Citroen C4 Hatchback test drive since 2004 hatchback

Synonym for style

The appearance of C4, of course, is a milestone in the modern development of Citroen. The French brand, which has gained love for lovers of extravagant cars, has become frankly faceless in recent years, offering models that are appropriate to call pretty, but nothing more. Agree, they did not have a tenth share of charm 2CV, AMI 6, DC or XM. The company was helped by an alliance with Peugeot. The successor of the XSARA - C4 - was built on the PEUGEOT 307 bestseller platform, and therefore the creators were able to focus the main efforts on the design. Model C4 is a reminder that Citroen and style are related, joint things.

 

The first acquaintance with the car turned out to be crumpled. The Russian presentation was held in February in Crocus City EXPO. A terrible blizzard claimed the life of a test instance, which was broken about a pillar in the parking lot of one of the journalists during competitive mini-roads. Bad sign? Hardly. It turned out to be too beautiful a car - it is difficult to assume that such a failure in the Russian market will be comprehended.

 

Citroen C4 debuted in two types of body - as a three- and five -door hatchback. It is noteworthy that both modifications have fundamental differences in the design of the exterior, and this even prompted the creators of C4 to accompany the three -door version with the term compartment, which is much binding. Well, recently, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe coupe is often exploited - even the sedans are called that ...

 

The appearance of each modification is good in its own way. The front part unites them, extremely beautiful and expressive. Spectacular block faras, reminiscent of the form of the conceptual single-coature of C-Airlounge (xenon and rotary headlights-follow the steering). The hood dissected by the rib is clearly a successful front bumper, the air intake of which does not look so hypertrophied as, for example, on Peugeot 407. The five -door is calm - a round roof, rolling the back with vertical lights on the racks ... There is something common in appearance C4 and baby C3. Moderately extravagant and dynamic, rather peaceful and unobtrusive in general.

 

But the compartment is already a challenge to a golf class. This is a modern and original car that looks great from any angle, and in the back, one might say, dramatic. A semicircular roof, an almost sheer rear door with two -section glazing (the upper part of the glass is the final element of the roof) and the cunningly broken racks guarantee the machine universal increased attention.

 

In large arches - beautiful 17 -inch wheels with winter non -navigated rubber Michelin Pilot Alpine. Such wheels are a feature of the top version of C4 VTS Sport. Layers on the thresholds, black anti -wing on the back door and a chrome pipe of the configured graduation system, coupled with declared characteristics, make it clear that we have a hot hatchback. The next embodiment of the GTI ideology is a three -door body, a lightly forced four -cylinder engine, a configured suspension and a mechanical gearbox. The closest s4 VTS Sport analogues in our market are Ford Focus ST170 and Honda Civic Type-R. In general, the car is rare, and also Citroen. VTS nameplates on the sidewalls promise a lot of interesting things.

 

Inside C4, you experience almost more delight than when studying the machine from the outside. The front panel is made of high -quality soft plastic of non -trivial texture. In the center - an insert of polished aluminum. Original chairs of their own development Citroen have combined upholstery - Alcantara and mesh fabric. The liquid crystal display with a digital speedometer is located in the center of the panel and deployed to the driver. The display is translucent, its contrast and brightness are automatically regulated depending on the lighting. A tachometer gives rise to racing associations. It is also digital and is located on the steering hub fixed tightly (about it below). The horizontal scale is filled with black divisions, and after reaching maximum revolutions begins to flash red - magical! There are also a couple of information displayers.

 

Salon and appearance are the main trousers C4 in the struggle for the buyer. I meticulously examined the insides of other C4, five -door, in simpler trim levels in the showroom - only the coloring changed, the quality and presentability remained at an invariably high level. Here Golf V with his visual quality and high cost will be only the second (Mazda3, solidly lagging behind the glasses, is awarded an honorary bronze medal).

 

A fixed hub is one of the highlights C4. Citroen engineers have worked on this technical solution since 1998, together with Autoliv (recognized leader in the development of security systems for cars). For the first time, the development was demonstrated at the S-Airdream conceptual four years ago. The two -spoke steering wheel, which is spinning around the motionless hub, lined with leather, looks surreal. In a practical sense, such a solution made it possible to protect the driver by means of a safety pillow is more effective - in C4, in the open state, it has a non -standard spherical shape, but an oblong, elongated vertically. In addition, adjustment of the devices, control of a cruise control, an audio system and an on-board computer are displayed to the hub. This is not to say that this is more convenient compared to a conventional trunk, when the buttons rotate along with the steering wheel. But the contribution to passive security is obvious - you are not distracted at the wheel.

 

Another image bar is a flavor with interchangeable bottles built into the ventilation system. The database offers three aromas. For an additional fee, the gamut can be expanded to nine positions - bamboo, vanilla, lavender, jasmine, mimosa, etc. The author of the aromas is the perfume company Robertet. A big plus of the system is the ability to turn off the smell.

