Citroen Reviews

Now there's a new importer involved, Citroen could have a brighter future in Australia.Ateco Automotive, who previously handled the iconic French brand, tapped out at about 3000 units a few years ago - in a market of more than a million. They were possibly more focussed on Ferrari and Great Wall...Now Sime Darby has the Citroen (and Peugeot) franchise and first appearances suggest they are going to ramp it up.They should because there are many desirable cars in the Citreon lineup - arguably the best French car brand. But first of all they needed to do some "house cleaning" and re-launch a vehicle that was pretty much passed over under the Ateco umbrella - the C4 Aircross.This is a Citroen version of the Mitsubishi ASX and Peugeot 4007 small SUVs. All three are made in Japan by Mitsubishi which must cringe every time a Pug' or Cit' version of its vehicle rolls out the door.Why?The two Frenchies win the looks contest hands down with the Aircross taking the silverware as far as we are concerned.It gets more exterior chrome, the imposing chevron grille and other changes that make it look totally different to the other two cars.Added to that is roughly a $4000 price cut for the Aircross to a starting point of $31,990 drive away for the front wheel drive model. It was previously that price plus on roads and Sime Darby has added a smattering of extra kit.The all wheel drive model goes for $33,990 drive away.Both models (Exclusive grade only) get a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) auto as standard along with a rear view camera, Bluetooth with voice control, steering wheel controls for cruise and audio, paddle shift and high quality interior materials.Climate control and a pollen filter are included. They also get hill start assist and rear park assist, seven air bags and stability control. The ANCAP rating is five stars.Obviously a practical vehicle, Aircross has easy to fold rear seats and a decent size load space. They've fitted additional sound deadening material and a ski flap in the rear seat.Aircross is differentiated from the other two cars by frontal styling, tail lights and other minor exterior changes. The interior is also different though in our opinion, not up to the usual Citroen chic.The suspension is recalibrated compared to the other two cars and it has a wider track thanks to bigger tyres. The 4WD system has three modes; 2WD, 4WD and Lock that can be selected from the dash .The engine is out of Mitsubishi's Lancer small car and is a petrol 2.0-litre four pot with variable valve timing (MIVEC) and regenerative energy harvesting from the alternator during braking and deceleration.It's good for 110kW/199Nm and in this case, requires premium unleaded. The engine is a fairly old design and misses out on the more efficient direct injection system which, ironically, Mitsubishi developed for mainstream automotive use more than a decade ago.We like the look of it and the five seat interior is practical and roomy for such a compact vehicle. It has generous standard equipment and is good to drive in an unban environment.Hauling 1400kg dents engine performance a tad when you put the car under pressure with a full passenger load and the air conditioning on. But otherwise, it's acceptable - unobtrusive and relatively economical at around 8.0-litres/100km.The suspension is soft and could do with a little more local fettling to better handle rough roads. It handles OK, rides comfortably and is easy to drive thanks in part to the electric power stering and good turning circle.The CVT causes the engine to slur away unless you utilise the paddle shift..

