also check out the single cupholder behind the steering wheel:
Very basic instrument cluster that shows the speed, range, and drive transmission mode:
You also get a phone holder on the right-hand side:
Very basic transmission mode buttons along with a USB charging port and hazard light switch:
A & B Pedals are well spaced out:
On the passenger side, thereâs space to keep a trolley bag:
As mentioned earlier, the driver’s door opens like a suicide door, and hence the release strap is placed on the dashboard:
Passenger door opens like a regular door; hence, the release strap is placed on the B-pillar:
Behind the seats, you will find the panel, which contains the wiper fluid tank and fuse box:
The Citroen Ami is manufactured at the Stellantis facility in Kenitra, Morocco:
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Driving the Citroen Ami
After having driven the Citroen C4 Hybrid and the e-C4 Xthe Ami was last on the dayâs agenda, and I was quite excited. We were at the Stellantis production facility in Poissy, and weâd get about 20 minutes of driving on an 8 km course on public streets around the plant. Before we get to the driving part, letâs look at some of the specifications to get a rough idea about the car. It comes with a 5.5 kWh battery pack that takes about 4 hours for a full charge. The battery is mated to an 8 BHP motor, which gives it a top speed of 45 km/h and a range of 75 km. The Ami weighs ~425 kg, and the battery adds 60 kg to that. It still weighs under 500 kg, which is very light.
Assessing a quadricycle the way we do cars isnât fair IMO. The parameters are completely different, and itâs not meant for the same audience. The Ami is aimed at urban commuting and is strictly a point A to point B mover. Press the old-school keyhole to unlock the driver’s side door and step inside the cabin. The seats have to & fro adjustment and thatâs it. You cannot change the backrest angle or the height. In the driverâs seat, especially in this buggy version, thereâs excellent all-round visibility. Tall windscreen, open doors, tall rear windscreen, big quarter glasses mean thereâs hardly any blind spot.
I was accompanied by a fellow journalist, and I took the first chance at driving. Switched to âDâ, put down the manual handbrake, and I was off. The Ami crawls off the line smoothly like any electric vehicle. We were going to be driving on narrow urban roads where the speed limit was 30 km/h. Getting up to that speed was pretty easy. There is enough pep in the motor to haul this quadricycle with ease. Put your foot hard down, and you can even hear the electric motor whine. Modulating the throttle is also fairly easy, and while driving on the narrow single-lane roads of Poissy, the Ami felt at home. The weather was good too, and the open nature of the buggy didnât cause trouble. The outlandish design and the sheer nature of a quadricycle meant that, despite driving a Citroen in France, we still got a lot of attention. I am guessing that the sight of two grown Indian men driving a tiny open buggy-style quadricycle in the suburbs of France on a weekday is not very common for the locals, and hence, the attention.
Through the narrow urban roads and roundabouts, we reached roads that had a speed limit of 50 km/h. Given that the Ami maxes out at 45 km/h, I was driving flat out just to keep up with the traffic. This is where you will start seeing the limitations of the powertrain. Going up some steep inclines, the motor struggles. Our route even briefly took us on a road that had a speed limit of 80 km/h. At that point, we straight up felt like a nuisance on the road. It is way too slow for those speeds and can feel dangerous as well. We soon got back on slower roads, and the Ami felt right at home.
While most of the roads that we encountered were well-paved, like most quadricycles, the Ami’s suspension tune is firm. It also has to do with the fact that the suspension travel is less, which makes the ride stiffer. You can feel everything on the road just like you would in a golf cart. There is some bit of damping, but not like you would have in a normal electric car. The steering is light and feels direct. It almost feels too direct as the Ami is quick to respond to the smallest of inputs. It has a turning circle of 7.2 meters, which is good for a vehicle of its size. Corners are handled well, mainly because the Ami doesnât reach very high speeds. Also, since the battery is on the floor, the centre of gravity is low, and the car feels planted. Try pushing it hard, and there is lean. So it’s best to stay within limits.
To sum it upâ¦
When you look at the Ami as a standalone product, it looks like something youâd want to have, but not something you need. Itâs cute and quirky, but not very practical. Itâll appeal to a small number of people who have a very specific use case. While it has good acceleration and low running costs, the 75 km range and 45 km/h top speed limit its usability. Further, itâs very basic in terms of features and can seat only 2 people. Notably, it lacks features like air-conditioning, a glovebox, an advanced infotainment system, and rear seating. In the European market, quadricycles like the Ami are growing in popularity mainly because they are more affordable than cars (about 8,000 Euros in France). In the Indian context, given the price, the Ami doesnât make any sense. For roughly Rs. 8 lakh, you get a proper car in the form of the MG Comet EV, which is far more practical in comparison. To sum it all up, the Ami is a fun car and provides an enjoyable experience, but falls short on the practicality aspect.
Disclaimer: Citroen invited Team-BHP for the Ami test drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
