2011 Citroen C4 Review

Citroen C4

The Citroen C4 possesses a dynamic drive and great ride quality and the use of good quality materials affords the car business class comfort at low cost.

A range of new convenient technologies are also available, a number of which are unique to the segment: a new blind-spot monitoring system, cornering light function, cruise control with a speed-limiter and Citroen’s innovative eTouch Emergency & Assistance System.

This effectively damps road and engine noise.

A Gear Efficiency Indicator is standard specification on all manual models and signals the optimum moment to change gear and encourages economical driving. Powering the Citroen C4 is a range of refined and efficient engines: three BMW co-developed petrol engines and four efficient HDi diesel units.

Power output ranges from 90bhp to 155bhp, whilst gearing options include automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual and 6-speed EGS transmissions.
The original Citroen C4 was a boldly styled car both inside and out that featured some unusual and innovative features. So for the second generation model, Citroen has played it somewhat safer, sacrificing the radical styling for comfort, quality and refinement.

With the forthcoming DS4 designed to be Citroen's sporty offering in the medium-family hatchback market, the Citroen C4 is free to be a comfort-focussed model that's also practical. In this respect it's very successful thanks to an impeccably good ride, very low noise levels, impressive refinement and a spacious cabin. There's a good range of engines too, including the excellent 1.6-litre HDi which is quiet, smooth and impressively sprightly.

Where the old car traded on a quirky fixed-hub steering wheel and dash-top central digital instrument pod, the new car reverts to conventionally-sited dials and a, get this, ‘floating hub’ wheel, which is remarkably like every other steering wheel in the world. The electronic wizardry list also includes an electric parking brake, ultrasound blind spot monitoring, fog lamps with a static corner lighting function and a lane departure warning system that sends a vibratory jolt to your left or right butt cheek when lane straddling. I’m not a fan of the thin rim, preferring a chunkier grip and I’m pretty sure most drivers would prefer more heft to the light steering. It does feel accurate enough to confidently place the car, although the strictly speed-regulated Swedish roads around Malmo didn’t allow a particularly thorough dynamic evaluation.