But a representative with a very bright and non-budget appearance. Remember Pushkin? “... At first Madame followed him, then Monsieur replaced her. The child was sharp, but sweet. Monsieur l "Abbe, a wretched Frenchman ..." - damn it, well, it’s also impossible! There should have been some words about something French, beautiful and with parallels in the work of Alexander Sergeevich, but for some reason from all the work of "our everything "it is these lines that come into my head when my colleague and I are rolling around Pushkin's places in the novelty of the French automobile industry. And this despite the fact that it is somehow, and the novelty of our market cannot be called" wretched ". Colleagues who managed to try it" brother "- Peugeot 408, noted that with the proximity of the designs of these cars, Citroen does not look like a "Chinese" car, although it is intended primarily for the markets of China and Russia. And if you compare it with other products of Western automakers for emerging markets, Citroen the brainchild does not look like leftovers from the master's table, which were thrown to third world consumers under the nameplate of a prestigious Western brand.
The body of the C4 sedan was created on the basis of the body of the two-volume Citroen C4. To match our realities, the design has undergone significant changes, "aimed at increasing comfort and practicality." So, the wheelbase increased by 10 cm (up to 2708 mm) made it possible to provide a large space for the rear passengers - so they love it in China - and to bring the trunk volume to 440 liters.
A ground clearance of 176 mm and a metal crankcase are an important plus for buyers in the provinces.
But first of all, it is not this utilitarian component that catches the eye, but the appearance of a beginner. And he has a very bright one - what is one rear glass of an unusual concave shape worth. Full face C4 sedan looks very fashionable thanks to the "chevron", shining in chrome, and an abundance of ribbed surfaces. Everything is bright, extravagant, maybe a little over the top. Even if the novelty reminds a little of Porthos's bandage, sewn with gold only on the front for economy, but this sewing is done without loss of taste, which Asian manufacturers often sin.
On the first day, I got a Citroen C4 sedan version with a 115 hp VTi engine. and manual transmission. In the "base" such a machine is offered for 579,000 rubles. The motor does not promise anything outstanding. Everything this twin-shaft has to offer 115-horsepower unit with a volume of 1.6 liters, with a torque of 150 Nm at 4000 rpm, this is acceleration to “hundreds” in 10.9 seconds at a maximum speed of 189 km / h. About twenty years ago, these indicators would have looked very worthy, but now such performance characteristics do not cause any emotions. Or maybe you should not wish for the impossible - the car has other tasks.
Of course, for those who want a faster car, there is a version with a VTi 120 engine. It drives very well, and the Citroenites are going to make their main bet on it. And for those who like to drive, there is a version with a 150 hp THP engine. c twin scroll turbocharger and automatic 6-speed transmission. This is quite a serious unit that develops full power at 6000 rpm with a maximum torque of 240 Nm on the “shelf” from 1400 to 4000 rpm, and 156 Nm is already achieved at a crankshaft speed of 1000 rpm. True, for the basic version of Tendance for this configuration, they will already ask for 763,000 rubles.
In practice, it turned out that for provincial roads something more than a 115-horsepower sedan version is not required. The car pulled well in overtaking in third gear, walked quite confidently at a speed of 100 km / h and did not cause any desire to set records. Moreover, already in the region of 100–110, mirrors began to whistle, and outboard noises forced the audio system volume knob to be unscrewed clockwise. Therefore, the sedan preferred to move on the C4 in the “family” mode, enjoying a moderately sharp “European” steering wheel, excellent suspension performance adapted to our roads, and a fairly comfortable interior, which turned out to be very decent soft plastic and “woolen” texture fabric.
By the way, about the adaptation mentioned above, which, given 34% of components coming from Russia, can partly be considered localization. In addition to the ground clearance increased to 176 mm, the adaptation package includes: built-in heating of the entire windshield; heated nozzles and increased washer reservoir capacity; reinforced starter and battery; metal crankcase protection. To please the Russian realities, the power unit and automatic transmission were calibrated, which allows you to keep the engine at high speeds longer and later switch the “automatic” from third to fourth gear.
Suspension C4 sedan worked perfectly on the primer.
Some flaws in the ergonomic plan were revealed already during the test drive. The pedal assembly was very narrow. Even in summer shoes, when working with the clutch pedal, you often touch the brake pedal with the side of the boot. Though not so much that sharp braking began, but enough to ruin the shoes in a couple of months. I can’t even imagine what it was like for people with a wide foot and a large size.
With the "originality" in the performance of the controls, I have already met on other models of the French car industry and was waiting for something similar from the C4. And he did not disappoint. In an attempt to adjust the climate in the cabin, my colleague and I discovered that there was no head-to-foot position on the airflow control vernier. Later, the Citroenites, who for a long time convinced us that such a regime, of course, exists, revealed the secret - it turns out that it is necessary to put the climate “twist” in an intermediate position. And nothing that there is no risk or pictogram there ...
Of the little things, you can remember the armrest, it turned out to be located too low and was very short. Zero sense from him. By the will of the designers, the owners of the C4 sedan are doomed to live with a radio that is not the best, replacing which with a self-purchased, more functional and high-quality one will not succeed, but will have to suffer a lot. Although in our time, thanks to craftsmen from China, everything is possible and for sure it will be possible to find a more functional version from a Chinese manufacturer with a suitable head unit panel design.
But a much more serious and directly affecting the safety drawback is the unsuccessful setting of the windshield washer and wipers. The stinginess with which the washer nozzles spray liquid would have pleased both the French Gobsek and the Russian Plyushkin - this is still all right, but the wipers leave a monstrous width of the “dead” zone, which eats up 10–12 centimeters of visibility on each side. In combination with a wide stance, both a pedestrian and a decent-sized car can be in the “dead” zone.
The extreme position of the wiper. The uncleaned area is quite large
By the end of the day, the declared consumption of 7.1 liters per 100 km was very close to what our car showed in practice, and the balance of impressions was still in favor of Citroen. The car pleased rather than upset. This applies both to looks, which the French see as one of the key factors for their target audience, and to driving performance.
Late in the evening, when Citroen representatives were interested in the opinion of the car, colleagues and colleagues almost unanimously I confirmed that the creators of the C4 Sedan succeeded in appearance. Designers have made it so that the car, designed to win the buyer of the budget target audience, looks much more expensive. And given that its buyer Citroen sees in "a man under 40 who appreciates appearance in cars", the hit turned out to be one hundred percent. I was convinced of this as I walked through the hotel parking lot past the line of our cars. There, a married couple looked at our sedans with undisguised interest. Seeing the Citroen badge, the head of the family, a sedate man of moderately intelligent appearance, just under 40 years old, asked in a businesslike way: “Does she have a hydraulic suspension?” Hearing a negative answer, he sighed with regret: “It’s a pity, otherwise we would have to travel around the city, and she would have just come up to the dacha so that we could raise it even higher when necessary.” When asked why he should not look at the crossovers, the interlocutor dismissed - "all this is not real, and they are ugly, and in general - the car should be a sedan, they are beautiful." The opinion, of course, is controversial, but since it exists, it means that the chances of such a car as the Citroen C4 sedan in our country are very good. Moreover, the ground clearance of the Citroen newcomer is rather big.
Compare with Citroen C4 (Citroen C4) the second generation took all the best from the old version, to which was added optimized aerodynamics, chrome body elements, new headlights and much more. The car is 5 cm longer than its predecessor, 2 cm wider and 3 cm taller.
Citroen c4 new ground clearance:
CITROEN C4 - a detailed review of an attractive car
If, with a certain amount of analytics, we look at the all-Russian picture of sales of new foreign cars, we can find a very interesting pattern. It turns out that there are a number of large and serious automakers whose commercial triumph in the vastness of our vast country is based, to a large extent, on the sale of just one most successful model.
Do you want examples? Please: Ford Focus is not only a bestseller among all foreign cars represented in Russia, but also 53.4% of the brand's total sales in 2007. A similar "intra-corporate" situation has developed for Renault (Logan model - 67.8%), Mazda (Mazda3 - 58.3%), Daewoo (Nexia - 53.7%), Mitsubishi (Lancer - 72.2%), Hyundai ( Accent - 39%), Opel (Astra - 43.8%). Have you noticed that all of the above players represent approximately the same segment? That's it. 
The French brand Citroen also appears in this incomplete list, which so far has not been able to come close to competitors in terms of stunning sales figures, but whose products deserve the most worthy consumer attention. Of the 10,580 "double chevrons" sold by Russian dealers in 2007, 5,470 fell on the hit C4. Recently, the followers of the great Andre Citroen have updated this model, and it appeared at domestic dealers. Technical innovations are evident, a slightly refreshed exterior - as expected, the price tag is quite acceptable. What is called, successful sales!
