Citroën C2 GT (03-04) - Review

Just one engine is offered in the C2 GT - a 1.6 litre 1.6v with 110bhp. Performance is exactly storming, but a 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds is below the ten second benchmark that's important to many small hot hatch owners. The engine revs well and is happy to be pushed hard (which you'll often find yourself doing to get meaningful performance) but on the motorway, the noise can be intrusive. The GT benefits from a number of weight saving measures to boost performance including a smaller screenwash bottle and a puncture repair aerosol to replace the spare wheel.

The GT certainly handles well thanks to lowered suspension and stiffer anti-roll bars over the standard C2. It's agile and happy to be thrown into a bend, offering surprisingly impressive grip. The biggest gripe however surrounds the lifeless steering. It's simply too over-assisted and lacks any feel - as a result it saps much of the enjoyment from what should be a great hot hatch. The sloppy manual gearbox does little to help either and it's vague change can be annoying when attempting to drive quickly. The ride is pretty stiff, but only as firm as you'd expect in a small sporty car.