... This combination limits youto a number of manufacturers it seems, and I ended up choosing between a diesel automatic Audi A3 and the Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR+ Coupe EGS. I chose the Citroen C4 based on the fact that it is better value for money (unsurprisingly) and looks better (I also already ... Read review
Advantages: Looks good, plenty of extras, well built, spacious interior, no clutch Disadvantages: Automatic gearchanges could be better timed
...automatic Audi A3 and the Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR+ Coupe EGS. I chose the Citroen C4 based on the fact that it is better value for money (unsurprisingly) and looks better (I also already have a Citroen Picasso)
Design
I chose the 3 door version, as it looks much better than the 5 door version (which looks like a Ford Focus), a bit sporty even, and meets my requirements. I chose the "Iron Grey" colour, which I think ... ...am very pleased with the Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR+ Coupe EGS and can anticipate years of happy motoring in it. The EGS is definitely welcome for those long journeys and slow as you don't have to worry about "clutcher's leg". Around town it also gives you more time to think about the road rather than changing gears. What I also like is the freedom to choose between automatic mode, and if you want more control, manual mode.
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When looking for a new car back in December 2006, I wanted something which ran on diesel, had a clutchless gearbox (i.e. automatic with paddleshift) and looked good. This combination limits youto a number of manufacturers it seems, and I ended up choosing between a diesel automatic Audi A3 and the Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR+ Coupe EGS. I chose the Citroen C4 based on the fact that it is better value for money (unsurprisingly) and looks better (I also already have a Citroen Picasso)
Design I chose the 3 door version, as it looks much better than the 5 door version (which looks like a Ford Focus), a bit sporty even, and meets my requirements. I chose the "Iron Grey" colour, which I think compliments the car's salmon-esque shape. I don't see many C4s in the South-East of the UK, and it does stand out amongst the usual German marques driving around Surrey.
The interior of the VTR+ is all black, and does give an impression of quality.
Comfort There is plenty of space for the driver and passengers, and the boot is well-sized. The driver's seat can be moved around in various directions, and the steering wheel moves up, down, back and forth.
Entertainment The standard 6 speaker stereo has, as far as I am concerned, a good quality sound. The best feature for me is the fact it plays MP3 CDs. So, you can burn MP3s to a CD-R on your PC (using Nero for example) and (if you sort them in folders according to the albums) they appear as individual albums which you can scroll through and select as they appear on the centre console screen. This totally negates the need for a CD-changer, and reduces the number of CDs you need to carry in the car. Another feature which you should ask for is an audio cable from the stereo head unit to your MP3 player's headphone socket. This isn't something which appears on the optional extras list, but if you ask for the PSA part 9706AG (the cable) and ask the dealer to update the code on the stereo, you get the connection installed in the glovebox for any MP3 player with a standard headphone socket. Not all dealers will know what you are talking about, so you may need to explain yourself and give them the part number.
Driving Experience Well, the main factors in this car which affect the overall driving experience are the diesel engine and the electronic gearbox (EGS). Having always driven a petrol engine I find the diesel to be a bit slower off the mark, but to have good acceleration at higher speeds. The engine noise is relatively low for a diesel I think, and the interior has good sound-proofing. The EGS is basically a clutchless gearbox (like VW's DGS), which gives the driver the option of either letting the computer do all the gearchanging in auto mode, or with a nudge of the lever to the left you go into manual mode whereby you can change the gears when you want by tapping the gear lever up or down, or by using the paddles on the steering wheel (tap the left paddle to go down a gear, the right one to go up - a la F1 racing!). There are 6 gears plus reverse. This still holds a novelty value for me, and keeps me amused. I do find however, that in auto-mode, the computer tends to change gears a bit later than I would if I were changing them manually. I also find that the electronically controlled gearchanges are less smooth than those I can manage on a standard manual gearbox. You can still move up or down a gear manually when in auto-mode, and I often find myself changing up from 1st to 2nd myself, as the EGS changes a bit later than I would like.
Economy I have done about 2000 miles so far (within 2.5 months), and it is managing 46.2mpg according to the car's computer.
Optional Extras The one other extra which is very important is the handsfree Bluetooth system. This can be controlled via the steering wheel, and is voice activated. It allows you to connect your phone to the car's stereo speaker system so that any incoming or outgoing calls are completely handsfree.
Summary In all, I am very pleased with the Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR+ Coupe EGS and can anticipate years of happy motoring in it. The EGS is definitely welcome for those long journeys and slow as you don't have to worry about "clutcher's leg". Around town it also gives you more time to think about the road rather than changing gears. What I also like is the freedom to choose between automatic mode, and if you want more control, manual mode.
