Citroen C4 Hatchback
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Overview Of The Citroen C4 Hatchback
The new Citroen C4 Hatchback isn’t what you’d call thrilling, but if you need space and comfort and don’t have a huge budget, it serves a lot of purposes and gives you no hassle. In this way, it’s a total success.
A few things hold it back, such as a lack of entertainment on the road, and poor second-hand values. However, it looks smart and can boast a well-appointed interior that is easy to keep clean and tidy, thanks to lots of storage areas.
OSV takes a closer look at what it’s all about with our Citroen C4 Hatchback review.
On The Road
No drama and no fuss – just what you want as you scamper from A to B, right? That’s what you get here from a reliable car that doesn’t excite the senses, but which does to a tee what is expected of it.
There are better all-rounders in this class that combine comfort with fun, but the soft suspension setup of the C4 hatchback at least guarantees good ride quality.
So while the steering lacks precision, the car makes for a good, refined motorway cruiser.[vc_single_image image=”46974″ img_size=”article-image”]There are a trio of diesel engines to choose from, as well as a pair of petrols. Let’s look at the diesel range first, which kicks off with an underwhelming 98bhp unit that you should probably overlook, as it struggles to give you much shove if you’re on a full load.
The mid-range 120 model is our pick of the diesels. Powered by an 118bhp BlueHDi engine, it’s fairly quick and impressively economical. It’s also smooth and willing to be revved. The 148bhp diesel is faster and can get you from rest to 62mph in less than 10 seconds, but it’s not worth spending the extra cash on.
The petrol range opens with a PureTech 110 variant that delivers up to 109bhp, and which can get you from a standstill to 62mph in 10.9 seconds. The other petrol is PureTech 130. It has lots of pulling power and does the 0-62mph dash a bit quicker than the PureTech 110.
If you want the best performance possible, we recommend that you avoid the overly jerky automatic transmission.
Interior, Drive and Comfort
[vc_single_image image=”46973″ img_size=”article-image”]Citroen has really doubled down on comfort this time around, and the Citroen C4 Hatchback is easily one of the most pleasant cars to take a trip in. Exterior noises are well kept out, which further adds to the remarkable sense of comfort and refinement.
The driver’s seat is height-adjustable, as is the steering wheel, while sharp styling defines the dashboard and the cabin overall. The dash is slightly let down by one button too many, while scrolls and switches on the steering wheel also over-complicates matters. However, we’re probably just nitpicking.Overall, this is a fine interior that is built to last.
In terms of practicality, head and legroom up front is excellent, but rear seated passengers might struggle on longer journeys for legroom. There are plenty of handy storage areas in and about the cabin, including a refrigerated storage area that you’ll find in the centre console. This fridge, however, is only available with the automatic models.
When it comes to boot space, few cars in this class can match the 2016 C4 Hatchback’s huge 408-litre boot. You can fold the rear seats to extend space to 1,300-litres, although they lie at an odd angle as opposed to flat. Still, loading is easy thanks to a low load lip.
Equipment
There are three trim levels available:
- Touch
- Feel
- Flair
The Touch trim comes with the decent standard kit, including air conditioning, cruise control, power-adjustable heated door mirrors and hill-start assist.
Moving up to the Feel trim gets you 16” alloys, energy-saving stop-start tech, a DAB digital radio, and a leather steering wheel.
Should you go for the range-topping Flair model, you also get automatic windscreen wipers and lights, as well as rear electric windows and front fog lights.[vc_single_image image=”46979″ img_size=”article-image”]
Costs Of The Citroen C4 Hatchback
Prices for new car start out from £15,100 and rise to just over £21,000. If you prefer to lease, you can pick up a deal from as little as £170 + VAT per month.
In terms of running costs, the car is a bit half and a half. The diesels are cheap to run, but the petrols are less so.
Let’s start with the diesel engines, the cheapest of which is the stop-start version of the small 1.6-litre BlueHDi 110 98bhp unit that averages fuel economy returns of 85.6mpg.
All of the petrols can actually achieve returns beyond 55mpg, but only one of them can get over the magic 60mpg line. None are free to tax, while company car tax bills will cost you more than the diesels would.
The cheapest Citroen C4 to insure sits in group 12, while the most expensive occupies group 23. A bog-standard three-year warranty comes available.
Pros and Cons Of The Citroen C4 Hatchback
Pros:
Cons:
Reasonably Priced
The price tag is pretty much par for the course in this class, and when you consider all that you’re getting for £15,000, the C4 Hatchback represents good value for money.
It’s Comfortable
Thanks to pillow-soft suspension, the C4 is one of the most comfortable cars on the road right now. The suspension setup is well cushioned, and absorbs lumps and bumps well.
Big Boot
The 408-litre boot is significantly bigger than most of its rivals, while total volume extends right up to 1,300-litres.Not Much Legroom In The Rear
Head and legroom is good upfront, but it’s a different story in the rear. The car is perfect for kids in the back, but adults will struggle.
Drab To Look At
Citroen performed a facelift recently, but it doesn’t seem to have worked. The design is uninspiring, and compared to competitors it looks dated.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
Citroen C4 Hatchback vs. Peugeot 308 Hatchback vs. Ford Focus Hatchback
Let’s see how the car measures up against its rivals in the comparison section of our Citroen C4 Hatchback review.
