Sitges, Spain. mobile.bg team from the event site.
After four years on the market, the current generation of Citroën C4 received its first restyling. The changes are not small at all, and our acquaintance with the new C4 took place on the outskirts of Barcelona. But what exactly is this car? The car definitely stands out from the "mass", as an exact definition for it is difficult to give. The closest one is a raised coupe-shaped fastback with four or five doors. After the modernization, this vision remains, and is even more interesting and, above all, more modern. The French have done one of those cosmetic surgeries that seriously rejuvenates the appearance of the car, and, at least in our opinion, they have done it very well. Here are our impressions of the C4's redesign.
Exterior
We focus mainly on the C4, which is the most modified and which nevertheless keeps its morphology and dimensions of 4.36 meters long by 1.80 meters wide and 1.53 meters high almost intact, with the same wheelbase of 2.67 meters and a relatively high ground clearance of 15.6 centimeters. Its external image, however, is completely different, especially in the front, which now follows the new design line of the brand. Now the face of this redesigned vehicle (actually both - C4 and C4 X) looks much more vertical and looks more like an SUV than a sedan.
And having mentioned the two versions C4 and C4 X, we must say for those of you who do not know that the difference is in the rear and starts from the B-pillar. Overall, the X version is longer and has a significantly larger trunk. All this was achieved by extending the rear overhang of the car, while the wheelbase was not changed. In other words, the C4 is a 5-door hatchback, and the C4 X has a four-door sedan body. But let's get back to the exterior. The front grille has a new cut that allows the integration of the new brand logo. The headlights are integrated into new housings with a new design, the horizontal air intake has been expanded - now also with optics on both sides - and the bumper looks quite different, with a distinctive "apron" and above all, a solid lower part.
The roof is completely black, eliminating the previous effect of a “floating roof“. The chrome details on the exterior are almost absent, most of them are now black, giving the car a more modern and contemporary touch. The protective moldings on the doors have also been changed, as well as the design of the 18-inch wheels. Even the antenna on the roof is different, now of the “shark fin“ type. Moving to the rear, it seems incredible how the C4 could change so much, when in fact the changes are so few.
The black “piano lacquer” spoiler remains, as does the flat part just below it. What has changed is the shape and placement of the lights, now completely flattened and somewhat elongated with the idea of increasing the feeling of width of the car. The Citroën logo is no longer present at the rear, having been replaced by the brand name located between the taillights. On the other hand, the C4 X is much more timid with the changes at the rear, and only the new Citroën logo is noticeable there. In other words, we can safely say that the facelift is quite successful. The French have made a serious redesign, which is not limited to subtle changes, as is usually the case. The changes are significant and give the C4 and C4 X a completely different appearance. In our opinion, in the right direction.
Interior
Inside the cabin, the changes are much less visible than outside. Sitting in the driver's seat, we notice that the steering wheel has been changed quite a bit and includes the new brand logo, but we also have a new instrument screen. Before it was really small, only 5.5 inches, and now it's 7 inches, but against the background of everything else in the cabin, it's the one that spoils the picture, because it looks like an integrated tablet. Otherwise, the central 10-inch touchscreen remains the same, but benefits from a modernized infotainment system that now supports remote software updates and wireless connection to a mobile phone with iOS or Android.
From there, there are things that remain, some fortunately, like the specific controls for the climate control; and some a little less fortunate, like the abundance of black piano lacquer surfaces that quickly get dirty and remain "on your fingers". What we really liked is that Citroën continues to focus on comfort in the cabin, this time updating its front seats. Now they are even more comfortable than before and we can safely say that they are the most comfortable in the segment.
Where nothing has changed - apart from the new upholstery and lining - is in the back row - something that can ultimately be expected with a restyling. We still have the same good legroom and a pretty decent width, but the roof is close to the head when it comes to taller passengers. This, in addition to the sloping ceiling, is also due to the fact that this vehicle is built on a platform that offers 100% electric versions; Therefore, space must be made under the body to accommodate the battery, which requires a corresponding lift of the floor.
The trunks of the C4 and C4 X remain unchanged, which is not actually bad news. The C4's trunk has a sill that is still a little high, and the cargo space retains the same 380 liters - a capacity that we can consider normal for a compact C segment and which, if necessary, reaches 1,250 liters with the seats folded. As for the C4 X, we have already mentioned that its trunk is very different. Let's start with the fact that instead of a door it has a lid and offers 510 liters of capacity (that is, 130 liters more than the C4), as well as a much deeper base. Only the smaller opening compared to that of the C4 makes it a little less functional. In conclusion, we will say that the changes in the cabin are fewer than the exterior, but they are right in place, mainly increasing comfort. And the most noticeable change is related to the new comfortable seats.