Solomon's solution
“Blessing” me for an autumn “car ride” with the last rays of the already weakly warming sun, Nikolai Solovyov, a Citroen dealer center specialist, drew attention to the sound of the engine of the test hatch. Like, look, guy, and listen to how the real engine “sings”!
Having left on the road, conducive to dynamic movement, I did not fail to “drown” the accelerator pedal to the floor, and immediately remembered the parting words. The sound from under the hood turned out to be so loud and masculine that doubts crept in regarding the displacement of the power unit. Can an engine with a volume of only 1.6 liters really roar like a large-liter counterpart? Maybe there is a problem with soundproofing? But, excuse me, it is generally quiet in the cabin, and not such "lip-slaps" are working in Citroen to "pierce" on such an obvious thing!
Indeed, "suffocating" the roar of the engine, with the current technological capabilities, is not a great problem. Or maybe the French, on the contrary, set out to emphasize the merits of the new motor? After all, he, as it turned out, is quite special, half "bmveshny".
For many decades, Citroen minders have "knocked their hand" in the creation of diesel engines. Their engines faithfully work under the hoods of many Fords, Mitsubishis, etc. But in the gasoline sector, the situation is somewhat different. On reflection, the "Citroenites" decided to resort to the support of the Bavarian engine builders. The agreement between PSA Peugeot Citroen and the BMWGroup provides for the development and production at the plant in France of a family of engines ranging from 1.4 liters to 2 liters. Taking into account the tightening of requirements for fuel consumption and environmental cleanliness, it was decided to abandon traditional design solutions, and use innovative ideas that would bring this family to the forefront of progress.
The first-born of the family was a 1.6-liter “aspirated” developing 120 hp. and distinguished by a number of solutions inherent in the most modern designs. For the first time in this segment, a throttle-free mixture formation system was used, which is called Valvetronic in the BMW environment.
Instead of a throttle valve, the new engine uses intake valves. Their move 
varies from 0.2 mm to 9.5 mm, providing the engine with air in the widest range of revolutions (from idling). At the same time, the used variable valve timing system at the inlet and outlet of the VTi makes the character of the unit more balanced throughout the entire rev range.
All these know-hows fell, as they say, "in the subject": the sound on acceleration became velvety-bass, and the responses to the "gas" were instantaneous. Evaluating the merits of French-German cooperation during the test turned out to be a simple matter. The young man, smugly seated behind the wheel of a Honda Accord Type-S, at a fluid level felt my silent call and abruptly started in the next lane from a traffic light. Initially, I understood that it was pointless for my 120-horsepower C4 to compete with the 201st "filly" of the ardent 2.4-liter "Japanese", but, sorry, do not back down after the figurative "glove has been thrown."
Even though I lagged behind the sports Honda, but the relatively light (a little more than 1200 kg) “Frenchman” willingly succumbed to my sprinting idea and in a matter of seconds “flipped through” the electronic figures of maximum speed displayed on the LCD monitor. I later found out that compared to the previous, 110-horsepower version, the new 1.6-liter engine began to accelerate to “hundreds” for a whole second with a “tail” faster. At the same time, I note separately that fuel consumption has become less by almost a liter - this is the real help of the Bavarian docks.
More than 90% of the maximum engine power develops in the range from 2,500 to 5,750 rpm. At the same time, 160 Nm of torque is already achieved at 4250 rpm (the previous motor had a lower torque indicator - 147 Nm).
The current 120 forces of the new unit in terms of their characteristics can be equated to 127 “horses” of a larger 1.8-liter unit, which was installed on the pre-styling generation of the Citroen C4. Thus, having addressed the car with a half-Bavarian engine, the French made two previous engines not very much in demand at once - a 1.8-liter (127 hp) and a 1.6-liter, which produced 110 forces “on the mountain”. It turned out to be a kind of golden mean. Solomon's decision.
By the way, the Citroenites did not completely abandon the 110-horsepower unit. They are still equipped with both hatchback and coupe. But cars equipped with an old engine are now offered at more “tasty” prices, which makes the purchase of an updated “tse-four” more attractive. After all, 475,000 rubles for a “five-door” with air conditioning is comparable to the price of a similarly equipped Ford Focus 1.6 of domestic assembly.
Where without a good "machine" ?!
I will not praise only one engine. After all, in the design of any car, everything is interconnected. Therefore, have the motor at least the most ideal settings, but if there is no “connecting link” capable of transmitting its torque without loss, there will be no great sense. The “Tse-fourth” was lucky in this regard - a slightly modernized automatic transmission works in unison with it.
It is possible that the moments of blocking the torque converters have undergone certain modifications. As you know, to ensure smooth starting in 1st gear, the torque converter is not blocked - this process takes place only in 2nd gear, and then not immediately - somewhere at a speed of 35 km / h. Only then does the system begin to work as a closed clutch, transmitting torque without loss. With the new motor, it seems that the blocking is carried out a little earlier: the moment is not lost from the very first meters of movement.
In 2nd gear, I accelerate to almost 100 km / h, while the engine spins up excellently. Elasticity and softness of switching speeds - at the level. The responsiveness to the gas pedal of the new engine is much better than that of the previous colleague, with a throttle valve. So, for lovers of a relatively dynamic ride, this version of the updated Citroen C4 will seem like a very suitable option. 
Against the backdrop of competitors
The updated Citroen C4 is going quite well. Turns pass without serious rolls, the road keeps confidently, speed - too. The light steering wheel responds perfectly in less than 3 turns, the brake pedal grabs reliably and confidently. Another point is that you don’t have to flirt with extreme behavior, because not every C4 has an ESP system installed that can insure you in case of emergency.
Before offering the updated C4 to customers, experts checked the newcomer at the Dmitrovsky training ground. To do this, "challenges" were arranged along with direct competitors - Opel Astra, Honda Civic, Peugeot 308. In terms of handling, the new Citroen proved to be a fine fellow, which was noted by experts. As for the dynamic capabilities of the C4, they proved to be among the best in the segment. But here we have the right to recall, perhaps, the best curb weight of our hero, due to which we got the desired lead over rivals in fractions of a second.
Stylish cosmetics
It already happened that from the very beginning of the story, I unwittingly loaded the reader with an abundance of technical information. Sorry, but this, speaking official language, was a "forced measure." Now - about beauty. After all, the Citroen brand has not yet formed the image of the creator of "intelligent", beautiful and stylish cars.
In terms of design, the C4 is in full order. Let's remember together those prizes that the model won in the recent past: "The most beautiful car" according to the Italian Union of Automotive Journalists, "Best Automotive Design 2005" (Los Angeles Auto Show), "Automotive Design 2006" from Midway Group (auto show in New York)… Continue?...
But who said that after a few years after the debut, C4 does not look pretty and original? Citroen rightly judged that design was and remains the strongest point of the model, and therefore did not seek good from good.
Changes in the exterior were not so significant, rather cosmetic. Of the nuances of the work carried out, we note, first of all, a slightly changed design of the hood cover. Her lines became softer, the central rib disappeared. The stripes of the corporate chevron have lost their former parallelism, having received a characteristic direction “on the run”. A different design is now at the fog lights and bumper.
The last one is a story. If on the pre-styling version of the Citroen C4, the shape of the front bumper could absolutely clearly determine what was in front of you: a hatchback (rounded features prevailed) or a coupe (aggressive “fins”), now it will not be easy to do. And all because both body modifications are endowed with one bumper option. Good or bad, you be the judge.
Behind the hatchback has not changed, but the “compartment” version has a small innovation: chopped lights received a transparent insert, which, in our opinion, added some lightness and airiness to the “stern”. The color design of the refreshed Citroen C4 consists of 10 color options. Moreover, 4 colors are absolutely new. Finally, we note three previously unavailable alloy wheel options - R16 OlympieR17 Ribalta (coupe) and R17 Volubilis (hatchback). An interesting nuance: “sixteenth” wheels are necessarily equipped with those cars that use automatic transmission. (coupe and hatchback).
Internal redraws
I can’t say that our test C4 in the average Comfort configuration was distinguished by a lot of “bells and whistles”. There really are no frills in such a car, but everything necessary for comfortable movement around the city, as a female and even family vehicle, is present.
Heated seats and exterior mirrors, headlight washer, fog lights, separate climate control, rear parking sensor, rain and light sensor, alloy wheels, automatic glass anti-pinch mode, remotely locking rear side door locks, etc. Together with a progressive engine and “automatically” for all this equipment they ask about 600,000 rubles. You can dream of additional comfort, but you can only look at the list of options offered by the dealer and simply order them for an additional fee. In this case, your C4 will “dress up” in a glass roof, and along the way will receive a navigation system with a color screen and a bunch of useful features.