 

The chassis does not present the chassis, accurately copying the PEUGEOT 307 scheme: in front of Macpherson, behind a half -dependent suspension with a beam working for twisting. They are not looking for good from good - Peugeot goes quite well. Suspension settings to match the cocky motor. Hard shock absorbers and springs provide minimal rolls and lightning roses to the steering wheel. Unfortunately, it was not presented to check the potential of the chassis according to the full program due to the snow falling in Moscow. The maximum that could be counted on is wet asphalt. Be that as it may, the chassis has established itself from the best side - with regard to handling. However, you will have to put up with a number of obvious shortcomings. Discomfort will be your companion on most of the Moscow roads. There is no getting away from shaking, blows and noise from the suspension - this is a retribution for the severity of reactions and other delicious driver habits.

 

The motor is also not Citroenovsky - they just put this on the sports modification of Peugeot 206 GT. The two -liter engine is equipped with a phase change system at the inlet and can boast of remarkable indicators - 180 hp. at 7000 vol./min. To access the maximum moment (202 nm), you need to unscrew the engine up to 4700 revolutions! And how do you order to drive such a car? It will not be possible to feel sick in any case, one way out - twist!

 

Well, starting to twist, it’s already difficult to stop. The stretched transfer numbers of a five -speed checkpoint allow you to hang on a one or another gear for a long time, smoothly twisting the engine up to 3000 revolutions, then faster - up to 4500 and sharply, in the ringing - until the digital tachometer begins to flash red. The sound forced by the engine turns paired with the exhaust system caresses hearing. Acceleration is confident, assertive - 180 forces after all. The steering wheel is clean, unnecessary information is not transmitted to it, it does not knock it out of hand when passing irregularities, and feedback is enough to clearly clearly represent what position the front wheels are in. A hard suspension and low -profile tires are informed by the behavior of the car to a direct instability, but how convincingly it passes turns! In sliding, the car fails quite willingly and immediately deeply, demanding timely correction of the trajectory by the gas pedal and accurate actions by the steering wheel. There were no complaints about the brakes. It is difficult to overheat them (in any case in the cold), it is convenient to control the slowdown, and the effectiveness is good. The front brake discs of a larger diameter (302 mm versus 283 mm in other versions) are placed on the VTS version).

 

As for the features of equipping the utilitarian and practical sense, here the new Citroen fully corresponds to the title of modern hatchback. A spacious trunk, the ability to fold the backs of the rear seats, inner handles for closing the fifth door. But visibility in the direction of backwards is nowhere worse. Spectacular zigzag racks hide too much the amount of useful information. In addition, the two -section glass of the third door allows you to tolerate the road in the back tolerably only if it is completely clean. The small janitor helps poorly - it only mixes with its flickering traveling from behind.

 

C4 VTS is a choice of a person who is ready for the sake of appearance and outstanding running qualities to go to certain victims of a practical nature. Those who do not have the desire to stand out so strongly will suit the standard version of the compartment with a two -liter engine. A less effective, but more pragmatic way to emphasize your car personality is to drive five -door.

 

Cost and equipment of a car that has been on the test

 

The Citroen C4 VTS Sports set about $ 30.800 is hard to call the poor: alloy wheels R17, rubber - 205/50; eight airbags; adjustable steering column; Front seats adjustable in height; electronic systems ESP, ASR, ABS, EBA (plus the inclusion of emergency alarm during emergency braking); Cruise control; on-board computer; front fog lights (plus headlight washers); xenon rotary headlights; Electric drive of the front windows; parking sensor in the rear bumper; rain sensor and automatic turning on the background of the near light; dual-zone climate control; tire pressure sensor; Hi-Fi audio system with a CD changer; Alarm, central castle.

 

Citroen C4 prices and equipment

 

In the Russian market, C4 is offered with 1.6 liter gasoline engines (110 hp), 2.0 l (143 hp) and 2.0 l (180 hp). Three types of configuration are provided. The five -door C4 X in the basic configuration and with a 1.6 liter engine will cost $ 18.050. There is a washer of headlights, ABS, an on-board computer, a central castle with DU and alarm, front electric windows, an adjustable steering wheel, eight airbags, cruise control and fog lights. Prices for more richly equipped C4 SX will start from $ 20.190 (climate control and LOOK packet are added - moldings in the color of the body). After paying $ 21.610, you will additionally receive an automatic Tiptronic gearbox. The most expensive option is the SX Pack Tiptronic with 2 l of the engine (143 hp), casting R16 castes, electronic auxiliary control systems, CD changer - $ 27.350. Prices on the compartment begin with the $ 19.030 mark - they want so much for the C4 COUPE VTR version with a 1.6 liter engine, which differs from the basic configuration of a five -door by the presence of climate control and heating the seats. VTR Tiptronic will cost $ 20.450, but the cost of the top version of the VTS Sport, we remind, is $ 30.800.

 

Text: Leonty Tyutelev
 
 

 

Source: Motor magazine [No. 4/2005]