Citroën C4 Hatchback (11 on) - Review

Taking on the likes of Ford and Volkswagen is a mighty task but targeting the Focus and Golf is an even tougher one for the Citroen C4 hatchback. This is exactly what Citroen is trying to do and despite improvements over its predecessor, the C4 still feels well off the pace in the battle of small family hatchbacks. The novelty fixed-hub steering wheel and big digital speedometer in the centre dash are gone, which means the car loses a little character but becomes slightly more functional. Inside it also has a more quality feel than its predecessor with good use of premium-looking materials and simple dash layout. However, the driving experience for enthusiasts isn't fantastic and if that's a priority, you'll go elsewhere. If you do want something sedate and relaxed to get you from A to B then the Citroen C4 hatchback is a pretty decent proposition. It is extremely comfortable and rides fairly well on motorways, and is pretty easy to drive too. The range of six engines provide the power, mpg and CO2 emissions for a wide range of uses. There’s a trio of diesels with power ratings of 90bhp, 110bhp or 150bhp and a trio of petrol units with either 95bhp, 120bhp or 155bhp. All are very smooth with wide power bands and allow the C4 to accelerate from a standstill to 62mph in between 8.6 and 12.9 seconds depending on powerplant. You can choose either five- or six-speed manual gearboxes along with the firm’s six-speed EGS gearbox – a unit which isn’t the smoothest operating gearbox in the world which you can read about in the rest of the Citroen C4 review. There’s also a stop/start system which helps to further lower CO2 emissions and increase fuel economy. This will help the C4 to appeal to company car drivers, who ultimately want lower CO2 so their company car tax costs are as low as possible. Unfortunately, although it looks fairly distinctive and has a pretty fashionable and functional interior, where the C4 ultimately falls down is that it does nothing to stand out from the crowd while many of its rivals offer more in a similarly priced package.