As for the innovations inside the cabin, although they are not in large numbers, they are still present. So, for example, new finishing materials have appeared, in particular, high-quality plastic Volute (as in C4 Picasso). It may be less shiny, but more pleasant to the touch. A slightly different layout acquired the dashboard. The tachometer, previously located above the hub (by the way, all the same - fixed) of the steering wheel, is now "registered" in the multifunction display in the central part of the front panel.
In all the rest of the design, you can easily recognize the “good old” C4, with its pluses and minuses. Among the latter, I will note not the best view through small “leaf-shaped” mirrors, perhaps the steering wheel diameter is too large, and, in my opinion, the control of the climate system, which occupies the lowest place on the center console, is not very convenient. However, I do not claim to be categorical in my opinion.
Story to be continued
It's time to sum up our acquaintance with the novelty from Citroen. Still a beautiful exterior, two body versions, a good list of basic and additional equipment, an elastic "automatic" and a progressive engine "a la BMW". Although the badge of the Bavarian brand is not yet on the C4, however, a touch of high technology is already being felt. Such is he - a fresh "fourth" rushing into battle.
It is no coincidence that Citroen expects to sell at least 4,000 copies of the C4 by the end of the year. After all, you need to prepare for the entry into the market of another representative of the C4 family - a sedan with an extended base. Initially, this version of the car was intended for the Chinese market, but the Citroen suddenly realized that the sedan would be a success in Europe as well. The most interesting thing is that the production of Citroen C4 at a plant near Kaluga is just around the corner. So, the story has its logical continuation ...
Citroen C4 new: Test drive of a family car
In August, the world premiere of the new Citroen C4 took place at the Moscow Motor Show. In September, the first cars arrived at the dealers' showrooms, and a little later, the "four" appeared in the press park of the Peugeot-Citroen Rus representative office and were given to auto journalists for study.
Even during the premiere at the motor show, it was puzzling why the updated C4 was so loudly called the “world premiere”. Indeed, in the restyled version there is not so much new - regardless of the type of body. Everything turned out to be simple - a slightly prettier model was shown for the first time in Moscow, and since Citroen is not sold overseas at all, the Moscow premiere automatically turned into both "European" and "worldwide".
So what's new in C4? Will the novelty be able to at least slightly improve the situation with sales, which are regularly falling in Russia from year to year? Of course, not as fast as Alfa Romeo sales, but still noticeable.
With the exterior decided not to be smart
The debut of the first generation C4, which replaced the Xsara model in 2004, was received with enthusiasm. In 2006, the car even received an honorary award for the best design. The appearance of the three-door coupe seemed to many a new word in auto design. The five-door hatchback was met with a cooler reception, and sales of the two body types of the "four" were distributed in a ratio of 80 to 20 in favor of the coupe. You can see evidence of this by watching the flow of cars on the streets of Moscow. The coupe exudes a certain sporting aggression, which is given to it by a glazed shortened stern, and the hatch looks like a balanced, friendly family man.
Exterior design in 2008 decided not to change dramatically. Looking at the cars from the side, you can hardly tell a new car from a four-year-old car. But the front has become different. And the most important change - the place for the license plate, finally, took its usual and traditional position for Russians - in the center of the bumper. So the license plate no longer hangs very low on the road, like the Peugeot 308, and there are more chances to keep it safe and sound when parking. The shape of the hood, front fenders, optics has changed. The air intake has increased in size and the front of the C4 has become very reminiscent of its older brother - the C5 model. The rear of the body was not changed at all, only the three-door had a transparent central section.
Inside the cabin, there are even fewer changes. The main highlights of the interior have been preserved, there was a fixed steering wheel hub and a digital speedometer in the center of the upper part of the dashboard. The tachometer was moved from a place above the steering column to a liquid crystal panel next to the speedometer. We slightly improved the quality of finishing materials, but there were manual seat adjustments, 4 pillows, low-functional and incomprehensibly created drawers with velvet inserts on the front of the dashboard. Everything is as before. Unlike the C-Crosser crossover, here the electric buttons for opening the windows and adjusting the mirrors are illuminated. The steering wheel is height and reach adjustable. The chairs are hard, of some incomprehensible shape. Nevertheless, they are quite comfortable, do not tire on the road.
Not the most pleasant "surprises"
Prepared designers and a couple of "surprises", not always pleasant. The first surprise was called - "try to find!" and referred to the button that unlocks the doors. I couldn’t find it in the usual places, I had to carefully study the instructions to find out that they hid this button behind the right steering column switch to the left of the on-board computer display. Why it was necessary to shove it there is not clear, the location is very inconvenient, reaching out without hitting the wiper switch is almost impossible. 
The process of refueling the car did not add positive emotions. The fuel tank cap is lockable. It is impossible to remove the key from the cover by opening it. The cover itself is not attached to the machine body in any way. So, having opened the gas tank, you have to drag yourself to the cashier to pay with the keys and the cap in your hand. You look and feel like a complete jerk. In the same way, the gas tank opens at the Citroen C5 business sedan, and it’s generally unforgivable for him.
It is not easy to manage the on-board computer out of habit, not like in Audi or VW. The display centered above the receiver shows the remaining fuel mileage, current consumption and a mysterious flag-like icon used to signal the finish line in races. After certain manipulations on the display, which can speak almost any European language except Russian, you can display the readings of the daily mileage, average fuel consumption and average speed for positions 1 and 2. As sometimes happens, these indicators do not reset to zero by themselves. A little lower - dual-zone climate control and audio system buttons with microscopic inscriptions - you can't make out without a magnifying glass. And the same “finish flag” turns out to be needed in order to set a distance from 100 to 3000 km. Set the distance, and the countdown begins, numbers appear next to the flag, showing how many kilometers you have left until this very finish line. Well, tell me, when and who might need it? But this thing also costs money!
There are a lot of buttons on the steering column. Cruise control on the right, sound and station settings on the left. There are also "surprise" buttons here. Moreover, unlike the "flag", they are very useful. One button with a logo in the form of a diamond at night extinguishes the illumination of all instruments in the cabin, leaving only the numbers on the speedometer visible. Saab has something similar. The second one is called "DARK". It performs almost the same function, but leaves the tachometer, mileage, temperature overboard highlighted. The receiver board goes out. The function is interesting and, probably, useful from a security point of view. It seemed to me that it was getting unusually dark in the cabin, I wanted to go to sleep.
Engines from BMW
Let's take a look under the hood. What's new here in the "world premiere"? Of course, the engines. There are seven of them in total, but Russia has once again been placed in the position of a “poor relative” and diesels of 92 hp, 110 hp. and 138 hp (as in C5) the "four" will not receive yet. It will also not receive 2-liter engines with 143 hp. and 180 hp (turbo). The 1.4-liter unit has sunk into oblivion. So for now, you and I will have to be content with the new 1598 cc engines developed together with BMW engineers (the same ones are on the Mini Cooper and Peugeot 308). This is a 120 hp atmospheric engine. and turbocharged - 150 hp
We tested a 5-door automatic car with a 120-horsepower engine. In general, for a car weighing 1348 kg for a measured ride around the city, its power is enough. The engine has good elasticity and provides decent dynamics. But the machine is still stupid and does not perceive the kick-down mode at all (only with a strained roar). The suspension is not perfect. It is harsh for paving stones or gravel and suffers from breakdowns on any serious bumps. The steering wheel has good feedback. The brakes are informative, but the pedal still seemed too soft. So in the stream - a typical urban middle peasant, who does not even try to provoke the driver to aggressive driving. Fuel consumption is also quite adequate to the characteristics of the engine. On our test, it was 9.5 - 10.6 liters per 100 kilometers. 
Prices for Citroen C4 are sparing, especially since there are significant discounts before the New Year. The price of a car in the basic configuration starts from 475,000 rubles. For 560,610 thousand you can get a decent package. For a leather interior will make you pay 63,000 rubles. Xenon headlights cost 30 thousand, and a glass roof will cost 27 thousand rubles. Metallic paint - 10,000, alloy wheels - 22,000 rubles.
Detailed review of the Citroen C4 New (disadvantages and advantages, operating recommendations)
So, over the past two years, this is our 3rd car, and I want to believe that we have finally found what we need. It's too early for a full review - the mileage is 500 km, so I'm only voicing first impressions.
