Citroen C4 Hatchback test drive since 2008 hatchback

C4: Part two

The last of the Italian designer Donato Coco for his twenty -year -old romance with a French automaker who was running into the conveyor of the Italian designer, who was running into the conveyor, was born in 2004. In 2005, Donato went to the new family to shake Ferrari, and in 2006 C4 received for design from the jury consisting of representatives of 48 world's largest automobile publications, the World Car of the Year title.
 
After the appearance of C4 about Citroen, they again started talking as an advantage of avant-garde automobile design (in the 90s of the last century the glory of Citrien, earned by models DS, SM and CX, faded due to the appearance of passing models like ZX and SAXO). Naturally, in this situation, designers during planned restyling in the form of a Coater did not radically change anything radically. In the cabin, there are even fewer changes in the cabin now at all there are no devices: the tachometer migrated from the hub under the visor in the center of the console. You sit, and in front of you is a pure field. True, you quickly get used to the complete absence of the dashboard in the usual place. Citroen is always so unusual that it does not mean uncomfortable. In addition, there are no other surprises in the cabin, and the comfort that was inherited from the first generation did not go away.
The interior still has a lot of soft plastic, comfortable chairs are covered with pleasant and eye, and to the touch material, and thanks to the large windshield, a small salon in the front is very spacious by the standards of the golf class. By the way, not only glazing works for this sensation, but also the cunning componing of C4 inside the wider than many classmates, and this parameter, apparently, plays a significant role in the subjective assessment of space. For example, one of the most spacious hatchbacks in the C-class Ford Focus width at the level of the front passengers of 1408 millimeters, and C4 1442 millimeters.
 
C4 is rich in options, especially by the standards of the average golf class. Multilayer side glasses, front and rear parking sensors (the location of obstacles is schematically demonstrated on the screen of the navigation system), bixenon headlights illuminating the road around the bend. It has been preserved in the list of additional equipment and a system warning about the intersection of a continuous line. The camera is monitored, which works at the same time with a vibrating mechanism in the driver's seat pillow. If you notice and run into a solid at speed more than 80 kilometers per hour, then the driver literally expects a powerful shake, from which you can wake up even after a week of lack of sleep (the function is checked on yourself, however, I did not fall asleep, but simply looked at the rural landscape in Parisian suburb during a test drive). At the same time, the system will not work if a turn signal is turned on.
A corporate sign of the latest Citroen models fixed hub of the steering wheel, of course, also has not gone anywhere. Recall that, using such a design, engineers were able to give the front cushion the optimal shape. However, some owners of Citroen do not like this technical solution, since because of it, turning the steering wheel, you have to unnaturally turn your fingers, trying to reach the key control keys or cruise control located on the hub. But not all but in general, but to pass the turns of the C4 is easy and fun, possess the kid. According to the company’s representatives, the ligament of the spring shock absorbers was finalized, but I did not notice any special differences compared to the previous generation in behavior on the road either with the updated compartment or in the hatchback for a short 60-kilometer test drive. All the same, to the best of a hard suspension, thanks to which I want to not slow down in a bend, but rather add gas.
Adding gas on the updated C4 will be much more interesting. After all, after restyling, the four had two new 1.6-liter engines developed by PSA in cooperation with BMW. Atmospheric engine VTI 120 produces 120 liters. p., its main advantage is moderately low fuel consumption (only 6.7 liters of gasoline per hundred in a mixed cycle on the handle), for which the Bavarian gas distribution mechanism Valvetronic is primarily responsible. The second engine, thanks to the Twin-Scroll turbocharger, gives 150 horses. True, in the only case, if a mechanic works with him, which, incidentally, will not be delivered to our market. Instead, you will have to limit ourselves to the version of Thp 140, which goes in the harness with an old, but by no means a good four -speed automatic. It is good at least that the new motor is painful, it partially led the stretched gear ratio of the checkpoint.
In general, it is good, of course, that after restyling, the car retained an impressive appearance. But this approach also has disadvantages. During a test drive in the vicinity of Paris, sitting at the wheel of an updated C4, I did not catch a single look. It was even somehow unusual. Usually at the presentations of new machines from the attention of the public you can sometimes even get tired. Therefore, no matter how strange it sounds, but once the avant -garde C4 in their new reading is unlikely to be suitable for those who want to stand out from the crowd. To him, as to everything good, very quickly got used to it three years ago. But the aesthetics of this car will not soon become obsolete, and its happy owner, in principle, may even grow old with his four. And what the hell is not joking, in 30 years, this Citroen will have the same collection value as the legendary DS!
Alexey Bykov
 


 

Source: Motor magazine [November 2008]