Lots to like about Citroen cars

FOR A lot of people colour is nearly as important as make when choosing a new car. This thought came to mind last week when I drove a gorgeous Babylon Red-coloured Citroen C4.

It was really nice, but truth be told many people in Ireland still have worries about residual values for Citroens. To be fair, the French manufacturer has worked hard in recent years to try and make their cars more attractive to larger groups of people, but it looks like the company is still suffering from those perceptions of the past.

Citroen’s funky-looking Cactus has been selling well in Ireland this year and the company recently made a big fuss when launching their 1.2-litre pure tech petrol version of the revamped C4. However, the version I tested was diesel, which also had a very frugal engine.

At first glance the C4 would remind you of the Peugeot 308 and that’s only natural as they both come from the same PSA stable in France. This revamped version features new headlights, all the latest kit, a range of new engines and an updated interior.

It’s a very comfortable hatchback and the seats are the most comfortable I have sat in this year. The grey-coloured material on the seats looks really class – it reminded me of a colour you would see in a man’s suit; really attractive. In case you might be thinking this car is only for males, the test model was loved by all the females in our house.

Inside there is plenty of head and leg room for five adults. The dash is well laid out and the radio controls are easy to use with plenty of stations stored.

There is a huge boot and underneath is a

‘mini’ spare wheel, which is always appreciated. However, that spare wheel and the 17-inch Miami alloys will cost you an extra

?¬450. I could manage without the fancy alloys, but for peace of mind it’s worth that little extra for the spare wheel.

On the road this is a decent car to travel in. Road and wind noise have been reduced thanks to additional soundproofing around the car. Overall, very comfortable to drive and you certainly won’t need many pit stops if you drive the diesel version.

We can all learn from one another and a colleague pointed out a nice little extra in the C4, which is also available in some other type of cars when opening and locking. If you hold down the unlocking button on the fob all four windows rolls down simultaneously; likewise they will close together if you do the same when locking the car.

Now you may well say what use is that? But on a warm summer’s day if you return to your car the interior may be very hot, but you can quickly reduce the heat by opening all four windows in a few seconds. Also, when you lock the car the side mirrors also fold in, which is useful if parking in a tight spot.

Prices start at

?¬19,995 for the new 1.2-litre PureTech petrol, while the Blue HDi100 Flair version I drove will cost you

?¬23,395. A lovely car, but it’s competing in a very tough section with the likes of the Ford Focus and there is that long-term worry about residuals.

However, as my motoring friend pointed out, as a nation we have moved on in many ways; maybe it’s time we also moved on regarding cars and gave Citroen credit for the effort they have put into designing their cars.