New Citroen Ami 2026 facelift review: quirky and fun, but limited in almost every way

That fundamental shape remains unchanged, with a big part of the Ami’s appeal down to the fact that it measures just 2.4 metres long – small enough to park two nose-to-nose within the length of a BMW 5 Series and still have enough wiggle room to drive out again – and just under 1.4 metres wide. Instead, the tiny, boxy shape has been subject to some cosmetic updates.

The front end sees the headlights moved higher up the body, essentially taking the place of the old indicators, which are dropped lower down into the bumpers. It gives the car more of a face than it had previously, making an already cutesy-looking car even more adorable. The styling changes are the same at the rear, because part of the genius of the Ami’s design is that the car is entirely symmetrical front to back. 

The front and rear bumpers are interchangeable, and so are the doors, because one is hinged from the front and the other from the back. Having fewer components makes the Ami cheaper to produce – and to fix, if it ever gets bumped.

For such a charming little thing, it was a bit of a shame that the plastic body panels were finished in such a dreary blueish grey finish; its Italian cousin, the Fiat Topolino, looks much sweeter in its standard pale green. Citroen has changed that this time around, with the standard car in a new grey finish which looks more expensive than the old shade. The off-road spec Ami Rocks, complete with more rugged-looking wheels and steel bars in place of the doors, gets a khaki finish. 

On the regular Ami, a trio of option packs can alter the looks. Named Icy, Spicy and Minty, they’re not three of Snow White’s lesser-known pals, but exterior colour packs to add a little pop to that grey finish, adding blue, orange or green highlights for the Citroen logo, door handles, window decals and new wheel trims – the latter feature a new, funky pixel-like design.