After a five-month queue for Hyundai Solaris (succumbed to the hype), we never received our car. I can imagine how many simpletons like us shod one Samara car dealership, collecting 100 thousand advance payments from each and throwing (as we assume) money at interest. I can’t believe that Soliks are in such a terrible shortage that you can’t even buy them for cash and with extras! Apparently, we were not lucky ... and on June 2, we accidentally looked at the presentation of the new Citroen C4. Until that day, we did not consider the Citroen brand at all, but only because we knew little about it, we did not like the old C4, and the C5 is already expensive. The face of the new C4 delighted us at first sight :) Moderately sinister and noble at the same time. We read reviews, many of which vilified French cars, but there were also positive ones. We decided that everything is no worse than the Russians in every way - they ordered it. Two weeks later they call - pick it up!
Complete set Tendance, manual transmission, 1.6 120 l. With. + Auto package and metallic color, Michelin tires. I won’t list what it includes, it’s on the internet, I’ll just say that everything is there, up to cruise control. Installed in the cabin signalization with auto start, because they are already accustomed to getting into a warm car in the winter, parking sensors, floor mats. Everything else - protection, wheel arch liners, mud flaps and of course the radio tape recorder factory. Mileage 12 km. 
We left the salon - a terrible downpour, you couldn’t see a thing, water up to the bumper! So immediately check out the automatic wipers. Surrounded by streams of water and evening traffic jams, they rushed to look for a gas station, because BC drew terrible consumption figures of 19 l / 100 km., And they will never pour too much gasoline in the cabin.
Approaching the entrance of our house, which was washed by waves of dirty water, we rejoiced at the really good ground clearance of the car. Adaptation for Russia is 170 mm. ground clearance at the lowest point. And the side body kits from the ground by 190 mm., in the photo of the Pemolux bank just such a height, easily entered.
Probably the first thing you notice in the cabin is the excellent seats with high lateral support. It is very comfortable to sit, no sharp turn will throw you out of them. Adjusting the seats in 3 and the steering wheel in 2 planes adjusts the driver's seat as it should. Soft torpedo, looks like leather. Very large refrigerated glove compartment (larger than Shnivy!). Under the front seats are drawers for small items, cool and practical. The devices on the panel are conveniently located, heap, no need to squint your eyes to find information. The dual-zone climate cools the car standing in the sun in 2 minutes. There is as much space inside as in any C-class hatch - you can’t rest anywhere with a height of 176 to 190 cm (my husband and I and our friends). The trunk is also not bad with a bunch of hooks, rubber bands, compartments for things. Well, you can go to any salon and look in person, in short, we like it.
Although I will say about the sound - excellent and clean! 6 speakers do not rattle anywhere at any volume and any equalizer settings!
Cons in the cabin.
The armrest, even when pushed forward, does not allow me to put my hand on it, but my husband pushes the chair further and is comfortable for him.
The gear lever strokes are quite long. In the absence of anything else, we can compare it with Solaris, in which they also drove, and where the lever is, indeed, like a toy joystick. There is no. But it's okay, it's also comfortable and soft.
There is no output for a flash drive in the radio, you will have to connect an adapter via AUX.
Neighing with her husband over the foglights when they drove into the garage. At speeds up to 40 km / h, they (when the dipped beam is on) light up in turn, depending on where you turn the steering wheel, highlighting the turn, unless of course they were turned on in advance (then they are constantly on). We looked under the hood after a week of downpours and washing with dirty water on the streets, we did not find a drop of dirt.
Wipers figs bend back on a standing car. It is necessary to turn them on immediately after turning off the engine, they will freeze in the open form, then bend them down. Too much wisdom.
While there are no conclusions about the speed of acceleration, we drive slowly, we run in. Mileage 500 km. The engine is not heard. When you step on the gas, it rumbles a little. Stones in the wheel arches are also not audible. If you close the windows, then at least fight back in the cabin - you won’t be heard outside either :))
Holds sharp turns with a bang, does not move. But the rear suspension is stiff. Although it's better to let it be than your ass will walk on every bump.
1 and 5 speeds for acceleration are stupid, let's see how it will be after running in, if you throw more coal into the furnace. The rest are excellent.
The hydraulic power steering makes the steering heavy at speed. I especially missed this when I switched to Shniva with a simple power steering after the seven, and felt how the steering wheel wobbles at a speed of 120 km and pulls it out of my hands :(
The brakes are excellent, it is worth pushing harder and you will fly out through the windshield, the car stops so clearly. I still can't get used to it.
After 200 km of run, the consumption dropped to 8.8-9 l / 100 km in the city with kondeem and traffic jams, which deserved our especially violent joy, otherwise at first we were shocked.
The first MOT is after 20,000 km., But we will change the oil after 2-5 thousand, otherwise it’s dumb - we always heard that the factory one should be drained after a break-in.
I want to supplement my review after 3 months of operation and 7800 mileage. During this time, we traveled around the city, hit the road to the Northern Urals, and in our region for mushrooms and sometimes get out to the dacha.
First I want to confirm (or refute) the impressions that we had immediately after the purchase. 
1. The average fuel consumption for the BC for the entire run of the car is 7.5 l / 100 km. A regularly reset shows 8.2 l / 100 km. over the last 700 km. run mainly in the city. We pour only 95, because the difference in price with the 92nd is scanty.
2. The sound from the speakers is still excellent, no rattling has been detected yet. True, the radio tape recorder does not agree to play every pirated disc, those that are personally recorded on a computer are best.
3. After the break-in, they began to press the gas more actively, but the first speed remained short, you can’t accelerate far on it, you need to turn on the second one. Therefore, at traffic lights, even viburnums go faster than us :) but we are not fans, we don’t like to start with a roar of the engine, we catch up with everyone in 2-3 gears without any problems.
4. Brakes keep crisp. True, once in a downpour I pressed them, but it seems like an inflated ball - they press back on my leg, do not let me slow down. Whether it was ABS, or a glitch - I didn’t have ABS before, I don’t know how it works. But I didn't really like it. But stability is cool when you fly into puddles at a speed of 70 km! :)) It doesn't pull anywhere, it's like you crash into foam rubber, and then further, as usual. I did not feel such confidence either on the seven or on the Shniva.
5. The radio tape recorder (and in general all electronics: headlights, etc.) after 30 minutes. operation after turning off the engine is disabled due to the battery saving mode. How to turn it off, we did not understand, so we have to run to turn on the music again. Also, the alarm goes off after 10 minutes. work without an engine.
During the trip to the Urals (1300 km one way) we were not tired at all, we taxied in turn, rested with our feet on the soft panel. You can take a nap - you won’t roll out of the chair when cornering, good lateral support. The cabin is very quiet. The only, perhaps, minus in the whole journey is that the rigid suspension significantly hits the fifth point. But on the other hand, there are no rolls, buildup of the backside, controllability is excellent. This is especially pleasing during overtaking, when you overestimate your capabilities and at the last moment you manage to fly back into your lane at high speed, and the car falls into place clearly and evenly.
Convenient salon mirror, which is self-dimming when xenon lovers are attached to the back. A refrigerated glove compartment also came in handy, but it won’t fit much, a couple of 1.5 liter bottles. The cabin filter is not bad - if you do not open the windows, there is no dust on the doors (and there it is usually the most) at all.
A couple of times I had to use the heated seats: at the 1st level just right, at the 3rd it already mentally burns the back :)) On the road, they pasted over the nose of the car with tape, it’s very convenient, you tear it off along with flies, road bitumen and other muck. The main thing is not to buy a white masking tape, but a special yellow tape that leaves no marks.
There was one bad moment along the way. There was a traffic jam on the highway, and some goat overtook her on the side of the road (there are geeks in the world). He had a decent speed, clusters of gravel flew from under the wheels, mostly into the body. But suddenly, as if in slow motion, we observe the flight of a stone the size of a small walnut just in the middle of our windshield. There was a characteristic crack, and everything inside us went cold: firstly, it’s a shame, and secondly, to get insurance payments, to wait for new glass - that’s how much hemorrhoids. We parked, got out, washed the glass from the fly corpses, but did not see any cracks or scratches. Since then, 2 months have passed, sometimes we check, suddenly it will manifest itself later, but nothing. Apparently, they know how to make glass in England.
So far, nothing rattles or whistles in the car, it doesn’t blow from anywhere, everything works properly, all the fluids under the hood are at the same level (pah-pah-pah), only the oil has darkened a little. After the winter I will write another report.
A small addition. Mileage 11,000.
