Citroen Reviews

It dares to try new ideas and explore different ways of achieving the same result where other manufacturers are content to follow the tried and tested path.Sometimes Peugeot's inventive cousin gets it right (they're part of the same parent company) but at other times the results have left people scratching their heads in wonder?In the case of the new C4, however, we're happy to report that the French car marker has not only got it right but has finished near the top of its class.School, my friends, is in, the subject is French automotive engineering and Citroen is delivering the lecture on how it should be done.Interestingly, one of the hallmarks of Citroen design is that cars must be instantly recognisable from a distance of 200 metres.The company actually drafts members of the public to ensure this, work-shopping designs against those of competitors.The C4 combines stylish, appealing, you might even say head-turning good looks, with sparkling performance and an impressive array of technology designed to make the car safer and easier to operate.Australian importer Ateco Automotive has high hopes for this one and from what we have seen so far, these aspirations are justified.Based on the same platform as Peugeot's 307 model, C4 comes in two body shapes _ a three-door coupe and five-door hatch with four engines from which to chose.Of the pair, the dormer windowed coupe with its high mounted rear wing and rally bred performance is the standout.The lower rear glass window panel looks opaque from most angles, but provides a clear view from the driver seat, with a tiny wiper to keep it clear.In terms of construction, the two are completely different from the windscreen pillar back.The entry level C4 is powered by a 1.6-litre, four cylinder petrol engine, followed by 2.0-litre and high performance 2.0-litre petrol variants plus a 1.6-litre turbo diesel.We had the chance to sample the 2.0-litre auto and potent 130kW VTS manual coupe.The 2.0-litre engine delivers 103kW of power and 200Nm of torque, while the VTS with a different engine management system pumps out 130kW and 202Nm.Note the difference in torque is just 2Nm and in the case of the 2.0-litre auto, this torque is delivered lower in the rev range _ 4000rpm as against 4750rpm.As a result, it offers the same sort of punch down low, coupled as it is to a four-speed tipshift style auto.However, the hatch is no match for the five- speed VTS which quickly finds its legs on the open road.The VTS sprints from 0-100km/h in 8.3 seconds. Handling is excellent with electronic stablity control on these two models but the ride can become choppy on anything but smooth roads.The VTS is not the fastest car out there but offers high levels of performance and isa very satisfying car to drive.The C4 has a maximum five-star safety rating. and is specifically designed to minimise injury to pedestrians in an accident.Inside, passengers are protected by six airbags.Apart from distinctive design, a number of unique elements have been included in the car.The centre hub of the steering wheel is fixed, for instance, and only the outside allowed to turns.This allows more controls to be mounted on the wheel were they are more easily reached.The speedometer meanwhile is located high atop of the dash, with a large easy to read translucent LCD screen.A tacho is mounted on top of the steering wheel and lights up like a beacon when redline is reached.An air fragrance dispenser is incorporated into the airconditioning system, with a range of 12 scents from which to chose.Citroen's Lane Departure Warning System will be offered later in the year as an option, with its ability read linemarkings and warn drivers when they stray from the lane in which they are travelling.Standard equipment includes ABS, aircon- ditioning and cruise control with a speed limiter. A full size spare is included.C4 is priced from $25,990 up to $36,990 for the VTS coupe.Any colour but white will cost you $700.

