- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.6DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
82kW, 270Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 4.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Citroen C4
Finding something with a whiff of flair in the small-car market has taken a bit of detective work in recent years - many marques just want to tread a safe and steady path.
Not so for Citroen, the quirky French maker that has veered hard-left with its spunky little C4, a small car with plenty in the way of Gallic charm. As well as the thoroughly distinctive exterior - which boasts a sleek nose and attractively humpy shape - there's also a decent array of choices within the C4 line-up, which encompasses 1.6 (diesel and petrol) and 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines, various equipment levels and the choice of a stumpy-tailed coupe.
Clearly the C4 mounts a convincing case for those who bother to poke their head into a Citroen showroom.
But styling is by no means the sole sales driver for the multitude of small-car buyers who are swarming to what is now the largest segment in the Australian market.
And that's where Citroen thinks it has the game licked. As well as the electrics and accessories that buyers of premium small cars have come to expect, there's some unique touches to the Citroen, such as a steering-wheel hub that stays fixed while the wheel twirls around it. It may sound gimmicky but it means the steering-mounted buttons (cruise control, audio controls and so on) are always in the same spot, while Citroen claims advantages when it comes to airbag deployment, given the bag itself is asymmetrical. There's also an air-freshener built into the dash which, granted, is definitely gimmicky but will no doubt prove a showroom tempter and at least emphasise some of the thought put into the car.
Other niceties include rain-sensing wipers, mirrors that fold inwards when parked, cruise control and a speed limiter - perfect in the age of speed cameras.
There's also a decent array of safety gear, encompassing front and side-curtain airbags, as well as anti-lock brakes and an electronic stability system, the latter individually applying brakes to correct a slide.
But the fairytale story starts to unravel once you look a bit deeper, especially in the flagship 2.0-litre hatch that was our companion for the week. Leather pews and a full-length sunroof are expensive options, as is a CD stacker, which sits awkwardly in the centre console eating precious storage space. And with an asking price of $33,990 plus on-road costs, you start to expect more. Build quality, too, is not what it should be. Our car had an annoying rattle from the hatch, while two of its door handles were sticking and making strange cracking noises when forced. But the materials used inside - a soft, textured dash and well-placed chrome highlights - create an upmarket feel that's well in tune with the C4's aspirations. It's also a spacious interior by small-car standards.
On the road, the C4 is a perky performer, its 103kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder ensuring it accelerates smartly; 10.1 seconds is the claim to the milestone 100kmh. But it's a noisy, boomy engine in the upper end of its rev range. The C4 is also hampered by its standard (on the 2.0) four-speed automatic, though, which makes downchanges a more dramatic event than they need be and can be caught out when driven enthusiastically. Thankfully, there's a sequential shift gate to allow the driver more control. It is agile enough but let down by stiff springs, which means it tends to crash into potholes. Ours also had a strange drumming noise at low speed and a disconcerting clunk over sharp driveways or speed humps.
A shame, because a bit more work and attention to detail and the C4 has the potential to be a serious winner.