It seems that our cars break down often, but little by little, and foreign cars rarely, but thoroughly. Everything was fine until the frosts started in December. At first, the fans worked hard for a couple of days - constantly on the running machine, and for some time after it was turned off. We kind of saw that something was wrong, but there were no errors on the panel, and we drove. Well, one day the machine squeaked sharply, blinked with engine error signals and stalled. The husband was just driving to work in thin trousers, he almost died while standing with her. Call a tow truck from the Citroen Center, though free of charge, but through Moscow. Loaded, taken to the service. A man from a tow truck says that in a couple of weeks the 8th Citroen is already taking away something like that. The service found out that it was a plastic French thermostat that had broken, could not withstand the temperature difference. And since we are not the first, there are no thermostats, we waited a week until they brought it from Moscow. A week later they took it away, they left for a day, and again it squeaked and died out, it wouldn’t start, it’s good that it was near the house under the window. The husband climbs under the hood - and there is no antifreeze in the tank at all, it all leaked out. Again a call to Moscow, with obscenity already, again a tow truck - the same man arrives :-D Another three days of repair, then they give the machine back with an apology, explaining that the first time the trainee set the thermostat, he did a lousy job ... Since then we have been in the car we dress as warmly as in a tram - FIG knows what to expect from her.
And the second frequently repeated glitch in winter is the rear left door freezes, not only immediately after washing, but also for a long time later, despite the lock smeared with oil and blown with a warm fan. Either it opens from the outside and does not close anymore, you have to close the signaling with the door open, then clap, open the signaling again ... Or it does not open from the outside at all, but only from the inside. We read the Internet, it turns out that many owners of the new C4 unwittingly drive in a coupe in winter. There are no problems at all with the front doors.
Everything from breakdowns.
We had a couple of minor accidents: first, they broke through the plastic protection and bent the iron, taking off on a compressed ice drift, then we were torn off the left mirror when the car was parked on the side of the road. It seems like garbage, but spare parts seem to exist for Citroens in nature! Protection was ordered from office. dealer a month ago, we are waiting for the mirror for 18 days, and it does not look like we will wait soon. Not in Moscow, apparently they are being transported from France. And without a mirror it’s convenient only in a tight traffic jam, and somehow it’s not very ...
Well, a significant drawback, of course, is that, like any foreign passenger car, this car is not suitable for winter Samara roads, it is too low, you constantly hear the rustling of the bottom or nose when you drive along melted ruts or around the yard.
That's how we gradually began to lean towards the idea that we made the wrong choice again, but we had to stop at Shniva, though with kondeem. Citroen is certainly more comfortable, but we don’t use half of its electronic lotions, but we are deprived of an interesting opportunity to climb into a forest or onto a sandy slope. A simple ride on urban asphalt plunges me personally into anguish. Well, if you don't try, you won't know. And relatives, of course, will laugh out loud, but we will probably return back to Niva in the summer. There is no more money for a Jeep yet.
With the end of winter, our quirk about the fact that we do not like the car has also passed. And what we invent, a great car :) In addition to the thermostat, there were no more breakdowns, nothing creaked, faded or leaked during the winter. After the next wash, they checked out the quality of the paint compared to the one that was on Shniva, namely, there are almost no "risks" from wiping with a rag, polishing. You look at the sun - as there was an even varnish, it is. Consumption all winter with auto was 9.5 liters. I liked that the windshield washer holes do not freeze at all, because on Shniva we poked around with a needle all winter. It rides wonderfully on any city snow and yard porridge, it has never got stuck, maybe due to the large wheels (there are Gislaved Nord Frost 5, 205/16), by the way, a short 1st gear came in handy right there, played the role of a downshift. In general, the machine began to accelerate much faster, so the minus with the dullness of acceleration can be crossed out.
But a new minus appeared in the design of the driver's mat. It has holes for attaching to the floor on a special. pins near the seat, and in winter you climb into the car with snowy feet, water accumulates and flows into the area of \u200b\u200bthese fasteners, seeps and is absorbed into the carpet. I had to put a rag under my feet and wipe the water regularly. It was possible to throw a non-leaky rug from above, such as from the seven, but the hands did not reach.
So to sell the machine, as we twitched it was in the fall, we abruptly changed our minds, we need such a cow ourselves.
But the official Citroen service is definitely not a matter of joy. About how they changed the thermostat, I wrote. Then they forgot to assemble the instrument panel for us after lubricating the box, putting in a niche extra spare parts in their opinion, which they had to fasten themselves. Then we ordered a new plastic protection, waited for it for a couple of weeks, called to clarify when it would be delivered, and we were told that it had been in stock for a long time, and they decided that we had changed our minds about picking it up, since we were not coming (although no one called us, and we paid for the protection in advance). Finally, we ordered a mirror, waited for it for 3 weeks, then called and invited us to install it. The husband came, gave the car, they dismantled the door, removed the broken one and started to install a new mirror ... and then they found out that it did not fit, because it was from the old C4 brand! And to see this upon receipt was not fate. WELL, and then again waiting for the mirror ... In short, in the best traditions of the VAZ.
Kammikadze
March 10, 2012 8:36 am
Compare with Citroen C4 (Citroen C4) the second generation took all the best from the old version, to which was added optimized aerodynamics, chrome body elements, new headlights and much more. The car is 5 cm longer than its predecessor, 2 cm wider and 3 cm taller.
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DIY
CITROEN C4 - a detailed review of an attractive car
If, with a certain amount of analytics, we look at the all-Russian picture of sales of new foreign cars, we can find a very interesting pattern. It turns out that there are a number of large and serious automakers whose commercial triumph in the vastness of our vast country is based, to a large extent, on the sale of just one most successful model.
Do you want examples? Please: Ford Focus is not only a bestseller among all foreign cars represented in Russia, but also 53.4% of the brand's total sales in 2007. A similar “intra-corporate” situation has developed for Renault (Logan model - 67.8%), Mazda (Mazda3 - 58.3%), Daewoo (Nexia - 53.7%), Mitsubishi (Lancer - 72.2%), Hyundai ( Accent - 39%), Opel (Astra - 43.8%). Have you noticed that all of the above players represent approximately the same segment? That's it.
The French brand Citroen also appears in this incomplete list, which so far has not been able to come close to competitors in terms of stunning sales figures, but whose products deserve the most worthy consumer attention. Of the 10,580 "double chevrons" sold by Russian dealers in 2007, 5,470 fell on the hit C4. Recently, the followers of the great Andre Citroen have updated this model, and it appeared at domestic dealers. Technical innovations - there is a slightly refreshed exterior - as expected, the price tag is quite acceptable. What is called, successful sales!
Solomon's solution
“Blessing” me for an autumn “car ride” with the last rays of the already weakly warming sun, Nikolai Solovyov, a Citroen dealer center specialist, drew attention to the sound of the engine of the test hatch. Like, look, guy, and listen to how the real engine “sings”!
Having left on the road, conducive to dynamic movement, I did not fail to “drown” the accelerator pedal to the floor, and immediately remembered the parting words. The sound from under the hood turned out to be so loud and masculine that doubts crept in regarding the displacement of the power unit. Can an engine with a volume of only 1.6 liters really roar like a large-liter counterpart? Maybe there is a problem with soundproofing? But, excuse me, it is generally quiet in the cabin, and not such "lip-slaps" are working in Citroen to "pierce" on such an obvious thing!
Indeed, "suffocating" the roar of the engine, with the current technological capabilities, is not a great problem. Or maybe the French, on the contrary, set out to emphasize the merits of the new motor? After all, he, as it turned out, is quite special, half "bmveshny".
For many decades, Citroen minders have "knocked their hand" in the creation of diesel engines. Their engines faithfully work under the hoods of many Fords, Mitsubishis, etc. But in the gasoline sector, the situation is somewhat different. On reflection, the "Citroenites" decided to resort to the support of the Bavarian engine builders. The agreement between PSA Peugeot Citroen and the BMWGroup provides for the development and production at the plant in France of a family of engines ranging from 1.4 liters to 2 liters. Taking into account the tightening of requirements for fuel consumption and environmental cleanliness, it was decided to abandon traditional design solutions, and use innovative ideas that would bring this family to the forefront of progress.
The first-born of the family was a 1.6-liter “aspirated” developing 120 hp. and distinguished by a number of solutions inherent in the most modern designs. For the first time in this segment, a throttle-free mixture formation system was used, which is called Valvetronic in the BMW environment.
Instead of a throttle valve, the new engine uses intake valves. Their move 
varies from 0.2 mm to 9.5 mm, providing the engine with air in the widest range of revolutions (from idling). At the same time, the used variable valve timing system at the inlet and outlet of the VTi makes the character of the unit more balanced throughout the entire rev range.
All these know-hows fell, as they say, "in the subject": the sound on acceleration became velvety-bass, and the responses to the "gas" were instantaneous. Evaluating the merits of French-German cooperation during the test turned out to be a simple matter. The young man, smugly seated behind the wheel of a Honda Accord Type-S, at a fluid level felt my silent call and abruptly started in the next lane from a traffic light. Initially, I understood that it was pointless for my 120-horsepower C4 to compete with the 201st "filly" of the ardent 2.4-liter "Japanese", but, sorry, do not back down after the figurative "glove has been thrown."