The Citroen C4 Aircross is one of three compact SUVs produced from a joint venture between the French PSA Peugeot Citroen group and the Japanese giant Mitsubishi. It sells alongside the Peugeot 4008 and Mitsubishi ASX.The sales figures for the three vehicles make an interesting example of the value of brand marketing. All three are built in the same Mitsubishi factory albeit with some styling differences and, allowing for variations in equipment levels, are priced within the same ballpark.Despite this, during the nine-month period that all three have been on sale, nearly 90 per cent of total sales have been of the ASX. The Peugeot 4008 and Citroen Aircross each arrived in Australia in mid-2012, nearly two years after the ASX, and so were at a significant disadvantage.The Aircross was further hampered because its arrival coincided with the imminent switch in Citroen’s local importer/distributor which meant that it received virtually no marketing or advertising support.The new importer, Sime Darby Motors Group, has now re-launched the Aircross and we’ve now been able to spend a day with this cute-looking small SUV, Citroen’s first venture into this booming market.Prices are straightforward: $31,990 for the 2WD and $33,990 for the 4WD. While these prices are the same as when the Aircross was launched by the previous importer in June 2012 they are now national driveaway prices and include a reversing camera as standard and so making it significantly cheaper – Citroen claims nearly $4000 – than previously.Also standard are 18-inch alloy wheels, leather trimmed steering wheel, cruise control, Bluetooth phone and audio steaming, steering wheel mounted audio controls and voice activation.While the Aircross and the ASX share most of their mechanical components and underbody parts and have a similar styling theme, all external panels, with the exception of its doors and roof are different.The Aircross also takes a different approach to the all-important frontal styling. While its two siblings have gone for the trendy wide-mouthed grille Citroen has adopted a wide two-bar arrangement with the familiar Citroen double chevron built into the centre.Daytime running lights are growing in popularity and the Aircross again takes a different tack by having them on the extreme edges of the grille and vertically mounted rather than the normal horizontal line fringing the headlights.Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder but we do prefer the look of the Allcross to that of the 4008 and ASX. Interior space is good at the front and acceptable for adults but fine for children in the rear. Boot space ranges from 442 litres with the rear seatbacks in place (384 litres below the parcel shelf) to 1193 litres with the seatbacks folded.The model range for the Citroen C4 Aircross is nice and simple. There’s one engine (2.0-litre petrol), one transmission (CVT automatic), one specification level (Exclusive) and two drive options (2WD and 4WD).The Aircross engine generates up to 110 kilowatts of power and 199 Newton metres of torque. It’s capable enough in normal city and motorway driving but does struggle a bit on hilly terrain although once we started using the paddle shift manual override feature we were able to enjoy the test drive a lot more.It’s not a sporty vehicle but neither are the majority of its competitors in what is very much a small family focussed market segment. Other engines, including diesel, are available but are not in Citroen’s Australian importers sights at this time of low local petrol prices.Fuel consumption on the combined urban/highway test is listed at 7.9 litre per 100 kilometres for the 2WD model and 8.1 L/100 km with 4WD.Safety equipment levels are good with seven airbags, ABS brakes with emergency brakeforce distribution and brake assist, ESP, hill-start assist, reversing camera with rear mirror display, rear park assist and auto hazard light activation under rapid deceleration.Our 250 kilometre media test route included around 30 km of moderately rugged dirt roads to display the off-road credentials that Citroen saw as distinguishing the Aircross from its softer competitors.Although we were in the 4WD model during this stage we switched between modes and apart from the occasional rut that sent shudders through the car, it handled the conditions without any real problems. There’s also a 4WD Lock option for more demanding terrain.

Talk about leveraging one car platform, talk about 'theme and variations.' There are now three versions of the same car available here; Mitsubishi's ASX (donor vehicle), Peugeot's 4008 and now, Citroen's C4 Aircross.They are same-under-the-skin small SUVs out of a Japanese Mitsu' factory but with different front and rear styling and different interiors though the latter two are nearly identical inside.PRICEASX petrol wins on price and spec' particularly at the top end of the scale which is where the $36,990 ASX Aspire, $38,490 Peugeot 4008 Allure and $33,990 Citroen C4 Aircross Exclusive all play. Neither of the European brands offer a diesel donk.The ASX leads with standard satnav that isn't in either of the "Europeans', Rockford Fosgate premium audio, five year warranty and a reverse camera (standard in the Pug). A new, restyled ASX is due soon offering even more kit to attract buyers its way.BEAUTY CONTESTBut the Citroen wins the beauty contest brandishing a handsome face with a stylish rear end. It has more wow factor than the other two, particularly the current ASX which ain't pretty. This is the first SUV 4WD from Citroen and only two Aircross Exclusive models are available in 2WD and 4WD petrol with CVT auto.KITCitroen has been a bit cunning with the spec' making leather upholstery ($2000) and other goodies like metallic paint, xenon headlights, glass roof and reversing camera optional. Tick these boxes and it will add thousands.But it does get fairly generous kit including Bluetooth phone, striking 18-inch alloys, paddle shift, climate control, comprehensive trip computer, rain sensor, auto headlights and rear park sensors. Cruise control, a pollen filter and auto dim rear view mirror are also included. It's not a povvo pack that's for sure but leather would have been welcome.POWERTRAINAircross runs the same 2.0-litre petrol four out of Mitsubishi Lancer/ASX with 110kW/197Nm output. It has variable valve timing and is capable of returning  8.1-litres/100km on 95 octane. European Aircross has a 1.6 turbo four with more torque lower in the rev range that would probably make it a more responsive drive.DRIVINGAs it stands, the 2.0-litre needs to be treated robustly to get it going at a quickish rate and to overcome that 1450kg+ weight. Alternatively, you can use the paddle shift to flick it up and down through six "steps" that function as gears. It's reasonably quiet once you're up and running and the fuel use drops down quickly on cruise. We saw 7.1-litres/100km without really trying.But CVT.... we're still not convinced and those slurring engine revs are fairly annoying. The ride is controlled and in the comfort spectrum apart from some harshenss from the low profile rubber. You can push it a tad through corners but the limits are clearly defined. Besides, Aircross isn't intended as a sporty vehicle.It will, in 4WD variant, go some way off road thanks to selectable 2WD (front), 4WD and 4WD lock mode. That's all you need for mud, snow, sand and gravel driving. It seats five in relative comfort and has a decent load space expandable with 60/40 rear seats. The safety rating is five star.VERDICTInteresting one. The Citroen looks the part but options jack up the price and there's the Citroen name that's off-putting for some people (dunno why). When it all comes out in the wash, a new Australian distributor due soon might get the price right making this car a much more attractive proposition.Citroen AircrossPrice: from $31,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmSafety: n/aEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 110kW/197NmTransmission: 6-speed CVT, front wheel driveThirst: 7.9 / 100Km, 185 CO2 EmissionsDimensions: 4341mm (L); 1799mm (W); 1625 (H)Weight: 1395kgSpare: space saver

