Citroen pricing like an ordinary car
A new-broom price-realignment makes the cost of Citroen ownership in New Zealand more like it is in Europe, writes Dave Moore.
The Citroen brand has had all manner of relaunches over the years in New Zealand, but the latest one, which comes about with the announcement of Syme Darby as its distributor looks like it may actually stick.
With help from the factory, Syme Darby has realigned prices across the Citroen lineup, with the C3 and C4 ranges in particular showing starter stickers very much in line with what you’d pay for respective Japanese and Korean products. The company will continue to treat the DS-series versions of its C3, C4 and C5 as the niche players they irrefutably are. However it seems that the new distributor realises what most car fans have known for many years, Citroen is very much a maker of ordinary cars too, with models in Europe that match, both in terms of specification and price, those offered by Ford, Vauxhall/Opel and Toyota.
Now you really can be on a Jazz/Yaris or Corolla/Focus budget and opt for a Citroen.
The C3 range starts with a five-speed manual 1.2-litre threecylinder model at $23,490 in so-called ‘‘seduction’’ spec, while a similar specification four-speed automatic 1.6 can be had for $25,990, with the top of the range ‘‘exclusive’’ version asking $27,490.
Possibly the bargain of the new Citroen lineup is the base or ‘‘seduction’’ 1.6-litre 88kW version of the C4, which asks $25,990, in manual form, while the automatic version of the same car is $28,990.
The all-the-fruit automatic C4 ‘‘exclusive’’ is $31,490, which still puts it deep into Japanese and Korean mid-sized hatchback territory.
That’s not quite the case with the Mondeosized C5 at $54,990 to $67,990, but with very high specification levels and unique powertrain choices like a 2.0-litre turbodiesel four and a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 diesel, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the C5 price is fairly high, albeit reduced, by up to $7000. Also the spacious C5 wagon will be an indent-only prospect if you want one.
However, those wanting a Citroen loadcarrier will now be able to tap into Citroen’s C4 Aircross a joint-venture crossover car with Mitsubishi which starts at just $36,990 in twowheel-drive form, topping-out at $38,990 and $43,990 with ‘‘exclusive’’ specification and two and four-wheel-drive respectively. All Aircross models have CVT transmissions.
Meanwhile, in the more rarified atmosphere of the DS models – named after the gorgeous and genuinely iconic Deyesse, or Goddess, launched in 1955 – the prices have also eased a tad.
The DS3 starts with the four-speed automatic 1.6-litre 88kW car at $36,990, while a turbocharged 115kW version with a five-speed manual goes for $38,990. A cabriolet version of the DS3 will also arrive before the end of 2013 with prices of $40,990 abd $42,990 for the same engine and transmission choices.
Meanwhile the DS4 is available as a ’So Chic’ 120kW turbo 1.6-litre five-door at $44,990 with six-speed automatic and as a more powerful 147kW turbocharged six-speed manual ‘‘Sport Chic’’ at $48,990.
Tow versions of Citroen’s striking new DS5 are on offer. The 115kW Sport Chic turbocharged petrol version of this car, with six-speed automatic is $59,990, while a 120kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel version of the same vehicle will be $62,990 when it gets here in June. The DS5 line-up will be added to later in the year with the arrival of a hybrid 4 full-hybrid diesel version with 155kW and all-wheel-drive and an emissions rating of just 99g/km. Incidentally, the average CO2 rating for the Citroen range as a whole is the cleanest in Europe at just 122g/km. Driving the DS5 – the crisply-detailed exterior with its sculpted five-door shoulders and slivers of metallised garbishing is as original and unique as you’ll get these days, where road fleets can be a boring aggregation of sameness.
Inside, the Citroen celebrates too, with a gorgeous centre console that places switches and controls into their own neatly-shaped receptacles. There’s good room for up to five and hand-on-heart it would take a real sadsack not be delighted with the gazing and gawping attention the car attracts from other road users.
No Citroen has turned this many heads since the 1950s.