Side mirrors fold out and the car's self-levelling suspension system takes over, lowering the car for faster highway driving or raising it for rougher roads.Open the boot and the rear end lifts up – ready for all that shopping.This is an intelligent car. And what manners!When it gets dark or you drive into a car park or tunnel, the lights come on automatically.If it rains, the windscreen wipers start swishing – automatically.And when the wipers start, the windows go up – automatically.So...when turning into a dark car park, if you flick the windscreen wipers on instead of the indicator (because they're on the opposite side of the wheel to what you're used to) and the lights turn on and windows go up, don't panic (like I did). It's just doing what it does – automatically.A smooth operator is the C5.Handsome, trim body (not too long or bulky), smartly dressed in soft leather, well appointed and easy to manipulate, er, manoeuvre. Tactful too – no bells and whistles when you do something wrong. Just a gentle reminder on the dash when you forget to buckle up.You'll come face to face with some stunning French features, such as the good-looking dash, nifty compartments that fold away into the dash and door trims, armrests that stop where you want them to and even cup holders that double as gadget gatherers.But when will designers get the hint that the plastic fake wood trim they insist on using to mark a top-of-the-range model looks just like, well, plastic fake wood trim? Ugh.The C5 wagon is family oriented. Lots of room in the back for children, and the rear seats split 60/40 or fold down completely to fit longer, larger loads.A cargo net stops anything stored in the back from ending up in the front, and another net stops items from rolling around the huge space. There's even a pull-out cover to make whatever you do have in the back look neat.The back armrest folds down and opens to a peep hole – perfect size for a petite pooch to fit through.As far as the ride goes, it's a little "clunky" and indecisive at low speeds. . But put your foot down and the C5's turbo kicks in and really performs . . . and it doesn't drink too much (half a tank will cover about 700km).A tip: make sure to read up on the manual for this model. There are more buttons than you can poke your finger at and more features than you can possibly hope to fumble your way through in a week of test driving.LOVE IT, LEAVE ITCitroen C5 HDiPrice: $47,490Love it:It does a lot of the thinking for you. Perfect armrest positioning.Leave it:The diesel chatter. An English friend thought a London taxi had pulled up in his drive.Too many levers on the steering wheel.

Take, for example, the car we've just finished driving – Citroen's C5 HDi Estate.To be frank, our first impressions were not too complimentary. I found it noisy, desperately slow and, if that wasn't enough, it didn't even strike me as being all that pretty to look at.But I guess that's why we test cars over a few days, rather than just a quick spin around the block.Because, ever so slowly, this car began to win me over. Slowly being the operative word. It took a while to warm to a car that takes forever to get itself up and running, but the Citroen earned our affection in other ways.In part, it's because I became used to its rather unique style and its "relaxed" pace.Mainly, though, we loved the fact that even after driving it for more than a week, the fuel gauge was still showing almost half full.So every time we'd spot a fuel station with prices reading well over $1 a litre, our Citroen C5 HDi Estate just kept on chugging happily past.There's a reason for that, which I should explain. The HDi bit means this car is powered by a diesel engine; the Estate part is Euro-talk for station wagon; and the Citroen bit, well, that means it's French. And, if you know anything about French cars, that also means it's a bit quirky.The Citroen name always reminds me of those exotic cars they built during the '60s and '70s; big, sleek-backed things with pneumatic suspension which, when stationary, would drop the rear-end almost to the ground.They looked like a cross between a giant cockroach and something from another world which, in those days, they were.Although Citroens don't look quite as "alien" these days, they still have a unique style and that pneumatic suspension remains, even if it's a bit more sophisticated.And then there's the diesel engine, the likes of which have become hugely popular in Europe.Unfortunately for Citroen, the C5's diesel is probably a generation behind some of the latest oil-burners, like those in the Audi A3/VW Golf, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW's X5.By comparison, the Citroen diesel is a bit sluggish. At best. This was never more evident than when I pulled alongside an old truck, loaded up with boxes of fruit, at the traffic lights...and struggled to get ahead of it once the lights changed.Changing the automatic transmission into "sport" mode helped a bit, but not much. We're talking about 15 seconds for the 0-100km/h "sprint".At least the C5 has nice, plush