Compared to driving a Ferrari 458, getting behind the wheel of a Citroen Berlingo van might not hold a lot of attraction but plenty of people spend a large slice of their lives in vans such as the Berlingo.The trouble is many of these small, bonneted vans aren't nearly as good as the little froggy freighter. That's because Citroen `invented' the passenger car based small van decades ago with its pig-snouted TUB that was built on the Xsara coupe platform of the day.The latest Berlingo is a bigger vehicle spawned from Citroen's C4 Picasso people mover platform and it's a good `un offering a passenger car drive feel, incredible fuel economy and surprisingly good dynamics and ride for a work a day commercial vehicle. Pity it only gets one airbag as standard and stability control is optional.HOW MUCHTwo versions are available here, a short body 1.6-litre petrol for $19,990 and subject of this test, the long body turbo diesel 1.6 that goes for $22,990. A variety of options is available that will add a tad to the bottom line.WHAT YOU GETBoth have a five speed manual transmission driving the front wheels and both can fit in two standard pallet loads in the back on a rubber floor mat and with waist high internal panel protection.The rear barn doors open nearly 180 degrees and are 60/40 split fold enabling Berlingo to nuzzle up close to loading docks. There's also a side slider and all doors are centrally locked from the key fob.LOADEDBoth short and long body models have the same wheelbase with the latter getting more rear overhang to accommodate the extra length. The petrol's payload is 850kg while the diesel takes 750.INSIDEIts compact dimensions don't mean a compromise on useable interior space which is generous in the long body we tested. It even had two and a half seats with three seat belts and a fold-up passenger seat squab for extra storage.Not that it needs any extra with storage options liberally scattered throughout the cab including a parcel shelf behind the sun visors and a flip up glove box atop the instrument console. Plenty of thought obviously went into Berlingo's design to make it as practical a work vehicle as possible.They tried to make Berlingo like an office on wheels.  That's why it has Bluetooth, a trip computer, MP3 slot, air conditioning, cruise control, heated exterior mirrors, rake and reach steering adjustment, large front doors and a protection frame behind the driver.On the outside, the front and rear bumpers are designed to protect Berlingo from inevitable bumps and scrapes encountered on its delivery rounds.ENGINEIn terms of actual driving the thing is quite impressive with plenty of pep from the single cam turbo diesel engine rated at 66kW/215Nm output. It can sip fuel at around 5.8-litres/100km from a 60 litre tank. The gearshift is high mounted in the centre console rally car style.MISSINGBut they didn't fit a reversing camera or reversing park sensors, the latter being an option along with auto headlights and rain sensing wipers, the second air bag and stability control. It rides well unladen of with a load thanks to the well sorted front strut rear torsion beam suspension. It could do with a tighter turning circle.VERDICTCould we spend a working life in Berlingo? Possibly. It would be a darn sight better than a one tonne ute with a canopy or some of the other alternatives.Citroen BerlingoPrice: from $22,990 (diesel)Engine: 1.6L turbodiesel, 66kW/215NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, FWDThirst: 5.8L / 100Km

