2011 Citroen C4 Reviews

ATTRACTION often leads to seduction, and that's what Citroen is hoping its new C4 will do to buyers in the tough small car market. The latest C4, core model of the French brand, has retained much of its aero-efficient, domed look, but is slightly longer, wider and taller than before.It will initially be available in a choice of two petrol and a diesel engines, two transmissions and in three trim levels: Attraction, Seduction and Exclusive. All engines are four-pot 1.6-litres, but there's a world of difference between them.As attractive and seductive as the sexy five-door hatchback might be, this one has bucked the Citroen trend to be quirky. It's one of the more conventional cars from the innovative maker. Even the fixed-hub steering is gone in favour of a regular wheel which saves 3.0kg. And prices, which now start from $22,990, have been trimmed by up to $4000 to add to the appeal.Things start with the Attraction, which has an 88kW/160Nm petrol engine paired to a four-speed automatic.It's hi-spec for a base model, and includes ABS, EBA, ESP, traction control, six airbags, aircon, cruise control with speed limiter and remote central locking.It's one of the most affordable small autos on the market, and one of the most stylish.The Seduction, which adds foglights with cornering function, tinted glass, Bluetooth and some leather trim, can be had with the same motor, or a 115kW/240Nm turbo version or an 82kW/270Nm diesel in manual or auto. And soon also with a 'micro-hybrid' e-HDi engine and six-speed EGS electro-robotic shift.The Exclusive uses turbo-petrol, HDi or e-HDi power and six-speed manual, four-speed auto or EGS. Citroens have always been known for their comfort and all C4s get very good, supportive seats, dual-zone aircon, a comprehensive trip computer and steering wheel controls for the iPod-compatible audio and cruise control.The Exclusive has Volvo-style blind spot monitoring to warn of traffic from behind, folding mirrors with LED lights, auto-on wipers, front seats with a massaging function, climate control and customised dashboard lighting.There's a Picasso rechargeable torch in the boot which can expand from 380 to 1183litres by folding the back seats flat. Biggest boot in its class, they say. And the car runs on Michelin energy saving tyres.The petrol engines are the same BMW-designed units as used in some Peugeots, Fords and Minis and the diesel is well-proven.The oil-burner with the $1000 extra micro-hybrid drivetrain includes a stop-and-start system with regenerative braking which saves up to 15per cent fuel in city driving and helps the car achieve an open road cruising figure of 3.8litres/100km and 4.2litres/100km on average.All engines are Euro 5 compliant and the EGS transmission has an auto setting said to give better economy than a manual gearbox.We sampled an 88kW Seduction petrol manual and diesel on a squirt through one some of twisty tarmac terrain in NSW and liked the C4's road manners.Its suspension is a bit softer than the original model but it hangs on with typical panache, brakes well and its electro-assisted steering was great.Although 88kW isn't much these days, the totally revised powertain gave the car more than adequate performance  and a combined fuel figure of 6.9litres/100km.  Liked the petrol but we'd happily stump up the $2000 extra for the diesel. Sacre bleu, such torque!Attraction petrol four-speed automatic starts the range at $22,990 with Exclusive e-HDi six-speed EGS  topping it out at $32,990The C4 has the maximum five star safety rating by Euro NCAP. A sporty DS4 version of the C4 will arrive in Oz in early 2012 and a DS5 is expected mid-year. A C4 Aircross AWD SUV is due before Christmas. Every car in the Citroen range gets pared prices, better trim and equipment for 2012.

Funny buggers, us Strayans. Love to go on about what larrikin individualists we are, then we all run out and buy Mazda3s. Try going five minutes in a big city without seeing one. You can't.Which is just one reason why Citroen's second generation C4 is a tough sell: A point of difference in this most generic of segments should be welcome, but we seem not that keen on difference especially when different doesn't necessarily means better.This equation is exceptional on the face of it, less so on closer examination with $22,990 to get into the entry C4 Attraction.This buys either a five-speed manual or four-speed auto to drive an atmo 1.6-litre petrol engine. Pretty basic jigger - rear seat passengers have to wind up their windows and even in top spec there's no rear air-con vents.From $26,990 the Seduction (yes, I'm afraid so ...) adds the choice of a BMW/PSA sourced-1.6 turbo petrol or one of two diesels, and items like foglights with cornering  functions, cruise control with memory and Bluetooth. The diesel gets the robotised manual EGS transmission with stop/start.The Exclusive level brings blind spot warning, folding mirrors and auto wipers and lights.The tech highlight is the e-HDI "micro-hybrid" engine, which stores electricity and sends it back into the engine. Teamed with a new gen' stop/start system, driven via the EGS and running Michelin Energy Saver tyres, Citroen claim emissions of 109g/km Co2 and fuel use better than 4L/100km.Love to tell you how it goes, but only manuals (which almost no-one will buy) were available to test this week. In addition to that old world 4-speed auto in the stripper, all models persist with torsion beam rear suspension.Where the previous C4 was, and remains, one of the least generic five doors on the road (one which made many think about the double chevron brand for the first time), its successor is going to be altogether harder to find in a carpark - even with $1000 "Rouge Babylon" paint. Vive la indifference, you'd have to say.You get the distinct feeling Citroen's keeping its design powder dry for the next year's model rollout, featuring the coupe-like DS4, DS5 and the C4 Aircross compact SUV. On paper, at least, these have the flair we'd hoped for here.Though 380L cargo space is class-leading, passenger space is not, considerably less than a Golf or  yes - a Mazda3. Up front, though, the top spec Exclusive is a bit of a treat; a driver-oriented cockpit with intuitive and readily manipulated controls, including the cruise on a wheel that no longer revolves around a fixed hub. You can fiddle with the dash display's light colouring and intensity.Blind spot warning system comes on the Exclusive, which is a stand out in class. Rear side airbags are optional on the Attraction, which is pretty ordinary. The C4 rates five stars in European crash testing.You won't get anywhere fast in the Exclusive HDi, but you will get a long way. An introductory drive that was alternatively vigourous then traffic bound saw us use little more than 6L/100km. At highway cruising speed, we'd have made Melbourne from Sydney on what was left.Indeed, cruising is the HDi's remit; a soft sprung, rolly, (very) tall-geared device that's noisier at freeway speed than you'd like, though that's mainly from the wind. The diesel itself is not only fairly refined, but a doughty, capable unit that we're keen to see teamed with the self-shifter. Meanwhile, here's another French conversion to right-hand-drive that sets the clutch pedal maddeningly irritatingly high.It's in the driving that the C4 succeeds in standing apart. You can carp at its lack of "sporty" dynamics, but - like the bigger, luxuriantly riding C5 range - that's not what it's here for.A point of difference among the inevitable choices, we'll need to see how it rolls with an auto for a market relevant conclusion.