Citroen C4 review

Garry Fabian has filed this Citroen C4 review.

You have to say that Citroen cars are some of the most distinctive and attractive cars on the road.

Citroen C4 review.

Updated and ready to roll is the new Citroen C4. A little more rounded and slightly more understated than the outgoing model, the new Citroen C4 has nice proportions and lines.

France is famous for red wine, baked delicacies, perfume and stunning lingerie.

With this reputation to uphold, the Citroen C4 joins these ranks well, with a little bit of the ooh-la-la factor.

The Citroen C4 is a superbly comfortable car and has a commendable level of added extras on tap.

The velour-trimmed interior of the Citroen C4 is beautifully comfortable.

Standard features of even the fairly elementary level 1.4 Citroen C4 5-door hatch include humbler features such as scented air freshener and tinted windows and extend up to an auto-relocking security function, cruise control and 16″ alloy wheels.

Storage space even in the entry-level version is generous, with a special drawer provided under the driver’s seat.

Some may be disappointed at the lack of cup holders in the Citroen C4 but this is in keeping with the French lifestyle – good coffee should be appreciated at leisure, not swigged while driving.

The Citroen C4 also has that general air of classiness and je ne sais quoi about its exterior tailoring.

Sweeping headlights and a smooth silhouette give an air of overall unruffled sophistication.

In a quirky touch, the Citroen double chevron logo has been incorporated into the top and bottom lips of the hood, which are emphasised with a shiny trim.

A tasteful variety of solid, metallic and pearlescent paint colours are available for the Citroen C4, depending on model and price.

Fire up the 1.6 litre engine in the smallest member of the Citroen C4 line-up and one notices that inside the cabin, engine noise is nicely muted, which gives an atmosphere of calm that is beautifully relaxing on long journeys -perfect for listening to your favourite CDs or holding a pleasant conversation.

The speed-sensitive volume function of the sound system also contributes to this.

Citroen C4 review.

The motor in the little 1.6 Citroen C4 is a frugal little workhorse, managing to return a respectable 6.2 litres/100 kilometres on average.

The nifty 1.6 litre petrol power plant now offers 88 kW of power, and proves to be a delightfully responsive unit that can be swung through the entire rev range with very little fuss.

Slip into the petrol-powered Citroen C4 1.6 litre Turbo and press your right foot down, and you will find a healthy 240 Nm of torque and an 8.7 second 0-100 km/h sprint time.

Brisk acceleration, exciting handling and a refined drive is what this model offers its driver.

Added to the already fuel efficient petrol versions is the super thrifty Citroen C4, HDi. This excellent diesel engine is refined, and returns wonderfully inexpensive fuel economy figures of 4.2 litres/100 kilometres.

If you spend any time in France, it is soon evident that the French love children and hold them in high esteem.

Naturally, therefore, the Citroen C4 caters well for kids travelling in the rear seats.

A child lock indicator, the Isofix system and three-point seatbelts for all three rear seats are standard.

Room is superb in both the front and rear seats.

Standard safety features of the Citroen C4 include adaptive driver and front passenger airbags, front side airbags, side impact protection, pretensioned seatbelts in the front, force limiters in all seatbelts except the centre rear one and a passenger airbag deactivate switch.

It is comforting to know that the bases are covered well in the unfortunate event of an accident.

ABS and EBD systems in the brakes also contribute to safety.

Take the responsive Citroen C4 out onto the roads and the ride comfort of the suspension shines.

The Citroen car manufacturers have always excelled in suspension design, so comfort is evident in the way the suspension package dampens any undulations with ease.

A number of variants of the Citroen C4 are available.

The C4 starts at the Attraction models which still offer great features like cruise control with speed limiter, power front windows, manually-controlled air-conditioning and a rain-sensing rear window wiper.

There is also a six-speaker audio system and Aux connectivity.

The Citroen C4 Seduction adds memory settings to the cruise control functions, along with Bluetooth connectivity, an automatic parking brake, power rear-windows, a leather steering wheel and privacy glass at the rear.

Drive the Citroen C4 Exclusive and you get the very best features.

Climate control, rain-sensing wipers and dusk-sensing ‘guide me home’ headlights, powered folding door mirrors, personalised instrument lighting, seat massagers up front and a centre arm rest in the rear give you a taste.

Even the humblest of the Citroen C4 range is a worthy vehicle. And as for the others at the other end of the spectrum, the luxo C4 models are very grand little cars, indeed.