Citroen C4 (2004 – 2010) Review

October 2003

New Citroen C4 launched

Radically styled new car replaced the boring looking Xsara in 2003. Very French, like contemporary Renault Meganes. Should please Citroen fans. 4,274mm long (14') x 1,810mm (5' 11") wide.

Shared floorpan and Euro IV engines with Peugeot 307. Petrol 90 - 180PS. Diesels 92 - 138PS. 5-door and 3-dr coupe. Both Cd 0.28. Launch September 2004 Paris Motor Show. Steering wheel turns around a fixed boss. In UK from November 2004. Nicer to drive than Xsara.

1.6i SX Auto and a 2.0i Exclusive Auto from March 2005. 6 speed electro-hydraulic automated clutch transmission (EGS) available for 1.6HDI from July 2006. Gets under 120g/km, so Congestion Charge Free from Feb 2008. Very small price premium. SX 5-dr just £14,300 after cashback, VTR 3-dr coupe just £14,990 and VTR 5-dr £15,300.

Bioflex 1.6 launched February 2008. Runs on E85 bioethanol with CO2 cut from 169g/km on petrol to 160g/km on E85. Small power boost to 113bhp and torque increased to 153Nm.

July 2008

New 1.6-litre petrol versions added

Same 1.6 litre petrol engines as 207 and 308, co-developed with the BMW group – the VTi 120 hp (Variable valve lift and Timing Injection) and THP 150 hp (Turbo High Pressure). These new units will be replacing the 1.6i 16V and 2.0i 16V respectively and offer improved fuel economy and lower emissions, whilst new low-rolling-resistance Michelin Energy Saver® tyres also improve efficiency

March 2009

Citroën C4 ‘by Loeb launched

Citroen C4 Coupe given the WRC treatment for a new limited, special edition. The Citroën C4 ‘by Loeb’, named after the world’s most successful rally driver ever - Sebastien Loeb - features sporty new interior and exterior designing, dynamic body colours and a well specified equipment list. Each limited edition will also be tagged with a unique serial number plaque mounted in the cabin.

Available in either Sport Red or Black, the racy new C4 ‘by Loeb’ features Sébastien Loeb’s signature on the doors, a unique ‘by Loeb’ sticker on the tailgate and door mirrors finished in either red, or black with aluminium-effect. Completing the car’s sporty style, the C4 ‘by Loeb’ is fitted with a sleek spoiler and dynamic 17” alloy wheels coloured in either white or black depending on the body colour.

Inside, steel décor around the central air vents and aluminium finishes on both the pedals and gear knob. Leather steering wheel and gear lever are complemented by smart red stitching and the sports seats are finished in black and red ‘3D X-ray’ mesh cloth. There are also floor mats with red surrounds detailed with a unique ‘by Loeb’ design. Also has air conditioning, automatic rain-sensitive windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, electrochrome rear view mirror, MP3 compatible CD player and Citroën’s innovative fixed-centred controls steering wheel. The C4 is one of the safest vehicles on the road today with six airbags, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), cruise control with speed limiter and ESP with traction control1. Combining punchy performance with fuel economy and low CO2 emissions, the C4 ‘by Loeb’ can offer a frugal combined 62.8mpg with the 1.6HDi 16V 110hp, or an impressive 0-62mph in just 8.4 seconds with the 1.6i 16V THP 150hp.

• 1.6 16V VTi 120hp ‘by Loeb’ £14,395.00 OTR
• 1.6i 16V THP 150hp ‘by Loeb’ £15,395.00 OTR
• 1.6HDi 16V 110hp ‘by Loeb’ £15,895.01 OTR

April 2009

Citroen C4's power unit wins International Engine of The Year award

The 2009 International Engine of the Year award in the ‘1.4-litre to 1.8-litre category’ has again been won by the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder direct injection turbo petrol engine designed by PSA Peugeot Citroën in cooperation with BMW Group. Introduced in 2007 in the Peugeot 207, the 175bhp version of the engine also equips the Peugeot 308 GT THP 175. The 1.4 to 1.6-litre engine range delivers between 95 to 175bhp and is capable of producing over 200bhp for future product developments.