Engine and driving characteristics
The main disadvantage, in our opinion, is the lack of a diesel engine. But this is a trend that everyone is swaying towards and they do it not out of whim, but out of compulsion, and we cannot consider it a disadvantage of the new C4. Otherwise, the new C-four is available with mild hybrid gasoline versions with 100 and 136 hp. , as well as two 100% electric versions with 136 and 156 hp. Our opinion is that the more powerful hybrid is the optimal offer for this car.
And for this reason we chose to test the 136 hp mild hybrid version for our "first contact", featuring a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine and a small electric motor with a power of 29 hp. This, as we said, is the best gasoline option and is in practice a very mild hybrid evolution of the older Puretech engines. But the most important thing is that the very ill-conceived arrangement of the belt in the oil bath has now been abandoned in the new engines, and the C4 variants with internal combustion engines and the one with 100 horsepower have a chain timing mechanism.
In other words, here too the changes are positive, except for the lack of diesel, and now the powertrains and more specifically the microhybridization have provided the Citroën C4 with reduced fuel consumption and, hopefully, greater reliability. On the move, with this 136 hp engine The C4 reaches a top speed of 210 km/h and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 8 seconds. Consumption has improved significantly and now the on-board computer reported an average of 5.7 per 100 km.
Compared to the previous generation of this engine, which had the same power and was based on the same block, but without hybridization, the new one is significantly more dynamic. The assistance of the small electric motor during the acceleration and after-acceleration phases allows the small gasoline engine to "breathe more easily". As for fuel economy, it is felt mostly in the city, where the car often drives only in electric mode, even much more often than we expected.
With this engine, the only transmission option is a six-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox, which is the work of the Punch Powertrain company, which was acquired by Stellantis only a few days ago. This transmission allows manual use via steering wheel paddles and it is advisable to use this mode on winding roads to keep the engine revving. Otherwise, when operating in automatic mode, we can choose between three driving modes - Eco, Comfort and Sport, but the differences are minimal. The sport mode extends the speeds a little more, but to drive carefree on mountain roads, it is better, as we said, to use manual mode, leaving the automatic for what it was created for and where it is most convenient, in the city and on the highway. In general, this car does not have a sporting purpose, but it is true that it allows for pleasant driving thanks to the good performance of both the engine and the gearbox.
As for the suspension, it is the usual one with the typical double-acting shock absorbers for the French brand and offers one of the softest rides for a car in this class. The suspension remains "Advanced Comfort" with shock absorbers with hydraulic limiters and is very comfortable. On the road, the car overcomes potholes, while providing high levels of comfort, but the suspension compression is noticeable and the setting is soft, precisely to generate the comfort we are talking about and which is a priority for the manufacturer. However, soft suspensions have as their main drawback the strong body roll in corners, something that in the C4 is largely corrected by the aforementioned double-acting shock absorbers, in which the first part of the stroke is soft to compensate for irregularities, and the second prevents excessive movement of the body in the lateral direction when cornering. It is obvious that the lean of this car is more pronounced than others in the same segment, but when cornering it conveys good sensations and once you get used to the initial movement, its behavior predisposes to smooth and problem-free driving.
In addition to this 136 hp micro-hybrid version and the less powerful 100 hp version available only for the five-door coupe, these Citroën C4 and C4 X are also available in two electric versions - the first with the basic electrical system of the old PSA models with a 50 kWh battery and a 136 hp engine and the second with the evolution of this system, which includes a 54 kWh battery and an engine that increases power to 156 hp. The range in the first case is 360 km, and in the second 420 km, and in both cases the battery can be charged with up to 100 kW of power. In other words, nothing revolutionary, which once again supports our claim that the more powerful hybrid version is the optimal one for this model.
Prices of the new Citroën C4 and C4 X
The range of this car is relatively simple. The C4 is available with a 100 horsepower engine in the basic You equipment level from 49,216 BGN including VAT. With the 136 horsepower micro-hybrid engine, prices start at 50,936 BGN including VAT and reach 58,645 BGN including VAT for the highest Max equipment level. While the electric models have a price starting at 68,923 BGN including VAT and reach 78,453 BGN including VAT. The prices of the X version are slightly higher and range from 53,370 to 79,417 leva including VAT.
The update of these two cars, despite the presence of a B-segment platform (the same used, for example, by the Peugeot 2008 and Opel Moka), is more thorough than one might expect from a simple redesign. Aesthetically, they are already gaining presence and look like more serious cars, both front and rear, while in the mechanical part, the arrival of mild hybrids and especially ICE with chain distribution is excellent news both in terms of performance and reliability. With attractive prices, these C4s are repositioning themselves in the segment as one of the best alternatives for those on a limited budget who do not want to buy cars of Chinese origin. And the new C-fours are produced in Europe, and more specifically in Madrid.
@mobile.bg_official We tested the new Citroen C4. More information see the link in the bio #citroen #mobile #mobilebg ♬ Beautiful Things - Katrina Stone