Citroen C4 - Functionality with humor
The previous generation Citroen C4 drew attention from afar. An unusual silhouette and an equally unusual dashboard "with clearance" and a main steering wheel with a fixed center created its very individual character. The current one is much more restrained, but this does not mean that it is less interesting.
The new generation of the compact hatchback follows the direction previously set by the C5 limousine - body shape, its proportions are very classic, but details such as the embossing of the sides of the car or the shape of the headlights are interesting. The front belt of the car clearly refers to the C5, but its stylistic interpretation is slightly less serious, lighter. The embossing that cuts through the body plates gives it a stylistic lightness. The car has a length of 432,9 cm, a width of 178,9 cm, a height of 148,9 cm and a wheelbase of 260,8 cm.
Inside, the car also feels a bit more mature. At least until various alarms go off. Usually car electronics squeal with electronic sounds. Citroen C4 may surprise you with a sequence of sounds that can be associated with cartoons. If you don't fasten your seatbelt, the warning might sound like a bicycle bell with an old camera shutter sound. Of course, each of the alarm clocks has different voices.
The new C4 has neither a fixed center steering wheel, nor a dash with ground clearance. The center of the steering wheel, however, as before, has many controls for various vehicle systems. About a dozen buttons and four rotating rollers that work like a computer winder make it very easy to use, but the number of options is so large that it's hard to think of an intuitive approach - you need to spend a little time studying the manual.
The dashboard is another meeting of tradition and modernity. We have three round clocks, but the center of each one is filled with a liquid crystal display. The centrally located speedometer shows the vehicle's speed in two ways: a small red hand marks it on the round dial, and in the center of the dial also shows the vehicle's speed digitally.
The instrument panel has a sporty character, but also an elegant finish. The dashboard and center console are covered by a common visor, which is extended to the right edge of the center console. So the side of the console also has a soft cover, which is especially convenient for tall passengers who sometimes lean against it with their knees. This solution is much better than covering only the top of the board with soft material that you almost never touch.
The center console has a neat control panel for the radio and air conditioning. Decorated with chrome elements, it is elegant, but at the same time clear and functional. The audio system is well suited for playing music files from portable MP3 players and USB sticks. It has, among other things, a separate button to call up the list of songs stored in the memory of these devices. The sockets are located at the bottom of the console, in a small shelf where these devices do not interfere. Console layout prepared for navigation. This was not the case in the tested machine, so there was room for a low, lockable compartment under the small display. The tunnel has a small square shelf, two cup compartments and a large storage compartment in the armrest. The advantage of the cabin are also large and roomy pockets in the doors.
In the back, I could fit easily, but not particularly comfortably. There is a lot of useful equipment in the 408-liter trunk. On the sides of the trunk there are bag hooks and elastic straps to hold small items, an electrical outlet and floor space for attaching luggage nets. We also have a rechargeable lamp at our disposal, which, when placed in the charging area, acts as a lamp for lighting the trunk, but it can also be removed and used outside the car.
The test car had a 1,6 VTi petrol engine with 120 hp. and a maximum torque of 160 Nm. For everyday use, it seemed to me more than enough. You can’t count on competitive emotions, but the ride is quite dynamic, overtaking or joining the stream is not a problem. It accelerates from 100 to 10,8 km/h in 193 seconds and has a top speed of 6,8 km/h. Fuel consumption averaged 100 l/XNUMX km. The suspension is the result of a combination of sporty road stiffness and comfort. So on our leaky roads I was driving quite smoothly. I didn't escape the tire damage on one of the breaks, and then it turned out that, fortunately, instead of a driveway or just a repair kit, I had a full-fledged spare tire under the trunk floor.
I really liked the combination of traditional and modern functionality with a clear hint of vivacity in style and equipment.