leather seats, complete with arm rests in the front, so you can be comfortable while waiting for it to get motoring. And once it does, the big wagon isn't a bad thing at all. It handles well, even though that pneumatic suspension makes the ride feel a little soft and vague.It's nicely fitted out and smartly finished. You get dual-zone climate control air; top-notch CD-stereo with wheel-mounted controls; automatic lights and rain-sensing wipers, electric everything (including mirrors that fold themselves in when you turn the engine off) plus lashings of leather. All pretty good buying for well under $50-grand.Over a few weeks, we tested both the petrol-engined C5 sedan and diesel-engined Estate. Interestingly, it's the smartly-performed petrol version which Citroen is finding hardest to sell, even offering free trips to Paris for new buyers. Strange, really, because we thought it was a lovely thing.So why would you opt for the diesel variant? Well it makes enormous sense if you're travelling regular long distances.A work colleague recently began commuting from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane every day and reported that the C5 diesel made the journey, a daily round trip of about 180km, almost five times on one tank of fuel. That's fabulous going for a car so big, comfortable and so able to swallow a huge load.Even around town, we were astonished to see the digital trip computer showing the C5 sipping just 7l/100km in heavy traffic. On the open road it will manage closer to five.At highway speeds (once you get there) it's competent if not inspiring. It will happily sit on the speed limit but it's not exactly dynamic when you need to overtake.I was a bit surprised to find my wife, who's never been a fan of noisy diesel engines, defending the Citroen."I think it's very nice. I don't know what you're complaining about," she said.It's too slow, I protested. "You drive too fast," came the reply. "Nothing wrong with it."So the Citroen, it seems, has even won over a committed diesel-hater.And, I'd have to admit, by the end of the week it had won me over too.Ever so slowly.

In Europe they have known about the benefits of diesel power for years and here in Oz the 4WD fraternity seems to finally have the message, but diesel powered passenger vehicles are something of a rarity.That's a shame because there are some real beauties out there like the Citroen C5 Estate.I remember pulling up next to a bloke at the tip not long ago as he was emptying the rear of his C5 wagon. He loved the car but rued the fact he had not been able to get a diesel – it wasn't available at the time.Citroen has rectified this situation with the recent release of the Citroen C5 HDi Estate.The C5 has been one of the stars in Citroen's Aussie lineup, with diesel models now outselling petrol ones with rising fuel prices.The wagon is stylish, larger than you think and not as expensive as you might believe.The HDi is powered by a hi-tech, 2.0-litre turbo charged common rail, direct injection diesel engine that produces 82kW of power and 255Nm of torque.Don't be too concerned about the power because it is the torque figuure that we are concerned about here, produced from a low 1750rpm.Torque is the stuff that gets cars off the line in a hurry and makes short work of long hills – and the Citroen has plenty of it.Combine this with an overall fuel consumption figure of 6.7L/100km and that gives the wagon with a 68-litre tank a theoretical range of 1000km.In the real world this translates to between 800 and 900km – still pretty impressive.Many people mistakenly believe that diesels are slow, noisy and blow lots of smoke. That may have been the case at one time but the diesel engine has come on in leaps and bounds in the last couple of years.The C5 HDi lacks the punch and urgency of a petrol engine, but is certainly no slouch. However, it is on the freeway where the low revving engine really comes into its own.The wagon comes in one fully specified model with tipshift auto tranny, climate controlled air, stability control and many other luxury features.On the road it is a little quick to get into second gear, but there is a sport option that retards gear changes or it is possible to switch to full manual mode.Citroens are famous for their variable suspension and the C5 is no exception, rising automatically for rough roads and dropping down to reduce drag on the freeway.You can also raise and lower the car for loading.The wagon is is a big comfy user friendly car that tends to grow on you, with a large airy interior, plenty of rear legroom and stacks of load space.Thoughtful additions include a reversible rubber backed luggage mat and a cord cargo barrier that slides forward when the rear seats are dropped.The tailgate window can be opened separately for quick access.Handling is good without quite being sporty and brakes are also good, but have a tendency to grab.There is an annoying amount of momentum as the car comes to a stop and the transmission changes down.The Citroen C5 Hdi Estate is priced from $47,490 plus on road costs. 