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering  would you buy one?What is it?The second in Citroen's line of gorgeous sporty models. Looks like a coupe but actually has two "part-time" rear doors with fixed window glass.How much?$39,900 and that's the problem. For the same money you could have a WRX or Golf GTI or for a bit more Renault's superb Megane RS250 or Mini Cooper S for a bit more again.What are competitors?Any of the the aforementioned.What's under the bonnet?A 1.6-litre turbocharged four cylinder petrol engine. In fact, it's the same turbo that powers the Cooper S, with 147kW of power and 275Nm of torque.How does it go?Six-speed manual only. If you want an auto then you're stuck with the 115kW engine instead. Strong mid-range performance, but it's a little slow off the line, with 0-100km/h taking 8.5 seconds.Is it economical?Takes more expensive 95RON premium unleaded. Rated at 6.4 litres/100km, we were getting 7.7 litres after about 300km.Is it green?Yes. Scores 4.5 out of 5 stars from the Govt's Green Vehicle Guide, with CO2 emissions of 149g/km.Is it safe?No rating from Australian NCAP but Euro NCAP gives it five stars. Blind spot warning is standard.Is it comfortable?The leather-trimmed sports seats are a work of art. They're heated and have an in-built massage function. Rear legroom is tight and the interior a little noisy for our liking, depending on road surface.What's it like to drive?Fun and fairly lively on boost, with gearing which keeps it in the power zone. Positively surreal at night with its huge windscreen and instruments blacked (there's a button to do this). Doesn't cope well with broken surfaces. Front wheels scrabble for traction and some backlash through the steering wheel.Is it value for money?Yes. Nothing to spend. Has some unique touches too, like the huge windscreen, the ability to change the colour of the dials and instruments and the obvious attention to detail not to mention themassage seats. There's plenty of room in the boot too, although it hides a puncture repair kit instead of a spare.Would we buy one?It's appealing, that's for sure. Looks terrific, goes hard and has some extremely cool features. The 19 inch wheels are a work of art  but ultimately the DS4 falls short of the mark if measured purely in terms of performance ie. you can do better for less.Citroen DS4 D-SportPrice: from $39,990Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbocharged 147kW/275NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, FWDThirst: 6.5L/100km; 149g Co2 per km

The idea is simple - make as much cargo space inside the van's perimeter as possible. Simple stuff, really, but then it gets hard. Make the van safe - preferably with a five-star crash rating like the Mercedes Vito. Load it with passenger-car features, make it flexible with seating, ensure ride comfort and

The days when European cars automatically commanded a hefty premium in Australia are long gone and almost every week one brand or another announces what sales people love to call a "repositioning". It's not just that the dollar is making imports cheaper. Competition for buyers is fierce.The French brands are perennial underperformers in the sales charts and reposition a lot. The latest to face up to reality is Citroen and some of its price cuts are fairly dramatic. A top-spec C5, for example, drops $14,000. That's not repositioning. That's moving interstate. Bad luck if you bought one last week.The move is timed to coincide with the arrival of the second-generation C4, Citroen's mainstay small car. It shifts a couple of suburbs to begin $4000 lower, at $22,990. Like its predecessor, the new C4 borrows the underpinnings from the equivalent Peugeot model, in this case the 308. So it's a bit longer and has a bigger boot than a Volkswagen Golf, although still far from the largest in its class.Thanks to Citroen's two-tier model strategy, this time the C4 comes only as a five-door hatchback. The three-door "coupe" is dropped to leave room for a premium DS4 model that arrives early next year. As before, the C4 is a competent design with a strong road stance and pleasing headlight shapes, but a bit generic apart from details such as the grille.The cabin has some of the sculptural flourishes that are overdone in the C5, and a long dash combined with the world's smallest glovebox. The unique fixed-hub steering wheel has gone but its orthodox replacement still has an awful lot of buttons.For enough cash, the C4 can be filled with equipment that's only just trickled down from luxury cars, such as massage seats and cornering lights. There are also a few gimmicks including dials that change colour. However, it's less intriguing at entry level, where Bluetooth is missing and rear passengers must wind their own windows.Then there's the base 1.6-litre petrol engine, which produces noise without much corresponding forward motion. It's even slower -- almost 14 seconds to 100km/h -- with an automatic gearbox that, incredibly, has only four speeds. The automatic comes later, as does Citroen's version of a double-clutch transmission and fuel-saving tricks, such as idle-stop. Later there will also be a turbo petrol. A manual diesel 1.6 is the other variant available from launch and it's better than the petrol, gets six speeds instead of five and has an electric parking brake. It also has the best fuel economy, of 5.8 litres per 100km.Neither will delight the driver in you, with doughy handling that lacks any zest. There's no alacrity to the steering, which is dull, and plenty of body roll. The ride quality is OK until it rolls over something it doesn't like, when it gets jarring.

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.

