Citroen’s city car is sure to turn heads
City cars are becoming more and more popular and the latest generation Citroen C1 is guaranteed to turn heads with its sharp styling and bold colours.
Available as a three or five-door model, buyers can chose from three distinctive trim levels – Touch, Feel and Flair – with the Airscape open-top styling available on the top two grades. The nippy C1 is priced from £8,245 and there is a choice of eight exterior colours. Airscape models can be finished in bi-tone colour schemes that contrast the roof fabric with the body colour, so buyers can really personalise their car. New design cues on the C1 include vertical LED daytime running lights integrated into the bumper, a new front grille and special rear light clusters that create a striking 3D effect. Inside, the C1 is deceptively spacious for its compact size and the cabin has a bright and cheery feel to it with all controls, dials and read- outs perfectly positioned for driver usability. Buyers can also stamp their mark on the interior too with colour options on the centre console, air vent trim and gear lever base. The door panels also include matching coloured inserts. One feature certainly worth noting is the new technology that has been introduced – namely a seven- inch colour screen called Touch Drive which groups together all the car’s media functions in one neat bundle. These include the DAB radio, on-board computer, telephone and it can all be linked up to your smartphone for music and navigation etc. There is space within the C1 for four adults although legroom in the back is a tad restricted if the front seats are pushed back too far. And the boot is fairly wellsized with a capacity of 196 litres. This can be increased to 780 litres with the rear seats folded forward. Despite all t he cosmetic changes some of the biggest improvements involve ride and comfort quality. That’s because the new C1 features new suspension springs, enhanced shock absorbers and a new antiroll bar. In addition, new electric power steering helps to deliver precise and enjoyable handling credentials. There is a choice of petrol engines – all three-cylinder. The entrylevel 68bhp 1.0-litre is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and buyers can also opt for an automated manual five-speed clutch- less Efficient Tronic Gearbox. There is also a 1.2-litre model producing 82bhp with manual transmission. Whatever powertrain is selected, buyers are guaranteed great economy with all models emitting less than 100g/km of CO2 and the most fuel efficient version delivering combined efficiency of 74.3mpg. We tried the range- topping model with the open roof feature and it was great fun to drive. Out on the faster roads there was ample power as it moved up through the five-speed manual transmission and acceleration was impressive too. The road-holding was great and despite a little engine and roadsurface noise, the ride quality and comfort levels were difficult to fault. Citroen has sold more than three quarters of a million C1 cars globally since it was launched back in 2005 and with its eye-catching good looks, great handling and richly-equipped interior, the latest generation model is likely to see sales continue to soar.
Buyers can personalise their car by choosing from three trims and eight exterior colour schemes