Citroen C4 (2010) review
by David Finlay (17 November 2010)
To understand why the new Citroen C4 is the way it is, it helps to have some idea of what's known in the industry as the C segment. Don't worry, this won't take long. The C segment consists of medium-sized, conventionally-shaped family cars such as the Ford Focus, the Vauxhall Astra and other similar vehicles whose manufacturers wish they could achieve the sales figures of those two, and their average buyer is a married bloke in his mid to late 50s who doesn't want any extra excitement in his life.
Now, obviously this doesn't apply to all C-segment buyers, but it's still worth bearing in mind if you have ambitions to be a volume seller. Looking further into this, Citroen decided that its original C4 was "too radical" (to quote a senior spokesman) and that its replacement would have to be less likely to frighten the horses.
So, for example, the new C4 looks considerably more subdued than the old one, though it's still reasonably distinctive and, in my view, rather handsome (those who like to follow the norm will be pleased to note that the provision of glass area at the rear is miserable, and therefore quite in keeping with the rest of the class). Similarly, the "fixed hub" steering wheel of the previous model has been replaced by a more conventional - and, for the easily confused, less upsetting - wheel which also contributes 3kg to Citroen's weight-saving programme.
Not so obviously, there has been a slight increase in size, though it hasn't resulted in an interior you might accidentally get lost in. At six foot three, I found that there's only just enough room for me in the front, and not quite enough in the back, though persons of more moderate height are unlikely to have any problem. The boot, by contrast, is impressively spacious, with a capacity of 380 litres up to the level of the parcel shelf, or 408 litres if you make use of the underfloor storage, and there's also a large, and in some cases chilled, storage compartment in the centre console.
If room is a little tight for taller occupants, there's no doubt that the C4 is otherwise very comfortable, and - thanks to the large amount of effort which went into getting the soundproofing right - very quiet. That applies to all of the engines I've tried (1.6 HDi 90 and 110 diesels, 2.0 HDi 150 and 120bhp 1.6 petrol) and presumably also to the 95bhp 1.4 petrol and 155bhp 1.6 petrol turbo which complete the line-up.
Of the ones I can talk about from direct experience, the 2.0 HDI is the most appealing because it has so much power from such low revs that you never need to work it hard. The 1.6-litre units are more important, though, because those are the ones that will attract more private and fleet customers, who are expected to opt for 120bhp petrol and 110bhp diesel respectively.
The HDi 110 is also available in a form called e-HDi, and a C4 of that sort, and in the VTR+ trim which we'll get round to in a minute, will be the cheapest to run thanks to its 67.3mpg combined fuel economy and 109g/km CO2 emissions (a VED-exempt 99g/km car using the HDi 90 engine will be along later). The e-HDi, which costs £800 more than the non-e, has a stop/start system which works very well, though to the possible annoyance of whoever is sitting behind you in a queue of traffic you need to keep your foot on the brake pedal, otherwise the engine will fire up again and the fuel-saving possibilities will be lost.
In other, similar systems the engine will fire up when you press the clutch pedal, but the e-HDi doesn't have a clutch pedal. That's because it uses the EGS gearbox, which is basically a conventional manual which acts like an automatic thanks to electronic control. The advantage of EGS is that it leads to better official economy and CO2 figures. The disadvantage is that every electronically-controlled manual ever devised (definitely not including twin-clutch semi-automatics, which operate quite differently and do not have this problem) seems to lurch ponderously from one gear to the next, and those with sensitive innards can easily find themselves starting to feel seasick. You would have to be very sure that you would not be affected this way before choosing EGS.
So that's not my favourite C4. My favourite, odd as it may seem, and at least on the basis of current experience, uses the HDi 90 engine. Not a bad unit, with enough performance for most everyday use, though it won't get you anywhere in a big hurry. But it wasn't really the engine that was the important bit. As manufacturers tend to do, Citroen came to the media launch with a set of cars which were mostly in the top trim level, known as Exclusive so that journalists could try out all the available goodies. The HDi 90 I drove was an exception in that it was a VTR+ - less well-equipped, but more representative of the car, since this middle level is the one that most people are likely to choose.
This is the point of an article where one tends to discuss what equipment is supplied, but to illustrate the point it will be easier to talk about what this particular car didn't have. For a start, it didn't have EGS, which was a Very Good Thing. Nor did it have an electronic parking brake, or any leather in its upholstery. Best of all, it didn't have the 17" wheels which, along with low-profile tyres, are fitted as standard to the Exclusive. VTR+s get 16s and more sensible rubber instead, and as a result they ride and handle very much better. Having already driven two Exclusives, I felt, within a mile of setting off in the VTR+, that I was at last experiencing the C4 as it really is, without any of the unnecessary extras which can all too easily stifle it.
The best reason for choosing an Exclusive is that it comes with a massage facility on both front seats, and you can't have that on either the VTR+ or the entry-level VTR because it's not one of the options. The list of extras does, however, include 18" wheels with really low-profile tyres for £300 (why on earth would you do that?) and, for £50, a proper spare wheel - or space-saver for the e-HDi - to replace the silly puncture repair kit supplied as standard.
The new C4 officially goes on sale on January 11, though you can pre-order from dealers starting on November 22. Prices range from £15,595 for the 1.4 VTR to £21,495 for the 2.0 HDi Exclusive. The e-HDi is available in VTR+ and Exclusive trim levels, priced at £19,695 and £21,095 respectively.
Add new comment