In the South African car market, the 1,6 litre hatchback has eternal appeal and is always a popular choice for the mass market. Vehicles like the VW Golf have been a mainstay for South African motorists for several decades. Toyota made a tremendous impact on the market with the RunX, which has since evolved into the Auris. Now the French are entering this hotly contested segment with a typical flair for style and innovation.
Citroen in particular, is blazing new trails, with vehicles like the DS3 showing in no uncertain terms that the French marque has a powerful vision of the future. Citroen is also attempting to explode out of its niche by expanding its dealer network in South Africa and bringing down the price of spare parts, an issue which frequently gives potential new customers pause when it comes to fully imported vehicles.
So is the new C4 the car to attract a broader market and take on the likes of the ever popular 1,6 litre hatchback category currently dominated by the likes of the Auris, Golf and all new Ford Focus? Design wise, at first glance - and especially next to the DS3 - it looks fairly tame.
But the C4 is going to form the mainstay of Citroen’s bread and butter range, so we can’t expect the same fireworks as the DS3 wonder wagon. By virtue of the fact that it has to appeal to a far broader market it has to be a more conservative looking vehicle than the distinctly youthful DS3. Still, not all is lost and there are several very racy alloy wheels to choose from – in sizes ranging from 16 to 18 inches – which is a quick and easy way to give the C4 added sex appeal.
It’s in the actual driving experience, however, where the main appeal of the C4 lies. Motoring website Wheels24, invited to drive the mid-level VTi 120 Seduction model, reported that the naturally aspired 1.6 litre engine made for a “smooth, yet zesty” drive with an “incredibly light” manual gearbox. They added that “combined with the C4’s feather-light steering, these qualities contribute to a car that’s easy to manoeuvre.”
Encouraging signs indeed! This continues through to the ride quality which he found ‘extremely comfortable’ which bodes well if you tend to spend a lot of time commuting. However, it was suggested that those looking for a sportier ride with firmer, more responsive handling should probably look elsewhere.
They also found the ride ‘incredibly refined’, with very little noise from the 88KW engine making its way into the cabin, even when the car was pushed hard. The interior of the C4 features plenty to keep the gadget freak entertained, while maintaining a relatively low-key style with chrome highlights, tasteful upholstery and soft, grey plastics. Even the middle-of-the-road Seduction model comes standard with features such as MP3, Bluetooth and USB functions. Other cool features (standard or optional, depending on model) include front and rear parking sensors with gap measurement, blind-spot indicators and massage seats for both front occupants.
In the safety realm items such as ABS and airbags are expected to come standard in most mid-range models these days, and the C4 is no exception. In fact all cars sold in South Africa will come standard with EBD, EBA, ESP, two front and curtain airbags and two IsoFix anchors for the kids’ seats. As an added peace of mind bonus it holds a five-star Euro NCAP rating.
So what is all this French flair going to set you back? Well, the tested vehicle is the mid-range C4 – the VTi 120 Seduction – which goes for R218 900. The entry level C4 – the VTi 120 Attraction - goes for R209 900, which includes the C02 tax.
CITROËN Umhlanga
Contact Justin Singh (New Vehicle Sales Manager)
031 575 9000 • 082 377 8624
Visit our website or join us on Facebook • email justins@mcmotor.co.za