Even though I lagged behind the sports Honda, but the relatively light (a little more than 1200 kg) “Frenchman” willingly succumbed to my sprinting idea and in a matter of seconds “flipped through” the electronic figures of maximum speed displayed on the LCD monitor. I later found out that compared to the previous, 110-horsepower version, the new 1.6-liter engine began to accelerate to “hundreds” for a whole second with a “tail” faster. At the same time, I will separately note that fuel consumption has become less by almost a liter - this is the real help of the Bavarian docks.
More than 90% of the maximum engine power develops in the range from 2,500 to 5,750 rpm. At the same time, 160 Nm of torque is already achieved at 4250 rpm (in the previous motor, the torque indicator was lower - 147 Nm).
The current 120 forces of the new unit in terms of their characteristics can be equated to 127 “horses” of a larger 1.8-liter unit, which was installed on the pre-styling generation of the Citroen C4. Thus, having addressed the car with a half-Bavarian engine, the French made two previous engines not very much in demand at once - a 1.8-liter (127 hp) and a 1.6-liter, which produced 110 forces “on the mountain”. It turned out to be a kind of golden mean. Solomon's decision.
By the way, the Citroenites did not completely abandon the 110-horsepower unit. They are still equipped with both hatchback and coupe. But cars equipped with an old engine are now offered at more “tasty” prices, which makes the purchase of an updated “tse-four” more attractive. After all, 475,000 rubles for a “five-door” with air conditioning is comparable to the price of a similarly equipped Ford Focus 1.6 of domestic assembly.
Where without a good "machine" ?!
I will not praise only one engine. After all, in the design of any car, everything is interconnected. Therefore, have the motor at least the most ideal settings, but if there is no “connecting link” capable of transmitting its torque without loss, there will be no great sense. The “Tse-fourth” was lucky in this regard - a slightly modernized automatic box works in unison with it.
It is possible that the moments of blocking the torque converters have undergone certain modifications. As you know, to ensure smooth starting in 1st gear, the torque converter is not blocked - this process takes place only in 2nd gear, and then not immediately - somewhere at a speed of 35 km / h. Only then does the system begin to work as a closed clutch, transmitting torque without loss. With the new motor, it seems that the blocking is carried out a little earlier: the moment is not lost from the very first meters of movement.
In 2nd gear, I accelerate to almost 100 km / h, while the engine spins up excellently. Elasticity and softness of switching speeds - at the level. The responsiveness to the gas pedal of the new engine is much better than that of the previous colleague, with a throttle valve. So, for lovers of a relatively dynamic ride, this version of the updated Citroen C4 will seem like a very suitable option. 
Against the backdrop of competitors
The updated Citroen C4 is going quite well. Turns pass without serious rolls, the road keeps confidently, speed - too. The light steering wheel responds perfectly in less than 3 turns, the brake pedal grabs reliably and confidently. Another point is that you don’t have to flirt with extreme behavior, because not every C4 has an ESP system installed that can insure you in case of emergency.
Before offering the updated C4 to customers, experts checked the newcomer at the Dmitrovsky training ground. To do this, "challenges" were arranged along with direct competitors - Opel Astra, Honda Civic, Peugeot 308. In terms of handling, the new Citroen proved to be a fine fellow, which was noted by experts. As for the dynamic capabilities of the C4, they proved to be among the best in the segment. But here we have the right to recall, perhaps, the best curb weight of our hero, due to which we got the desired lead over rivals in fractions of a second.
Stylish cosmetics
It already happened that from the very beginning of the story, I unwittingly loaded the reader with an abundance of technical information. Sorry, but this, speaking official language, was a "forced measure." Now - about beauty. After all, the Citroen brand has not yet formed the image of the creator of "intelligent", beautiful and stylish cars.
In terms of design, the C4 is in full order. Let's remember together those prizes that the model won in the recent past: "The most beautiful car" according to the Italian Union of Automotive Journalists, "Best Automotive Design 2005" (Los Angeles Auto Show), "Automotive Design 2006" from Midway Group (auto show in New York)… Continue?...
But who said that after a few years after the debut, C4 does not look pretty and original? Citroen rightly judged that design was and remains the strongest point of the model, and therefore did not seek good from good.
Changes in the exterior were not so significant, rather cosmetic. Of the nuances of the work carried out, we note, first of all, a slightly changed design of the hood cover. Her lines became softer, the central rib disappeared. The stripes of the corporate chevron have lost their former parallelism, having received a characteristic direction “on the run”. A different design is now at the fog lights and bumper.
The last one is a story. If on the pre-styling version of the Citroen C4, the shape of the front bumper could absolutely clearly determine what was in front of you: a hatchback (rounded features prevailed) or a coupe (aggressive “fins”), now it will not be easy to do. And all because both body modifications are endowed with one bumper option. Good or bad, you be the judge.
Behind the hatchback has not changed, but the “compartment” version has a small innovation: chopped lights received a transparent insert, which, in our opinion, added some lightness and airiness to the “stern”. The color design of the refreshed Citroen C4 consists of 10 color options. Moreover, 4 colors are absolutely new. Finally, we note three previously unavailable alloy wheel options - R16 OlympieR17 Ribalta (coupe) and R17 Volubilis (hatchback). An interesting nuance: “sixteenth” wheels are necessarily equipped with those cars that use automatic transmission. (coupe and hatchback).
Internal redraws
I can’t say that our test C4 in the average Comfort configuration was distinguished by a lot of “bells and whistles”. There really are no frills in such a car, but everything necessary for comfortable movement around the city, as a female and even family vehicle, is present.
Heated seats and exterior mirrors, headlight washer, fog lights, separate climate control, rear parking sensor, rain and light sensor, automatic glass anti-pinch mode, remotely locking rear side door locks, etc. Together with a progressive engine and an automatic » For all this equipment, they ask about 600,000 rubles. You can dream of additional comfort, but you can only look at the list of options offered by the dealer and simply order them for an additional fee. In this case, your C4 will “dress up” in a glass roof, and along the way will receive a navigation system with a color screen and a bunch of useful features.
As for the innovations inside the cabin, although they are not in large numbers, they are still present. So, for example, new finishing materials have appeared, in particular, high-quality plastic Volute (as in C4 Picasso). It may be less shiny, but more pleasant to the touch. A slightly different layout acquired the dashboard. The tachometer, previously located above the hub (by the way, all the same - fixed) of the steering wheel, is now "registered" in the multifunction display in the central part of the front panel.
In all the rest of the design, you can easily recognize the “good old” C4, with its pluses and minuses. Among the latter, I will note not the best view through small “leaf-shaped” mirrors, perhaps the steering wheel diameter is too large, and, in my opinion, the control of the climate system, which occupies the lowest place on the center console, is not very convenient. However, I do not claim to be categorical in my opinion.
Story to be continued
It's time to sum up our acquaintance with the novelty from Citroen. Still a beautiful exterior, two body versions, a good list of basic and additional equipment, an elastic "automatic" and a progressive engine "a la BMW". Although the badge of the Bavarian brand is not yet on the C4, however, a touch of high technology is already being felt. Such is he - a fresh "fourth" rushing into battle.
It is no coincidence that Citroen expects to sell at least 4,000 copies of the C4 by the end of the year. After all, you need to prepare for the entry into the market of another representative of the C4 family - a sedan with an extended base. Initially, this version of the car was intended for the Chinese market, but the Citroen suddenly realized that the sedan would be a success in Europe as well. The most interesting thing is that the production of Citroen C4 at a plant near Kaluga is just around the corner. So, the story has its logical continuation ...
Citroen C4 new: Test drive of a family car
In August, the world premiere of the new Citroen C4 took place at the Moscow Motor Show. In September, the first cars arrived at the dealers' showrooms, and a little later, the "four" appeared in the press park of the Peugeot-Citroen Rus representative office and were given to auto journalists for study.
Even during the premiere at the motor show, it was puzzling why the updated C4 was so loudly called the “world premiere”. Indeed, in the restyled version there is not so much new - regardless of the type of body. Everything turned out to be simple - a slightly prettier model was shown for the first time in Moscow, and since Citroen is not sold overseas at all, the Moscow premiere automatically turned into both "European" and "worldwide".
So what's new in C4? Will the novelty be able to at least slightly improve the situation with sales, which are regularly falling in Russia from year to year? Of course, not as fast as Alfa Romeo sales, but still noticeable.