The VTR is an entirely separate model and not merely an enhanced standard version.Although it sits on Citroen's "Platform One", which is shared with the C3, there are no common body panels and, with its lower roof line and shorter overhangs, along with its dynamically different styling, the C2 presents a very different character to the C3.Starting from the ground, it has 16 inch alloy wheels with the extremely low profile 45 series tyres.This sporting profile continues inside.The gear knob and door handles are finished in translucent plastic that is colour matched to the cloth trim used in the door panels and the side bolster sections of the standard sports seats. The centre sections of the seats use a special form of cloth similar in design to that used in top end training shoes that allows substantially more air ventilation than normal cloth.Despite being smaller in length and height than the C3 and sitting on a smaller wheelbase, the interior of the C2 is only slightly smaller.As expected of the top of the range performance model, equipment levels are high and include ABS, four air bags and a four star rating in the NCAP awards, comfort with power steering, electric windows, electric mirrors, climate control AirCon or convenience with trip computer, height and reach adjustable steering, automatic rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights and integrated digital audio system.Performance comes from a 1.6-litre, 80 kW engine, providing a top speed in excess of 190 kmh and the ability to dash from 0 - 100 kmh in 10.9 seconds.This combines with light, quick steering, ultra sticky tyres and sports suspension developed by the same team that won the 2003 World Rally Championship and the result is a car that can truly be called a sports car.Completing the drivetrain is SensoDrive, Citroen's sequential manual gearbox that blends the convenience of a gearbox that changes its own gears with the ease of use of clutch-pedal free operation or complete self-shifting mode with the performance, economy and low emissions of a manual.

The under-performing 1.4L four cylinder remains in the line-up but for a few grand more, you can opt for the 1.6L with 83kW.It's coupled to what Citroen calls a Sensodrive transmission which for all intents and purposes could be an automatic except that it's a self-changing manual with an electronically-operated clutch. Citroen says it's similar to the paddle shift in WRC (World Rally Championship) cars.That is a big call!The C3 1.6 five-door has plenty of equipment and sells for $24,990 plus on road costs, putting it up against VW's Polo, the top of the range Honda Jazz, Renault Clio five-door and Peugeot's 206 XT.It gives potential buyers European panache in a compact car with high levels of safety and distinctive, appealing style.* The transmission is annoying to use with upchanges accompanied by nose dives. Changes take too long and the transmission can become confused and select an inappropriate gear.* The "auto" mode is not much better and needs to be better calibrated to fully capture engine performance.* Engine performance is strong with plenty of go off the line right through to the 7000rpm redline. It also has good mid-range response and is economical with 7.5L/100km easily within reach.* The brakes are powerful but are oversensitive which takes some getting used to.* Ride and handling is good with some bump/thump coming through the suspension and chassis on rough roads and a little body roll when pushed, leading to tyre-squealing understeer. It is nothing like the magic carpet Citroens of old in ride terms but there are other benefits to the new set-up.* Boot space is OK with two medium suitcases about the strength of it.* Virtually no soft surfaces inside apart from the seats. There's a sea of hard plastic on the dash and door linings. It's relieved by having contrasting tones and dimpled finishes.* Instrument pod is neat, audio impresses.* Some rattles about the interior evident on bumpy roads, especially around the doors.* Rear seat room is good for a car this size, seats are comfy and there's plenty of head room.* Like the auto-on wipers and headlights. Needs remote fuel cap release instead of key lock cap. Front power windows only with difficult to reach switches.* Arm rests on front seats not height adjustable, get in the way. Just as well they fold up.* Climate control air is excellent but not really necessary when regular aircon would do the job.* Stylish touches dot the cabin, including door handles, air vents, wheel hub design and two-in-one speedo/tacho.

