Walking up to the C4 you can see the slight changes to the styling, if anything this make it less SUV-looking. This makes sense as this is now the only version of the C4 available in Ireland.

The test car came with 17-inch “Cross” alloy wheels, chrome surround on the grille and the near-standard rear privacy glass on the back. Once inside, the Citroën is a very comfy place to be with the grey interior being a nice match to the exterior colour. Looking at the seats, they seem to be a little benchlike but are surprisingly comfortable. This is due to Citroën’s advanced-comfort seats.

Citroen C4 Cactus Flair 130.

On the tech front, the Citroën has all the driver aids and comforts anyone could need. It comes with front-parking sensors, driver attention alert, speed recognition and lane departure warning. These are all very useful and not the norm for a car in this price range.

On the road

The Citroën doesn’t look like a driver’s car and could never claim to be one, but what it loses in agility it more than makes up for in comfort. The progressive hydraulic cushions that have replaced the standard suspension components allow the C4 to handle sharp changes of road surface with little or no judder that you tend to get with the standard set-up. This is most noticeable at low speed, when travelling at higher speed the trickery allows the suspension to feel stiff enough to make it drivable but not sporty. Body roll is there but not to the extent of the C4’s relation the 2CV which was known for the oddball angle which could be attained when cornering.

Citroen C4 Cactus Flair 130.

On the motorway the C4 manages to be well-behaved. The 1.2 litre, three-cylinder engine has a decent 130bhp and manages to deliver it with less fuss than some of the three-cylinder motors on the market. It can make a slightly off-putting noise when being revved more vigorously than it ever would be in day-to-day running.

On the open road, road noise is moderate but isn’t an issue. The gearbox is very good with a short enough throw to make it swift to get the gear you want without any fuss. Off the main road the C4 is a bit of a hoot to drive, with the three-cylinder engine working away and the little bit of body roll making it all feel quite exciting. The steering is good, you can feel a lot of the road surface up through it but when you turn, it grips very well and goes where it is meant to go.

Verdict

All in all the new C4 is a very good car, it is interesting that Citroën have decided that it is the only version that they need to sell in Ireland. The fact that they have put comfort above all else makes it stand out from the crowd. The quirky styling of the original has been toned down which will bring in more of the middle ground buyers who populate the majority of the crowd at this price point and class of car. With some nice technology and amazing suspension, the C4 will be a big hit for Citroën if they can get people to test drive it.