Citroen C-Crosser 2.2 HDi VTR+ review
by David Finlay (24 August 2007)
With the introduction of the C-Crosser, the UK market now has three almost identical versions of the SUV otherwise known as the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Peugeot 4007.
As we've had cause to mention several times in the past, the car is basically Mitsubishi's work. One of the three engines available in the Outlander is PSA Peugeot Citroen's 2.2-litre HDi turbo diesel, and as part of the deal the closely-related French companies get to sell mildly modified versions, though only with their own engine (which can run with up to 30% biodiesel along with the regular stuff) under the bonnet.
Although there are more than enough visual clues to demonstrate that all three cars are effectively the same thing, each manufacturer has created its own distinctive front end, and there's a general feeling among the motoring media that the Citroen treatment is the most effective. If you agree, then this (along with any loyalty you may have to Citroen dealers rather than those who sell Mitsubishis or Peugeots) is one of the few reasons to pick the C-Crosser over the others, since it is very similar to the Outlander and almost indistinguishable from the 4007.
We're talking details here, but there is a distance between the Outlander and its French equivalents. It's the only car with a petrol option (Mitsubishi's own 2.4-litre unit), and it can also be specified with the Volkswagen Group's two-litre turbo diesel, which is - for reasons I'll come to - my favourite of the available engines.
The C-Crosser and the 4007 are not only mechanically identical; they also come in the same two trim levels (described by Citroen as VTR+ and Exclusive, by Peugeot as SE and GT) and cost exactly the same.
PSA Peugeot Citroen also went its own way to some extent on suspension set-up, with the emphasis definitely on comfort. This works up to a point; in favourable conditions the C-Crosser, like the 4007, rides very smoothly, but it can occasionally become confused, such as when it encounters a series of minor bumps in rapid succession, or when the corners are too tight, the crest too sharp or the road surface too damp.
The Outlander already suffers slightly from this with the Volkswagen's 138bhp diesel. PSA's sturdier 156bhp engine makes matters worse, certainly in terms of handling, but you can sort this out to a large extent by switching from front- to four-wheel drive using the rotary knob on the centre console.
Relieving the front axle of half its power-carrying responsibility makes a world of difference to the C-Crosser's stability, though it also means you'll be unlikely to match the claimed combined fuel consumption figure of 39.2mpg, which I have every reason to believe is measured when the C-Crosser is driving through only the front wheels.
Apart from the ride/handling issue, the overall driving experience is good, though it's not helped by one astonishing piece of design barminess that Mitsubishi hath bequeathed unto Citroen. The steering wheel is adjustable for height but not for reach (I know - you wouldn't believe it in this day and age, would you?), and unless the reach you're given happens to suit you, you're not going to find the C-Crosser as relaxing to drive as might otherwise have been the case.
Like its almost-identical triplets, the C-Crosser is officially a seven-seater, though nobody is pretending that the two seats in the third row offer serious accommodation for large people. Realistically, the C-Crosser can house four full-sized adults in considerable comfort (there's lots of space, and the seats are good), a smaller adult in the centre seat and a couple of sprogs in the back.
With all the folding and unfolding options among five of the seven seats, there's inevitably a wide range of possible luggage volumes, ranging from not very much at all when all seven are up to just under 1700 litres when five of them are flat. (Excuse the slight vagueness there, but the three manufacturers do not entirely agree on the total figure, which may be down to measuring the space in different ways.)
As with the Outlander and 4007, there are a great many smaller compartments for carrying odds and ends, and the tailgate is a split-folding affair. If you open the lower part you don't have to lift heavy objects particularly high, and it will also support up to 200kg of load itself, so that a couple of people can sit in it for spectating or picnicking purposes.
The C-Crosser VTR+ comes as standard with 16" wheels, climate control air-conditioning, six airbags, an ultrasonic alarm, a trip computer, front foglights, an MP3-compatible audio system and roof bars, and it's in insurance Group 12. The Exclusive is in Group 13 and has larger alloys, leather upholstery, a 6-CD autochanger, xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, tinted rear windows and more exterior chrome.
Options include metallic paint, a Bluetooth hands-free phone kit, colour satellite navigation, an uprated audio and a rear-view camera which helps counter the substantial rear-corner blind spots. It's difficult to argue against the usefulness of the camera, but proper-sized rear side windows would still have been welcome.
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