Replacing the Xsara the new French offering which is based on the Peugeot 307 platform is a big improvement. It has a soft and comfortable ride and boasts an introductory price that can’t be ignored. Available in three or five door the 1.4 litre petrol version starts at just €18,000 (3 dr Coupe) or €18,500 for the five door, which is good value for the runner up in European Car of the Year 2005.
Sadly it arrived in our showrooms too late for consideration in the Semperit Irish Car of the Year awards as it would have given the winning Ford Focus a run for its money. The C4 exterior is smart and slippery with the lowest drag co- efficient in its class.
The boomerang headlights look good while the bonnet is high and relatively pedestrian friendly. The side mirrors are very stylish too while the rear is adventurous and modern in the Coupe and chunky in the more family orientated five door. Buyers get a lot of standard kit in a spacious interior. Two handy 12 volt power outlets near the handbrake allow you to power an iPod for example while charging your phone.
The dash is a bit plasticy but there you’ll find a very trick centre instrument display that shows the car’s speed and trip information. The rev counter is the only display found near the steering wheel. The driving position is good but I would like a footrest for my clutch foot.
My test car was the high spec 1.6 diesel that sipped juice like a Pioneer! This terrific engine can be found in other Peugeots and Fords (they have a joint diesel development program). No matter how hard I tried the C4’s trip computer never dipped below 58 mpg to the gallon!
The C4 won’t have you taking the twisty road home but it is well able to even out the odd bumpy stretch. The 1.6 diesel is a strong puller and very flexible. C4’s Cruise control and the speed limiter can all be operated while holding the steering wheel as can the radio and trip computer, which is a good thing.
The C4’s party trick is the cool steering wheel that revolves around the fixed centre boss (that houses the airbag). It may seem a token gesture to quirkiness but it allows the airbag to be shaped more to the driver’s frame and I love it.
Adaptive headlights, lane departure warning and front and rear parking radar are innovations on the options list. Citroen was a very bold and innovative manufacturer but pressure from its PSA partner Peugeot to increase sales means that we will never see ‘mad’ Citroens again. PSA combines its sales figures to good effect. They have achieved number two status in Europe and do not want to let that go. The C4 is a very good car and has been awarded a 5 star rating in the latest round or Euro NCAP crash tests.
Michael Sheridan
