"A comeback for Citroen's compact sedan", says the advertisement with a hint that PSA has given us back the good old Citroen characteristics. We have driven a new Citroen C4 with a petrol engine so that we can compare with previous models.
Crossover coupe
The new C4 falls into the "crossover coupé" category. I don't recall Citroen making anything like this before. We have to go all the way back to models like the GSA and BX to find coupé-like combi-coupes, although they weren't tall like the new C4. Tall cars are not only in vogue at the moment – they are also well prepared for electric drivetrains, such as the ë-C4. For most French people, it is C4 on fossil fuel that applies, partly because of price and partly because of poorly developed infrastructure for charging.
I am back in the part of France that lies on the Mediterranean towards Spain. Here it is complicated to use cars like the ë-C4 if you do not have the opportunity to charge at home. Across the border with Spain, the Repsol and Cepsa petrol stations are building charging facilities on a large scale. It looks promising. But for now we are driving the C4 with the 1,2 liter PureTech engine. Citroen's new combi-coupe is very popular down here. I actually feel somewhat privileged.
More French than before
When I drove the previous generation off Citroen C4, I expressed how similar the C4 was to other cars in the Golf class – comfortable without being too soft in the suspension. When I later drove C4 Cactus, I took note of the long suspension travel, and that the car floated over the road like a flying carpet at the same time as it lay steady in the bends without tipping over. The C4 Cactus was equipped with Citroens Progressive Hydraulic Cushions - which the new C4 also has. The concept calms down the damping towards the extremes to avoid shocks and jerks. The new C4 has the feeling of a flying carpet as soon as you drive off, but unlike the C4 Cactus, the car leans over significantly in the bends, like previous French cars. It's about taste and comfort - about comfort versus driving pleasure. I don't shout "oh là là" at the way the car rolls. It makes me take it extra easy in the turns, although many French people probably think this is charming. What is not at all charming is the absence of steering feel. External forces on the car, such as side winds, - or changes that can affect the road surface - are not conveyed through the steering. This is the car's biggest weakness.
The drive train
We have driven the same drivetrain in other cars from Stellantis, including the new Citroen C3 aircross with automatic transmission. Our car has a 6-speed manual gearbox. The PureTech engine provides good bottom traction, so you don't have to shift gears often - but the 130 horse doesn't feel very responsive from the start. If you want to exit a junction quickly, you must therefore make sure that the engine has enough revs.
A special characteristic of this drivetrain is that when driving at motorway speed, a screeching sound occurs which probably originates from the gearbox, similar to the sound you get when reversing quickly. We have experienced the same in other cars with similar drivetrains – most recently in the Opel Mokka PureTech. The sound is easily audible, without being annoying. You could almost say that it is charming and nostalgic. I first experienced sounds from the gears in the gearbox in the 1970s in a Renault 4 as an accompaniment to the buzzing engine sound.
Place
Not only does the crossover design make the model suitable as an electric car - it also provides plenty of space and a good sense of space in the compartment. The luggage compartment holds 380 liters under the hat shelf. It is actually the same volume as the ë-C4 has. It is easy to load luggage, but the sloping rear door steals space in height. We still have room for our dachshund's dog cage without folding down the seats, but suitcases must be transported lying down. It's the same space ratio in other crossover cars with coupé shape we've driven. "Good looks" have their price.
Life with C4
We drive the Citroen C4 as a rental car for a few weeks in France. I have just driven our daughter and her fiance to the airport in Perpignan. There are direct flights between Perpignan and Stansted, London. On the way home, the car's navigation system shows that there has been a queue in the morning rush hour due to an accident. The Citroen C4 is a good everyday car. I sit well, little noise and a good radio, there are many places to put things down, the reversing camera shows the location from all angles and from above when I have to pry the car into parking pockets that are built for 2CVs.
About the trip and the photos
On Sunday morning we drove to a place where we could walk along the vineyards to the village of Maureillas-las-Illas. This Sunday there was sardan dancing and spontaneous horn music in the town square. The walk took 1 hour each way. You can of course drive all the way if you want, but many French people choose to use their Sundays to cycle or go for walks to enjoy their Sunday lunch at a restaurant or picnic under shady trees.
Facts about the Citroen C4 PureTech 130
Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 436 x 180 x 153 cm
Wheelbase: 267 cm
Net weight: 1287 kg (without driver)
Payload: 393 kg
Number of seats: 5
Luggage compartment: 380 litres
Trailer with brakes: 1200 kg
without brakes: 670 kg
Roof load: 80 kg
Drivetrain
Engine: 1,2 PureTech 130
Power: 130 HP
Torque: 230 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed manual BVM6
Front wheel drive
Performances
Top speed: 200 km/h
0-100: 8,9 seconds
consumption
Stated consumption WLTP combined: 0,53/10 km
Measured consumption: 0,61 (total since new)
Measured on single trips: 0,57 – 0,65/10 km
Tires
Dimension: 195/60 R18
Type: Summer tire
Brand: Michelin Primacy
About the car
Place of production: Villaverde, Spain
Owner: sixt.es
Model: 2023
Mileage: New car
Km driven: Long-term rental
Source: citroen.es, vegvesen.no
See
Citroen.no
Maureillas-Las-Illas on Tripadvisor
How we test the cars