On a walk through an inner-city carpark you'd never mistake the C3 for a vanilla-flavoured Japanese price fighter.And Citroen says it's already getting plenty of interest in the first baby car it has landed in Australia since the company began an international fightback.It took the French carmaker far too long to make the trip, as Peugeot has been battling with the babies since its 205 came out in the 1980s, and even Renault has mounted a revival over the past two years.We expected the C3 midway through last year, but it didn't hit showrooms until December.The engine isn't as perky as we'd like and the price jumped from the original sub-$17,000 target to $19,990. That's the same as several cars, including the Volkswagen Polo, which is one of the C3's rivals. It would have been more attractive for a few thousand less.The C3 also has to run up against the super-impressive Mazda2 and the trendy Honda Jazz, as well as a bunch of $19,990 bargain cars including the ageing-but-solid Mazda 323 and a Nissan Pulsar with a fresh 1.8-litre engine.But Citroen isn't worried.It knows the baby C3 has a special flavour that's going to be appreciated by a growing number of Australians.The car is about the same size as a Hyundai Getz, but with a bubble body.It's a four-door design with nice features, from the over-sized tail lamps to the Citroen chevron logo.The Australian importer has done a good job on standard-equipment, fitting even the basic SX with remote central locking, front power windows, power steering and airconditioning.The rest of the range will grow to include the Exclusive, complete with anti-skid brakes and velour trim from $20,990, while the automatic flagship gets the Exclusive gear with automatic airconditioning and rain-sensing wipers for $22,990.The mechanical package is a basic small-car combination, with a 1.4-litre engine, five-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension and semi-independent suspension at the back with a torsion-beam axle to maximise carrying space.The engine is nothing special -- and definitely not against the Jazz -- and makes only 57kW of power. The torque is only 115Nm, and it arrives relatively late at 3300 revs.But most Citroen shoppers are going to be looking at the car first, and there is plenty to get them interested.The cabin is attractive, with a digital speedometer, plenty of storage space, including a lift-up bin at the top of the dash, and colourful trim on the seats and plastic parts.Some people will see the final finishing work on the Citroen as a bit sub-standard, at least by Japanese standards, and there are more gaps than you'd expect in a Mazda, Honda or Toyota. But that's more a reflection of French design than any shortcomings on the assembly line.The back end has a huge hatch and some clever storage nooks, but the folding seat doesn't go completely flat and that's a disappointment after the Mazda2 and Jazz.The C3 is well-equipped with CD sound, the airconditioning and electric bits, as well as twin front airbags.The C3 looks terrific and is a nice little car. It copes with Australian roads and has more personality and appeal than the VW Polo.It's not as well-rounded as the Mazda2, or as hip-hop as the Honda Jazz, but it gets close to the front-runners and just squeaks into the four-star squad.The 1.4-litre engine is ordinary and we're looking forward to the arrival of its 1.6-litre brother. We originally hated the engine because it needs a lot of gear lever rowing to get it moving, but then we learned something exciting.The C3 has to be driven without thinking about fourth or fifth until you're clear of 60km/h limits.That's a contrast to all the big sellers in Australia, which rely on bottom-end torque to get rolling and allow you to click early into fifth for quiet and economical cruising.We decided to push the C3, keeping it above the 3300 rev torque peak at all times, after discovering it turns only 2750 revs at 100km/h in top gear. That's incredibly long legs for a little car, and the gearing could do with shortening for the stoplight sprints in Australia. The motor feels pretty flat, even when you encourage the odd-looking strip tacho towards the red line, but it gets along all right and returns fantastic fuel economy.Our average of 6.9 litres/100km was easily the best of the small cars we've tested in recent times, even edging out the frugal Honda Jazz.The seats are comfy, vision is great and the electric power assistance makes parking a dream.You don't have to rely on engine revs to maintain the assistance, which means you can wind on full lock at zero revs and slip into the smallest spots.The suspension is fantastic, coping easily with the roughest roads, and the handling is point-and-go easy. It doesn't have enough power to get into trouble, but the balance is good. It also stops well and has good headlamps, as well as plenty of storage.It developed a couple of small squeaks, but they would have been easy to find and fix. Even so, it's a reminder that French carmakers still don't build to Japanese standards.