EXPECT the unexpected from Citroen today and you’ll be disappointed. Expect a new-wave family hatch with sensible design, startling economy and a leap forward in quality and you’ve just met the next C4.Since the 1930s, a bent towards weird automobile design and left-of-centre mechanical experiments made the world know the name Citroen. But in the 1980s, innovation and absinthe-induced engineering were ejected in favour of making a buck. And time has stood still for Citroen ever since.Now there’s a new C4 - Citroen’s bread and butter compact family hatch - which replaces the old C4 that was renown for the innovative fixed steering wheel hub. Nothing else - just the hub.I’ve been driving in France the new C4 that gets here late next month. To be honest, I was expecting a bit more than a fixed steering wheel hub. But I didn’t even get that.This is the very, very important model car that aims to assure the company will make a buck. It’s up against some heavy hitters - the Volkswagen Golf is obvious - but as an affordable European, the C4 may take a bigger bite than its rivals expect. And that’s unxpected.Don’t expect a big change in the price but expect more features. The C4 Confort (Comfort) is the entry-level version tested here, fitted with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel and a six-speed manual gearbox. Technically, it’s a simple car and I hope that’s reflected in ownership costs. Even the base model has upmarket seats, full-size spare tyre, dual-zone airconditioning, trip computer and steering wheel controls for the iPod-compatible audio and cruise control. And on that note, the audio controls are integrated into the wheel - not attached like an after thought on a box on the steering column.Think a more rounded version of the Golf and you’d be on the money. The C4 is only 50mm longer and 20mm wider than before yet cabin space feels bigger. The shape has also given it the biggest boot space in its class - 408 litres with the seats up - yet it retains a full size spare beneath the cargo floor. Why can’t other carmakers do this?It is definitely more conservative in design than its predecessor but won’t date as quick. Cabin design is almost spot on, highlighted by the attractive soft-feel dashboard. Big gauges combine a perimeter speedo encircling a digital speed readout in the centre and a conventional tacho to one side. The centre console stack is busy with switches and requires familiarity.The base model skips a sat-nav monitor and has a small digital readout for the trip meter. Upmarket models will get a different console with a big screen. Cabin room is bigger but most noticeably in rear seat room, offering Golf-size leg and headroom. All seating finds the balance between firmness for long distance driving and absorbance to cushion the body against French cobble streets.Citroen will offer Australians eight versions of the car with three engines, two petrol of 88 and 115 kW, and one diesel, the 82 kW turbo-diesel. The diesel will have a choice of two gearboxes, a six speed manual and a six speed EGS robo manual. The petrol C4 will start in the low 20s and the diesel in the mid 20s, which means lower than the outgoing car's pre-run out pricing and with better equipment. All the diesels will be e-HDi cars with the micro hybrid stop start system.Citroen has kept the car simple but introduced some fuel-saving techniques. The car is more aerodynamic than before and gets standard Michelin “energy saver’‘ tyres, gearshift indicator light (manual gearbox models) and a lower weight thanks to laser welding and lightweight materials. The green aspect is also reflected by 15 per cent of the car’s components being made of materials from sustainable sources. The engine is as simple as Simon. It’s also as common as belly buttons, shared with the Mini Cooper diesel, some small Ford cars (Fiesta included) and BMW. It’s a little ripper that is so easy on the fuel yet with gobs of low-end torque. It’s also really quiet.The C4 has recently won the maximum five star safety rating by Euro NCAP, including a score of 97 per cent in the “safety assist’’ category. It’s claimed to be the highest score for any vehicle of its type. Standard features include six airbags, ESC, emergency brake assist and hill-start assist. The test car had cornering lights which may become standard here.Is this a Citroen? It all seems so conventional that I had to pinch myself. Drive this and it’s more like a soft Golf - the tautness has been taken out by more absorbent dampers and springs but the body remains rigid. That makes this a compliant - and for a small-bore diesel, remarkably quiet - city car and for once, dips its brow to its automotive ancestors.The steering is electric but it’s a decent job that is perfect for city and suburbs and didn’t cause drama on the 130km/h autoroutes south of Paris. But all this comfort has to pinch a nerve. This time, it’s handling. The C4 - at least in this base-model guise - is a bit wallowy through the corners and taking things a bit quick will induce eyebrow-raising understeer.The C4  uses a diesel engine that’s also flogged off to other car makers - and there’s a reason why they want it. The oiler is smooth, easy to use because of its strong torque and has superb fuel economy. I ran this through France, from idling it through cities to running with the autoroute pack at 130km/h and averaged 4.8 litres/100km. That’s a range of about 1250km!The controls are easy to use - and I bet that’s the first time you’ve read that in a Citroen test - and well placed, while the driving position can be adjusted to fit pretty much any human shape.