Citroen C1 RANGE
Hang On Dont
Citroen Already Have A Capable Citycar In Their Line Up? Well Heres Another. Andy Enright Takes A Look At The C1.
This is getting difficult to keep up with. Citroens C3 fits the established supermini mould pretty well, so when the French company launched the smaller C2, we figured it was a citycar. The unveiling of the C1 has thrown all our neat classifications into disarray. A true citycar, this looks set to sell by the shipload.
To confuse matters further, Citroen refer to the C1, C2 and C3 as their Supermini range. I think its time to hang the definitions and take a look at the hardware.
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The C1 debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show alongside two other suspiciously similar looking creations, Peugeots 107 and Toyotas Aygo. Those in the know will realise that all three share a common platform, the companies sharing the costs of developing the cars between them. Of the three cars, the Aygo looks the most distinctive and looks set to command premium prices whereas the
Citroen targets the budget consumer. Where this leaves the
Peugeot in the carve up for the citycar consumer is open to question but Citroens importers have some pretty formidable quotas theyre looking for the C1 to fill and I wouldnt bet against them succeeding.
Unlike many tots, the C1 offers a choice of either three or five-door body styles, priced from £6,495. It aims to offer an unthreatening and fun appearance with a face that looks as if its either grimacing or grinning depending on the angle at which you view it. The wide wraparound bumper, the rounded bonnet and bulbous headlamp clusters may not endear the C1 to the sort of pimply adolescents who hang around McDonalds car parks and revere the C2 VTR, but itll doubtless sell well to those with a little less testosterone coursing through their system. The rear end is very nicely finished with a glass tailgate, big crystal and anthracite rear light clusters and a deep under-bumper assembly.
The wheelarches are surprisingly beefy and the rear set are sculpted a little further forward in the three-door body style. The five-door car sees its rear doors meet the rear light clusters in a very neat piece of packaging. Citroen have been regaining their reputation for bold and exciting interiors of late and the C1 continues that trend. The first impression when looking at the virtually symmetrical fascia is that this must have been a vehicle that was very cost effective to convert to right-hand drive but the design is neat and ergonomically sound.
Headroom inside the car isnt at all bad, even for someone well over six feet tall and the big glass area up front gives an airy feel to the cabin. The rear of the three-door car is notably more claustrophobic and is really only suitable for kids and short journeys. Rear kneeroom in the five door car is little better but at least the cars beltline is a little lower, making it feel a little less hemmed in.
"The C1 represents a new generation of citycars"
Theres a circular theme to the dashboard instruments with the main binnacle, separate rev counter and air vents all adhering to this theme. Taking a lead form the
Mitsubishi Colt and
Smart Forfour, the Citroen C1 uses a translucent material for the heater control system, in this case glowing a soft orange whenever the lights are turned on, mirroring the colour choice of the driver information and audio system displays. All four seats are trimmed in two-tone material with a choice of fabric or velour finish, complementing the door panels. The front
seat backrests are hollowed out to provide a little more rear legroom for back seat passengers, but there really is only so much that can be done with a car with a 2.
34 metre wheelbase. Citroen have learned a whole bunch of lessons from their experience of MPV-style vehicles and the C1 offers no fewer than twelve storage compartments dotted about the centre console, dashboard and doors, with the door bins easily capable of holding an A4-sized atlas. Total luggage room with the rear seats in place is quoted at 139-litres, but drop the rear seats and theres an impressive 751 litres of space. This makes the C1 a car that can do more than just a light shop.
Parking at the supermarket for the weekly mission isnt going to present too many difficulties. At just 1.6m wide, the C1 will easily be able to take advantage of those awkward spaces next to the concrete columns that are so often rejected. Whats more, at just 3.
4m long, youll probably be able to access the tailgate while still tucked safely into your bay, away from errant trolleys and distracted drivers. Engine choice isnt as yet a C1 highlight. You get to choose between petrol and diesel but thats as far as it goes. The range starts with the entry-level 1.
0-litre Vibe variant in three-door form at £6,495 or in five-door form at £6,845. Five-door buyers can also plump for the plusher Rhythm trim level at £7,345. If you want a diesel, you have to have Rhythm and five doors for a price of £8,445. Plump for the green pump and you get a 68bhp 1.
0i unit, while those looking for a diesel option get a 54bhp HDi engine. As might well be expected, both units are EuroIV-compliant and both return over 60mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle. Even in town, youll be hard pressed to nudge below forty in the diesel. Five speed manual gearboxes are fitted as standard.
Some buyers may have reservations about the safety of such a minute car. Nudge up against a behemoth 4x4 in a car of the C1s size and its easy to feel rather threatened, but the C1 is likely to have better safety systems than many a sizeable SUV. As well as a specially developed body structure that incorporates crumple zones and impact absorbers at the front and rear, the C1 also boasts ISOFIX child seat anchor points, reinforced doors and up to six airbags. Whats more, its also well equipped to avoid a fender bender in the first instance with anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and corner stability control.
The C1 has also been designed to limit the consequences of a pedestrian impact wise indeed for a car that will doubtless spend much of its life in the urban environment. The front end features no sharp edges and impact absorbers up front also help to limit leg injuries. Theres plenty of clearance between the impact absorbing bonnet and the top of the engine which means that shock is dissipated without coming into contact with anything hard. Safe, stylish and looking set to offer sparkling value for money, the C1 ticks most of the citycar boxes.
It lands in a tough corner of the market, but its difficult to see how Citroen wont have a winner on their hands with this one.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Citroen C1 range
PRICES: £6,495-£8,445 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 1-2
CO2 EMISSIONS: 109g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.0] Top Speed 93mph / 0-60mph 13.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.0] (urban) 51.4mpg / (extra urban) 68.9mpg / (combined) 61.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS with EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/width/height 3435/1630/1465mm
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