Citroen C4 Hatchback vs. Peugeot 308 Hatchback
The new Peugeot 308 Hatchback is stylish, practical and comfortable.
Although the 308 is fairly fun to drive, there is no doubt that the French brand put the onus on comfort first. There are a few faults, though; the suspension is soft enough to allow in copious amounts of body lean as you tackle bends, and the steering never feels particularly settled out on the motorway.
The engine range kicks off with an underwhelming 1.2-litre petrol that takes 13.3 seconds to cover the 0-62mph dash, which makes it even slower than some city cars. It is, however, quiet and smooth.[vc_single_image image=”46978″ img_size=”article-image”]Peugeot have introduced a pair of 1.2-litre e-THP engines this time around, which are more hi-tech. We love them, and they’re ideal for if you’re planning lengthier journeys in your 308. The 110 variant can get you from rest to 62mph in 11.0 seconds, while the 130 variant covers the same distance in 10.3 seconds.
There is also the option of a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine, while a bigger 1.6-litre 202bhp THP petrol unit powers the GT model. It’s fast and can rocket you from a standstill to 62mph in just 7.5 seconds.
The diesels are more efficient, with the 1.6-litre 120 variant the cheapest to run. It can achieve average returns of over 80mpg, but still packs plenty of performance, and can get you from rest to 62mph in 9.7 seconds. For a bit more performance but the slightly worse economy, there is the option of a 2.0-litre BlueHDi unit, while a GT diesel finishes the range off.[vc_single_image image=”46977″ img_size=”article-image”]The diesels are naturally going to be cheaper to run, but thanks to this car weighing less than its predecessor, even the petrols don’t return awful numbers. The entry-level 1.2-litre engine is good for 56.5mpg, while the 1.2-litre e-THP 130 can return 58.9mpg.
Inside, you’ll find a better interior than last time around, but while everything on the dash is smartly laid out, some of the controls can be difficult to use. Moreover, not all the plastics are of high quality, and you won’t have to look too far to spot some unappealing cheap plastics.Comfort is ensured thanks to getting a height adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel, while the car is one of the most practical in its class. The 308 Hatchback is only available as a five-door, and this means accessing the rear seats is easy. However, while head and legroom is good upfront, legroom has been compromised in the rear thanks to a 470-litre boot, which is easily one of the biggest this class has ever seen. Among all that space you get a pair of underfloor storage areas.
Price:
Citroen – £15,000 – £21,000
Peugeot – £16,000 – £26,900
Citroen C4 Hatchback vs. Ford Focus Hatchback
The new Ford Focus Hatchback is fun to drive, refined, and crammed with the latest technology. It isn’t the most practical family car, though.
The Focus is easily the most entertaining car to drive in this market. Although it’s actually lost some of its predecessor’s sharpness, it’s still a fantastic handler that feels lively in bends. The controls are responsive, the steering is crisp, and the gearboxes are all positive. Moreover, the suspension setup has been modified so that cornering agility is better.[vc_single_image image=”46975″ img_size=”article-image”]All the petrol engines are solid performers, with a small 1.6-litre 83bhp kicking things off. We like the 1.0-litre 123bhp EcoBoost turbo petrol. It’s powerful and responsive, and it’s hard to even notice that it’s such a small engine. It’s also pretty quick and can get you from rest to 62mph in a matter of 11.0 seconds.
There are plenty of diesel engines to choose from, starting with a pair of 1.5-litre TDCi units that come in two power guises, while a 2.0-litre 182bhp TDCi engine powers the ST model.
All diesels are quick and strong, and all have enough power to pull you along capably even on a full load. They’re also cheap to run, with the most frugal being the 1.5-litre TDCi, which averages fuel economy returns of 74.3mpg. It’s also free to tax. If you want a petrol model but don’t want to spend too much on running costs, the 1.0-litre 98bhp three pot EcoBoost unit returns 61.4mpg and emits just 105g/km of CO2.[vc_single_image image=”46976″ img_size=”article-image”]The Focus offers plenty of interior comforts, thanks in part to the padded seats. The driver gets a height-adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel, which heated leather seats come with higher-spec models.
The cabin is well built, although it’s not the last word in high quality, as Ford has seen a reason to use cheap plastics here and there. Silver trim is worth adding if you want to enliven with is otherwise a drab environment, while visibility is very good.Somehow, Ford have extended the Focus Hatchback 2016’s dimensions, but have actually made it smaller inside. As a result, cabin storage is poor; the boot measures just 316-litres, and it’s easy for rear seated passengers to feel claustrophobic.
Price:
Ford – £16,000 – £26,300
Verdict Of Our Citroen C4 Hatchback Review
The C4 has been around for a while now, and while it hasn’t aged well compared to its rivals, it scores well on the usability front. It’s comfortable and spacious, and Citroen have at last seen reason to add the likes of electric front windows, cruise control and air conditioning to even the basic model.
The Citroen C4 Hatchback represents solid value for money and will do all that you need it do without any hassle at all.[vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#00625a”]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[vc_row content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1464089844166{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1495721723808{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”]
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