With the exterior decided not to be smart
The debut of the first generation C4, which replaced the Xsara model in 2004, was received with enthusiasm. In 2006, the car even received an honorary award for the best design. The appearance of the three-door coupe seemed to many a new word in auto design. The five-door hatchback was met with a cooler reception, and sales of the two body types of the "four" were distributed in a ratio of 80 to 20 in favor of the coupe. You can see evidence of this by watching the flow of cars on the streets of Moscow. The coupe exudes a certain sporting aggression, which is given to it by a glazed shortened stern, and the hatch looks like a balanced, friendly family man.
Exterior design in 2008 decided not to change dramatically. Looking at the cars from the side, you can hardly tell a new car from a four-year-old car. But the front has become different. And the most important change - the place for the license plate, finally, took its usual and traditional position for Russians - in the center of the bumper. So the license plate no longer hangs very low on the road, like the Peugeot 308, and there are more chances to keep it safe and sound when parking. The shape of the hood, front fenders, optics has changed. The air intake has increased in size and the front of the C4 has become very reminiscent of its older brother - the C5 model. The rear of the body was not changed at all, only the three-door had a transparent central section.
Inside the cabin, there are even fewer changes. The main highlights of the interior have been preserved, there was a fixed steering wheel hub and a digital speedometer in the center of the upper part of the dashboard. The tachometer was moved from a place above the steering column to a liquid crystal panel next to the speedometer. We slightly improved the quality of finishing materials, but there were manual seat adjustments, 4 pillows, low-functional and incomprehensibly created drawers with velvet inserts on the front of the dashboard. Everything is as before. Unlike the C-Crosser crossover, here the electric buttons for opening the windows and adjusting the mirrors are illuminated. The steering wheel is height and reach adjustable. The chairs are hard, of some incomprehensible shape. Nevertheless, they are quite comfortable, do not tire on the road.
Not the most pleasant "surprises"
Prepared designers and a couple of "surprises", not always pleasant. The first surprise was called - "try to find!" and referred to the button that unlocks the doors. I couldn’t find it in the usual places, I had to carefully study the instructions to find out that they hid this button behind the right steering column switch to the left of the on-board computer display. Why it was necessary to shove it there is not clear, the location is very inconvenient, it is almost impossible to reach out without hitting the wiper switch. 
The process of refueling the car did not add positive emotions. The fuel tank cap is lockable. It is impossible to remove the key from the cover by opening it. The cover itself is not attached to the machine body in any way. So, having opened the gas tank, you have to drag yourself to the cashier to pay with the keys and the cap in your hand. You look and feel like a complete jerk. In the same way, the gas tank opens at the Citroen C5 business sedan, and it’s generally unforgivable for him.
It is not easy to manage the on-board computer out of habit, not like in Audi or VW. The display centered above the receiver shows the remaining fuel mileage, current consumption and a mysterious flag-like icon used to signal the finish line in races. After certain manipulations on the display, which can speak almost any European language except Russian, you can display the readings of the daily mileage, average fuel consumption and average speed for positions 1 and 2. As sometimes happens, these indicators do not reset to zero by themselves. A little lower - dual-zone climate control and audio system buttons with microscopic inscriptions - you can't make out without a magnifying glass. And the same “finish flag” turns out to be needed in order to set a distance from 100 to 3000 km. Set the distance, and the countdown begins, numbers appear next to the flag, showing how many kilometers you have left until this very finish line. Well, tell me, when and who might need it? But this thing also costs money!
There are a lot of buttons on the steering column. Cruise control on the right, sound and station settings on the left. There are also "surprise" buttons here. Moreover, unlike the "flag", they are very useful. One button with a logo in the form of a diamond at night extinguishes the illumination of all instruments in the cabin, leaving only the numbers on the speedometer visible. Saab has something similar. The second one is called "DARK". It performs almost the same function, but leaves the tachometer, mileage, temperature overboard highlighted. The receiver board goes out. The function is interesting and, probably, useful from a security point of view. It seemed to me that it was getting unusually dark in the cabin, I wanted to go to sleep.
Engines from BMW
Let's take a look under the hood. What's new here in the "world premiere"? Of course, the engines. There are seven of them in total, but Russia has once again been placed in the position of a “poor relative” and diesels of 92 hp, 110 hp. and 138 hp (as in C5) the "four" will not receive yet. It will also not receive 2-liter engines with 143 hp. and 180 hp (turbo). The 1.4-liter unit has sunk into oblivion. So for now, you and I will have to be content with the new 1598 cc engines developed together with BMW engineers (the same ones are on the Mini Cooper and Peugeot 308). This is a 120 hp atmospheric engine. and turbocharged - 150 hp
We tested a 5-door automatic car with a 120-horsepower engine. In general, for a car weighing 1348 kg for a measured ride around the city, its power is enough. The engine has good elasticity and provides decent dynamics. But the machine is still stupid and does not perceive the kick-down mode at all (only with a strained roar). The suspension is not perfect. It is harsh for paving stones or gravel and suffers from breakdowns on any serious bumps. The steering wheel has good feedback. The brakes are informative, but the pedal still seemed too soft. So in the stream - a typical urban middle peasant, who does not even try to provoke the driver to aggressive driving. Fuel consumption is also quite adequate to the characteristics of the engine. On our test, it was 9.5 - 10.6 liters per 100 kilometers. 
Prices for Citroen C4 are sparing, especially since there are significant discounts before the New Year. The price of a car in the basic configuration starts from 475,000 rubles. For 560,610 thousand you can get a decent package. For a leather interior will make you pay 63,000 rubles. Xenon headlights cost 30 thousand, and a glass roof will cost 27 thousand rubles. Metallic paint - 10,000, alloy wheels - 22,000 rubles.
Detailed review of the Citroen C4 New (disadvantages and advantages, operating recommendations)
So, over the past two years, this is our 3rd car, and I want to believe that we have finally found what we need. It's too early for a full review - the mileage is 500 km, so I'm only voicing first impressions.
After a five-month queue for Hyundai Solaris (succumbed to the hype), we never received our car. I can imagine how many simpletons like us shod one Samara car dealership, collecting 100 thousand advance payments from each and throwing (as we assume) money at interest. I can’t believe that Soliks are in such a terrible shortage that you can’t even buy them for cash and with extras! Apparently, we were not lucky ... and on June 2, we accidentally looked at the presentation of the new Citroen C4. Until that day, we did not consider the Citroen brand at all, but only because we knew little about it, we did not like the old C4, and the C5 is already expensive. The face of the new C4 delighted us at first sight :) Moderately sinister and noble at the same time. We read reviews, many of which vilified French cars, but there were also positive ones. We decided that everything is no worse than the Russians in every way - they ordered it. Two weeks later they call - pick it up!
Complete set Tendance, manual transmission, 1.6 120 l. With. + Auto package and metallic color, Michelin tires. I won’t list what it includes, it’s on the internet, I’ll just say that everything is there, up to cruise control. Installed in the cabin signalization with auto start, because they are already accustomed to getting into a warm car in the winter, parking sensors, floor mats. Everything else - protection, wheel arch liners, mudguards and of course the radio tape recorder factory. Mileage 12 km. 
We drove out of the salon - a terrible downpour, you couldn’t see a thing, water up to the bumper! So immediately check out the automatic wipers. Surrounded by streams of water and evening traffic jams, they rushed to look for a gas station, because BC drew terrible consumption figures of 19 l / 100 km., And they will never pour too much gasoline in the cabin.
Approaching the entrance of our house, which was washed by waves of dirty water, we rejoiced at the really good ground clearance of the car. Adaptation for Russia is 170 mm. ground clearance at the lowest point. And the side body kits from the ground by 190 mm., in the photo of the Pemolux bank just such a height, easily entered.
Probably the first thing you notice in the cabin is the excellent seats with high lateral support. It is very comfortable to sit, no sharp turn will throw you out of them. Adjusting the seats in 3 and the steering wheel in 2 planes adjusts the driver's seat as it should. Soft torpedo, looks like leather. Very large refrigerated glove compartment (larger than Shnivy!). Under the front seats are drawers for small items, cool and practical. The devices on the panel are conveniently located, heap, no need to squint your eyes to find information. The dual-zone climate cools the car standing in the sun in 2 minutes. There is as much space inside as in any C-class hatch - you can’t rest anywhere with a height of 176 to 190 cm (my husband and I and our friends). The trunk is also not bad with a bunch of hooks, rubber bands, compartments for things. Well, you can go to any salon and look in person, in short, we like it.
Although I will say about the sound - excellent and clean! 6 speakers do not rattle anywhere at any volume and any equalizer settings!
Cons in the cabin.
The armrest, even when pushed forward, does not allow me to put my hand on it, but my husband pushes the chair further and is comfortable for him.
The gear lever strokes are quite long. In the absence of anything else, we can compare with, in which we also drove, and where the lever is, indeed, like a toy joystick. There is no. But it's okay, it's also comfortable and soft.
