Citroen is not a car brand on the top of any list for Fleet Managers. Should be it be? It might be hard for a large national fleet to make the numbers work, though a small business in a creative or dynamic industry might be a good match for this popular European car.
Pulse Orange is the hero colour which caused an artistic debate within the family about the different shades of orange. We finally agreed on burnt orange as the best way to describe it. What we couldn’t agreed on was the European quirks of the Citroen C4.
Just to clarify, quirks aren’t a negative description; it’s just a word I’m using to highlight the differences found in European models compared to popular Asian brands sold in Australia. And for the record, I loved each one of the differences and dreamed of a European vacation while running every errand.
Thanks to the sales success of Volkswagen and BMW, the indicator on the left hand stork doesn’t get a mention anymore. It’s takes five turns to adjust your hand/brain coordination until you forget its normally on the right. The quirks are in the design and layout of the instrument cluster, seats and other controls.
Driving the Citroen C4 is an absolute pleasure. On the website, Citroen promotes the ‘Citroen Advanced Comfort System’ which has four main themes: the cocoon effect, practicality, fluidity and peace of mind. I spent a week on the road in the car before visiting the website and found myself using similar phrases to describe the comfort and smoothness of the driving experience.
In the cabin, it’s sooo quiet. Not EV quiet but very close. After a week I found myself reflecting on how it does reduce the stress of urban driving and what an enjoyment you get from the sound system when it’s allowed to perform at an optimum level without the constant hum of tyres or other traffic.
Citroen has delivered a powerful and effective powertrain in the C4. It accelerates with ease at any speed, and doesn’t feel stressed on freeways thanks to the eight speed automatic transmission. Under the bonnet is a turbocharged 1.2L engine, a four-time, “world engine of the year” award winner, delivering 114 kilowatts and 240 newton-metres of torque for a punchy drive.
The silhouette is more fastback than hatchback. And the ride height is more SUV than passenger car. Inside there is ample room for driver and passenger with the design of the cocoon effect making it feel cosy. The rear seats are adequate for kids, or adults on short trips, with head room being compromised because of the sloping rear design. It has a large boot and the rear seats fold 60/40 for the times you need to carry larger items.
For everyday driving the instrument cluster and systems work seamlessly. It took some time to explore all of the features available (e.g. fuel consumption, vehicle setting) which new owners would do in the first week and then never need to delve into the depths of multiple menus again.
The seats use a mix of electronic and manual adjustments which seems strange yet logical based on the frequency of use. Being on the road each day, I loved the massage feature in the driver’s seat. It was also in the passenger seat but everyone in my family found it weird because it wasn’t something they associated with a car.
Having a USB-C charging outlet opens up a whole new world of flexible work options for road warriors. I travel with a MacBook and iPad. If I forget to charge either one overnight, the productivity of my day can be drastically reduced. With USB-C, I can use the standard Apple cables to plug them into the car and charge on the run.
The leather seats and ventilation system also stood out. During winter every car I’ve reviewed came with leather seats and climate control. Some also had heated seats. It’s a first world problem, but its noticeable how different the first 10 minutes of driving can be on a cold winter morning.
If there were awards for this unique test, the Citroen C4 is a gold medal winner. The leather seats weren’t too cold on first entry, the heats seats sprung to life immediately, and the ventilation system found a way to ease you up to the desired temperature without blasting air in your face.
Storage in the Citroen C4 is designed well except for the centre cup holders which were too deep for a large takeaway coffee cup. It was easy to empty my pockets into the various compartments and hide away sunglasses or other items which are always left in the car.
Finally, let’s finish with a quirk that no family member could mentally process as a design requirement – Citroen’s Smart Pad Support. Words won’t do it justice so click this link to watch an explanation video. I’m sure there are many households that will see an immediate purpose and application for this standard option, we’re just not one of them.
