Test drive Citroen C4: "Cherchez la femme!"

The public showing of the restyled Citroen C4 in Russia took place at the capital's auto show in 2008. For the C4 of the 2009 model year, the hood, rear lights, and bumpers were updated, due to which the car gained 15 mm in length, as well as the design of the wheel rims for 16 and 17 inches. In addition, the false radiator grille changed, and three new options were added to the palette of body colors.

Thanks to the new bumpers, the Citroen C4 lengthened by 15 mm. The hood, false radiator grille, and rear lights also changed, new 16- and 17-inch wheels appeared, and the palette of body colors was supplemented with three new shades

The five-door version looks like a harmonious union of elongated proportions, boomerang-shaped headlights at the front, and a neat rear end — all together forms a dynamic image with a distinct French character. This, perhaps, is where the external changes of the Citroen C4 end. Overall, the exterior has become fresher, acquired more modern and urban notes, which is quite logical for a compact car, the role of which the "four" claims.

The three-door looks even lighter and more impetuous. The rear, cut at an acute angle to the roof line, makes the profile very swift. The wedge-shaped silhouette is further emphasized by the rear lights, which draw attention to the unusual rear pillars.

The five-door is a successful combination of elongated forms, front boomerang headlights, and elegant rear lights with a swift silhouette that clearly expresses French design.

Inside, new, higher-quality trim materials appeared. The tachometer, which previously lived on the fixed part of the steering column, has now moved to the instrument cluster in the center of the front panel. Now you can read the speedometer and tachometer readings with a single glance. But the buttons and controls on the signature fixed steering wheel hub are still inconvenient: this ergonomic technique is implemented much better in the new Citroen C5. It is unclear why not borrow the solution from there.

The appearance has noticeably freshened up, the updated C4 has become more modern and urban, which is just right for a small city car, which is what the "four" is positioned as.

The front seats are quite comfortable, with moderate lateral support — they do not claim sportiness, but there is no feeling of roll either. In 2009, in Russia, they will start selling the Citroen C4 with the new MyWay navigation, which has a color 7-inch screen and Bluetooth support. This is a budget version of the NaviDrive system, which was also modernized: a display with higher resolution, a USB port, and a 30 GB hard drive, of which ten gigabytes can be occupied by music.

The updated Citroen C4 uses improved trim materials. The front seats have moderate lateral support without claiming sportiness. Using the buttons and controls on the signature "Citroen" fixed hub is inconvenient: this ergonomic algorithm is much better developed in the new Citroen C5. The soft and uninformative "automatic" selector makes you constantly miss the desired mode.

In Russia, the new Citroen C4 will be sold with three engines — all of them are 1.6-liter. The base five-door got the old 110 hp engine. But then the main differences of the updated C4 begin. Now the Frenchman with a double chevron on the hood can be equipped with a new 1.6-liter engine created by the PSA Peugeot Citroen alliance together with BMW. These engines have been installed on Peugeot cars for about two years.

Now the Frenchman with a double chevron on the hood is equipped with a new 1.6-liter engine developed by the PSA Peugeot Citroen alliance together with the BMW concern.

But in order. The "new" naturally aspirated engine develops 120 hp and works in pairs with a 5-speed manual or a 4-range automatic — these gearboxes moved to the updated Citroen C4 without any changes. The turbocharged version already produces 150 hp and is equipped with a new 6-speed manual gearbox. The version with the "automatic" is detuned to 140 hp, because the old automatic transmission cannot handle more.

On the left side of the bright and contrasting screen, an electronic tachometer appeared, which "moved" from the steering column. To the left of it is a block of warning lamps, to the right are indicators for unfastened seat belts and open doors. On the fixed hub, the indicators for turn signals, high beam, and fog lights remained.

For the test, we got a five-door Citroen C4 with a naturally aspirated 120-horsepower engine and a 4-speed automatic. The engine pleased. When you do not interfere with the gearbox, the engine shows confident traction and decent elasticity. It is clear that the French worked on the sound insulation of the engine compartment — it has become noticeably quieter and more comfortable in the cabin. But the automatic disappointed. The selector is soft and completely uninformative, you constantly miss the desired mode. The gearbox is slow both when starting off and when overtaking. On the highway, it is worth adding extra seconds: first you think about which of the four gears to choose, and then you wait for the shift itself. Sometimes when starting, it seems that the torque is wandering somewhere inside the transmission, not finding a way out. It is a pity that a good new engine is held back by an old sluggish gearbox. They say that the C4 with the new 6-speed manual leaves much more pleasant impressions.

The French clearly worked on the sound insulation of the engine compartment – now the cabin of the C4 has become quieter and more comfortable.

On the road, the Citroen C4 behaves calmly and reliably, without excitement. On this French hatchback, you do not feel like racing or having races from traffic lights. The suspension is tuned for comfort. The C4 swallows small potholes and joints so that passengers almost do not notice them. But despite the fact that the rear suspension was refined during the restyling, characteristic "thuds" appear on serious bumps. The steering with electric power assist is excellent for the city, but at speed the steering wheel becomes empty in the near-zero zone, and you have to constantly correct, especially on imperfect roads. But the light steering wheel will please women when parking in tight spaces. If you start actively working the steering wheel in corners, the stability system intervenes: it does not turn off at speeds above 50 km/h and is always ready to correct the driver's actions.