October 2009

Facelifted, with PSA/BMW VVTi chain cam 1.6 engines adopted

C4 1.6 16V VTi 120hp (Variable valve lift and Timing Injection). The VTi 120hp petrol engine, with a manual or automatic gearbox, replaces the 1.6i 16V 110hp unit, offering an economical and responsive driving experience, with fuel efficiency of 42.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 159g/km on the combined cycle (down 6% on the former unit).

The VTi unit is fitted with an aluminium block and cylinder head and features continuously variable valve timing. The intake valves also benefit from a system that allows their maximum travel to be adjusted gradually depending on the force applied to the accelerator pedal. These two features boost engine efficiency and increase responsiveness with some 90% of maximum torque available all the way through the rev range from under 2,000 through to 6,000rpm.

The new THP 150hp (Turbo High Pressure) engine provides the perfect blend of higher performance, driving pleasure and economy with significantly lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With its six-speed manual gearbox, the THP 150hp’s fuel consumption is 40.9mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 164g/km.

The THP 150hp features engine technology that is new to the C4 range with the introduction of direct sequential injection and a twin-scroll turbocharger as well as continuously variable inlet valve timing. This gives the engine excellent low-down pulling power with maximum torque of 177lb.ft almost all the way from just 1,400 through to 3,500rpm and continues strongly through the rev range.

Citroën’s HDi diesel engine line-up is widely recognised for its frugal, clean and dynamic qualities, and in keeping with the model’s upgrade, the C4’s diesel engine range has also been improved.

The 2.0HDi unit with six-speed manual gearbox and particulate filter fitted as standard, boasts fuel efficiency of 53.3mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of just 140g/km. The other diesel powered models – the 1.6HDi 92hp and 1.6HDi 16V 110hp DPFS EGS – are just as dynamic as before and now even greener thanks to a switch to low rolling resistance Michelin Energy Saver® tyres, available on 16-inch wheels, which reduce the fuel consumption and lower the CO2 emissions. Now 120g/km.

March 2010

Citroën announces new Airdream+ range

Thanks to the introduction of two environmentally sensitive and economically rewarding Airdream+ versions of C3 Picasso and C4 Hatchback. These two new models make up the range alongside the existing 99g/km New C3 Airdream+, which was launched at the start of the year.

With combined cycle fuel economy of between 62.8mpg and 74.3mpg, and CO2emissions from just 99g to 119g/km, the Airdream+ range delivers low running costs and free first year VED.

Showcasing Citroën’s smart, ‘green’ technologies, Airdream+ models feature fuel-efficient HDi engines, ‘optimised’ gearbox technology and a focus on environmentally considerate engineering. They also come with an array of complimentary equipment, on top of the VTR+ specification on which they are based.

The Airdream+ range is powered by Citroën’s lauded HDi diesel technology - with New C3 and C4 models featuring the Company’s renowned Diesel Particulate Filter System (DPFS). An ‘optimised’ manual gearbox with a Gear Efficiency Indicator is specified on the New C3 Airdream+, and a fuel-saving Auto EGS gearbox features on the C4 Airdream+. A part-by-part focus on reducing overall weight, the use of 85% re-cyclable components and a number of ‘green’ materials during manufacture, also support the range’s ecological credentials.

Environmentally sensitive and economical to run, the Airdream+ range is also exceptionally well equipped, with all three Airdream+ models boasting additional equipment over and above the VTR+ specification - at no extra cost.

• The New C3 Airdream+ gains rear parking sensors and a Connecting Box, which features Bluetooth® and a USB socket for portable music players.
• The C3 Picasso Airdream+ also benefits from the Connecting Box, plus rear parking sensors, electric rear windows and electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors.
• The C4 Hatchback Airdream+ gains the Connecting Box and rear parking sensors, as well as automatic digital air conditioning (manual air conditioning is specified on the equivalent VTR+ model).