Citroen C1

Manufacturer
Citroen

Model
C1

Segment/Specs
Supermini

Cheap as chips, but it's pretty basic stuff.

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Performance

With a 1.0-litre petrol and 1.4 diesel at 68bhp and a slow 55bhp respectively there's not a lot of choice. The petrol is the better model here, which will perform well in towns and – given a bit of thrash – on the motorway.

Driving

Nippy in the urban sprawl but a firm ride and merely decent suspension. Doesn't take fast cornering in its stride, due to poor grip.

Feel

Noisy at higher speeds, the novelty of the engine's bark soon wears off.

Price

Cheap, cheap, cheap. Tax and fuel economy are superb, though residuals won't be great.

Quality

Slightly cheap-looking inside but expected to be reliable, particularly the diesel.

Safety

Two front airbags as standard with ABS with corner stability control. Side airbags in Rhythm trim.

Space

Four average adults will be OK but the bootspace is dreadful at 139 litres. 50/50 split rear seating opens it up to 712 litres though.

Equipment

Entry-level trim has 3- or 5-door versions with CD player with MP3 connection. 5-door-only Rhythm trim has electric front windows, and optional air-con.

Alternatives

Fiat Panda, Kia Picanto

Pros

Cheap, practical, good urban drive.

Cons

Poor kit, firm drive.

Unusual, but in a good way.

by T. Smith (Nottingham) - 19/09/2005 19:22:36

I spend a lot of time looking for a car for my daughter. She quite liked the C1, so I decided to take one for a test drive. It was nothing short of amazing - such a small car, but an incredible amount of fun. In fact, I liked it so much that I ended up buying one for myself, too. My wife wasn't too impressed, but grew to like it as well. The funny thing is, now she wants one too! In a not-too-far future, I imagine there will be 3 Citroen C1s parked outside our house: My silver 5-door one, my daughter's blue 2-door, and my wife's. Personally, I think the 5-door is most useful, but I must admit that my daugher's looks better. All in all, a great little all-round car!