Citroen is famous for building quirky cars. The French carmaker has built a world-wide fan base with cars whose looks you love or loathe.But the tide is starting to turn, with Citroen's new C5 flagship adopting a more mainstream look. It is aimed at attracting Citroen owners who wouldn't have considered one of the oddball machines of the past.  The C5 is a good-looking car with a modern, user-friendly design.Body and platformAvailable as a five-door hatchback, which actually looks more like a sedan, and a station wagon, the C5 offers plenty of flexibility.  The hatch is a genuine five-seater, around the size of a Toyota Camry, with a generous boot and easy access.  The car uses an all-new base that will be shared with its sister company, Peugeot, and also forms the basis of Citroen's bigger, more luxurious C6 due in 2004.While Citroen may be heading into more mainstream areas of design, it has discarded its signature hydro-pneumatic suspension system with the C5. The Hydractive3 system is an updated version of the hi-tech hydraulic system first seen on the classic XM luxury car of the late 1980s and further refined on the Xantia, which the C5 replaces.The system has simple hydraulics but a more powerful computing system to automatically adjust the ride height of the car according to driving speeds and road conditions.  Standard setting remains constant during normal driving conditions at speeds up to 100km/h. Above that, the car drops by 15mm at the front and 11mm at the rear to improve fuel economy by reducing drag. The car returns to the standard position below 90km/h.The third setting is designed to increase driving comfort on poor surfaces. The computer can sense such conditions and raise the ride height by 13mm when the car is travelling at less than 70km/h.  The driver can also adjust the car manually into four separate positions: high, raised, normal and low.The car can only travel at snail's pace -- 10km/h -- in the high position, which is designed for easy changing of wheels after a puncture.  The raised position can not be selected above 40km/h and the low setting is designed to help drivers hitch trailers or caravans.DrivetrainsThe C5 comes with a choice of three engine options. The $41,990 entry-level model has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine which provides 101kW of power at 6000 revs and 186Nm of torque at 4100 revs. It drives the front wheels through either a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed auto with Tiptronic-style shifter.There's also a 2.0-litre turbo diesel which produces 82kW at 4000 revs and 255Nm at 1750 revs, but is comes only with the auto gearbox.  And then there's the range-topping 3.0-litre V6. The engine, which is an upgraded version of the powerplant from the XM and Xantia, produces 157kW at 6000revs and 260Nm at 2000 revs.All C5 models come with anti-skid brakes, front, side and curtain-style airbags. There's an automatic tyre-pressure monitor on the V6.  There's also a long list of creature features, including air-conditioning, CD sound, trip computer, automatic windscreen wipers and windows that shut when it rains.DrivingTravelling in the C5 is like floating on a big, fluffy cloud.  That's no surprise in a Citroen, as the company's trademark hydro-pneumatic suspension -- called Hydractive3 this time -- has been squashing the world's worst roads for years, but the C5 is different.The surprises run from the equipment and comfort to plastic pieces which are more Japanese than European. Citroen has removed the quirks, which makes the C5 feel as if it will run and run.  Prices, from $41,990 with plenty of fruit, are another bonus.The mid-sized C5, which will be followed next year by the great-looking baby C3 and already sells alongside the Xsara range, is a solid flagship. It's much more mainstream than anything Citroen has done in the past, which means it will be a lot more likely to convert customers from other brands.The C5 lines up against some impressive rivals -- from the Audi A4 to Volkswagen's Passat and other prestige brands between them -- but it has a unique combination of equipment and effortless motoring.  It's a car which would easily defeat a Melbourne-Brisbane run, or more, without stressing itself or the passengers. It's never going to win a twisty sprint, or a stop-light contest, but that's not the point.Citroen has always made cars which are best at touring, and the C5 is just the same.  Of the three engine choices -- 2-litre petrol, diesel and a V6 -- we've tried two. The basic petrol motor is good enough for most jobs, though it's no goer and doesn't encourage much revving or quick shifting in the five-speed manual, while the automatic diesel is a lazy combination for slowpoke drivers.The 2-litre engine is tuned for torque, which means it will lug along happily and take hills in high gears. The payback comes at the pumps, where the test car sipped just 7.6 litres for each 100km of mixed travel, with around 6.5 available on the highway.  The diesel is similarly frugal, but is for people who never hurry.The fuss-free side of things extends to the rest of the C5 package, and its brilliant suspension. The Citroen is still an acquired taste, and won't suit people who like a car that's remotely sporty, but it is a major change from earlier models and a car that's now worth adding to the mid-price prestige shopping list.  Good looks; smooth suspension.  Clunky auto, flat seatsThe bottom line: Citroen's new flagship is a stylish, affordable and feature-packed luxury contender.CITROEN C5 HdiPrice as tested: $44,500Engine: 2-litre four cylinder common rail diesel with intercooled turbo charger and direct fuel injectionPower: 82kW at 4000revsTorque: 255Nm at 1750revsTransmission: Four-speed automatic, front-wheel-driveBody: Five-door hatchDimensions: Length: 4618mm, width: 1770mm, height: 1476mm, wheelbase: 2750mm, tracks 1530mm/1495mm front/rearWeight: 1410kgFuel tank: 68 litresFuel consumption: 7.5 litres/100km average on testSteering: Power-assisted rack and pinionSuspension: Fully independent with front MacPherson struts and multi-link rear with hydro-pnuematic systemBrakes: Four-wheel anti-skid discsWheels: 6x15 alloysTyres: 195/65 R15Warranty: Two years/unlimited kmRIVALSMercedes C220 (from $63,800)Peugeot 406 Hdi (from $42, 170)Volkswagen Passat 1.8T(from $45,900)Audi A4 2.0 (from $47,400)

You know the French are serious about product development when they abandon the rule that forbids Citroen and Peugeot competing against each other in motor sport.  Citroen is tackling four rounds of the world rally championship this season with its Xsara T4 before a full-blown assault in several years.It will compete against stablemate Peugeot's 206, which brilliantly won the WRC last year.  Why the fuss about competition on the dirt? Because Citroen's program revolves around the Xsara VTS upmarket coupe.  The entry-level VTR and the five-door sedan have essentially the same underbelly as the VTS, which is derived from the T4.DrivingOn the road, the entry-level VTR performs quite nicely for a 1.6-litre four-potter. As one would expect from Citroen, the suspension is one of the car's highlights, offering quality ride and handling.  The steering is a little dull at suburban pace but more responsive at highway speed.Front and rear styling changes add a heavier Euro edge, while the lighter, more powerful and more economical 1.6-litre engine is a surprise packet in that it is willing on tough climbs.  The 83kW of power offers spark, while optimum torque of 150Nm kicks in a little worse than midway through the rev range at 4000rpm.On the new Xsara, Citroen's Chevron badging is more prominent at both ends, adding to on-road identification.  The five-door has a neat short-throw manual gear shifter and revised seats that seem small but offer comfort and support.For pre-production models, the test cars made available for the launch are tidy packages that offer value for money in a tough segment.  Ranging from $23,990 for the entry-level VTR and $25,490 for the five-door to $32,990 for the performance-based VTS, the Xsara range is up against heavy competition.Citroen's advantage is that none of its competitors boasts the technology levels offered in the Xsara range.  The VTS driven in the road test was a hand-built prototype that houses the same 2-litre heart as Peugeot's tasty 206 GTi.It rides on a beautifully balanced chassis, and road-holding is boosted by high-performance damping supported by a decoupled anti-roll bar at the front.  Noise, vibration and harshness levels are improved, and the dash and instrument layout is ergonomically sound and easy to interpret.