There is no output for a flash drive in the radio, you will have to connect an adapter via AUX.
Neighing with her husband over the foglights when they drove into the garage. At speeds up to 40 km / h, they (when the dipped beam is on) light up in turn, depending on where you turn the steering wheel, highlighting the turn, unless of course they were turned on in advance (then they are constantly on). We looked under the hood after a week of downpours and washing with dirty water on the streets, we did not find a drop of dirt.
Wipers figs bend back on a standing car. It is necessary to turn them on immediately after turning off the engine, they will freeze in the open form, then bend them down. Too much wisdom.
While there are no conclusions about the speed of acceleration, we drive slowly, we run in. Mileage 500 km. The engine is not heard. When you step on the gas, it rumbles a little. Stones in the wheel arches are also not audible. If you close the windows, then at least fight back in the cabin - you won’t be heard outside either :))
Holds sharp turns with a bang, does not move. But the rear suspension is stiff. Although it's better to let it be than your ass will walk on every bump.
1 and 5 speeds for acceleration are stupid, let's see how it will be after running in, if you throw more coal into the furnace. The rest are excellent.
The hydraulic power steering makes the steering heavy at speed. I especially missed this when I switched to Shniva with a simple power steering after the seven, and felt how the steering wheel wobbles at a speed of 120 km and pulls it out of my hands :(
The brakes are excellent, it is worth pushing harder and you will fly out through the windshield, the car stops so clearly. I still can't get used to it.
After 200 km of run, the consumption dropped to 8.8-9 l / 100 km in the city with kondeem and traffic jams, which deserved our especially violent joy, otherwise at first we were shocked.
The first MOT is after 20,000 km., But we will change the oil after 2-5 thousand, otherwise it’s dumb - we always heard that the factory oil must be drained after a break-in.
I want to supplement my review after 3 months of operation and 7800 mileage. During this time, we traveled around the city, hit the road to the Northern Urals, and in our region for mushrooms and sometimes get out to the dacha.
First I want to confirm (or refute) the impressions that we had immediately after the purchase. 
1. The average fuel consumption for the BC for the entire run of the car is 7.5 l / 100 km. A regularly reset shows 8.2 l / 100 km. over the last 700 km. run mainly in the city. We pour only 95, because the difference in price with the 92nd is scanty.
2. The sound from the speakers is still excellent, no rattling has been detected yet. True, the radio tape recorder does not agree to play every pirated disc, those that are personally recorded on a computer are best.
3. After the break-in, they began to press the gas more actively, but the first speed remained short, you can’t accelerate far on it, you need to turn on the second one. Therefore, at traffic lights, even viburnums go faster than us :) but we are not fans, we don’t like to start with a roar of the engine, we catch up with everyone in 2-3 gears without any problems.
4. Brakes keep crisp. True, once in a downpour I pressed them, but it seems like an inflated ball - they press back on my leg, do not let me slow down. Whether it was ABS, or a glitch - I didn’t have ABS before, I don’t know how it works. But I didn't really like it. But stability is cool when you fly into puddles at a speed of 70 km! :)) It doesn't pull anywhere, it's like you crash into foam rubber, and then further, as usual. I did not feel such confidence either on the seven or on the Shniva.
5. The radio tape recorder (and in general all electronics: headlights, etc.) after 30 minutes. operation after turning off the engine is disabled due to the battery saving mode. How to turn it off, we did not understand, so we have to run to turn on the music again. Also, the alarm goes off after 10 minutes. work without an engine.
During the trip to the Urals (1300 km one way) we were not tired at all, we taxied in turn, rested with our feet on the soft panel. You can take a nap - you won’t roll out of the chair when cornering, good lateral support. The cabin is very quiet. The only, perhaps, minus in the whole journey is the stiff suspension that noticeably hits the fifth point. But on the other hand, there are no rolls, buildup of the backside, controllability is excellent. This is especially pleasing during overtaking, when you overestimate your capabilities and at the last moment you manage to fly back into your lane at high speed, and the car falls into place clearly and evenly.
Convenient salon mirror, which is self-dimming when xenon lovers are attached to the back. A refrigerated glove compartment also came in handy, but it won’t fit much, a couple of 1.5 liter bottles. The cabin filter is not bad - if you do not open the windows, there is no dust on the doors (and there it is usually the most) at all.
A couple of times I had to use the heated seats: at the 1st level just right, at the 3rd it already mentally burns the back :)) On the road, they pasted over the nose of the car with tape, it’s very convenient, you tear it off along with flies, road bitumen and other muck. The main thing is not to buy a white masking tape, but a special yellow tape that leaves no marks.
There was one bad moment along the way. There was a traffic jam on the highway, and some goat overtook her on the side of the road (there are geeks in the world). He had a decent speed, clusters of gravel flew from under the wheels, mostly into the body. But suddenly, as if in slow motion, we observe the flight of a stone the size of a small walnut just in the middle of our windshield. There was a characteristic crack, and everything turned cold inside of us: firstly, it's a shame, and secondly, to get insurance payments, to wait for new glass - that's how much hemorrhoids. We parked, got out, washed the glass from the fly corpses, but did not see any cracks or scratches. Since then, 2 months have passed, sometimes we check, suddenly it will manifest itself later, but nothing. Apparently, they know how to make glass in England.
So far, nothing rattles or whistles in the car, it doesn’t blow from anywhere, everything works properly, all the fluids under the hood are at the same level (pah-pah-pah), only the oil has darkened a little. After the winter I will write another report.
A small addition. Mileage 11,000.
It seems that our cars break down often, but little by little, and foreign cars rarely, but thoroughly. Everything was fine until the frosts started in December. At first, the fans worked hard for a couple of days - constantly on the running machine, and for some time after it was turned off. We kind of saw that something was wrong, but there were no errors on the panel, and we drove. Well, one day the machine squeaked sharply, blinked with engine error signals and stalled. The husband was just driving to work in thin trousers, he almost died while standing with her. Call a tow truck from the Citroen Center, though free of charge, but through Moscow. Loaded, taken to the service. A man from a tow truck says that in a couple of weeks the 8th Citroen is already taking away something like that. The service found out that it was a plastic French thermostat that had broken, could not withstand the temperature difference. And since we are not the first, there are no thermostats, we waited a week until they brought it from Moscow. A week later they took it away, they left for a day, and again it squeaked and died out, it wouldn’t start, it’s good that it was near the house under the window. The husband climbs under the hood - and there is no antifreeze in the tank at all, it all leaked out. Again a call to Moscow, with a foul language already, again a tow truck - the same man arrives :-D Three more days of repair, then they give the typewriter back with an apology, explaining that the first time the trainee set the thermostat, he did a lousy job ... Since then, we have been in the car we dress as warmly as in a tram - FIG knows what to expect from her.
And the second frequently repeated glitch in winter is the rear left door freezes, and not only immediately after washing, but also for a long time later, despite the lock smeared with oil and blown with a warm fan. Either it opens from the outside and does not close anymore, you have to close the signaling with the door open, then clap, open the signaling again ... Or it does not open from the outside at all, but only from the inside. We read the Internet, it turns out that many owners of the new C4 unwittingly drive in a coupe in winter. There are no problems at all with the front doors.
Everything from breakdowns.
We had a couple of minor accidents: first, they broke through the plastic protection and bent the iron, taking off on a compressed ice drift, then we were torn off the left mirror when the car was parked on the side of the road. It seems like garbage, but spare parts seem to exist for Citroens in nature! Protection was ordered from office. dealer a month ago, we are waiting for the mirror for 18 days, and it does not look like we will wait soon. Not in Moscow, apparently they are being transported from France. And without a mirror it’s convenient only in a tight traffic jam, and somehow it’s not very ...
Well, a significant drawback, of course, is that, like any foreign passenger car, this car is not suitable for winter Samara roads, it is too low, you constantly hear the rustling of the bottom or nose when you drive along melted ruts or around the yard.
That's how we gradually began to lean towards the idea that we made the wrong choice again, but we had to stop at Shniva, though with kondeem. Citroen is certainly more comfortable, but we don’t use half of its electronic lotions, but we are deprived of an interesting opportunity to climb into a forest or onto a sandy slope. A simple ride on urban asphalt plunges me personally into anguish. Well, if you don't try, you won't know. And relatives, of course, will laugh out loud, but we will probably return back to Niva in the summer. There is no more money for a Jeep yet.
With the end of winter, our quirk about the fact that we do not like the car has also passed. And what we invent, a great car :) In addition to the thermostat, there were no more breakdowns, nothing creaked, faded or leaked during the winter. After the next wash, they checked out the quality of the paint compared to the one that was on Shniva, namely, there are almost no "risks" from wiping with a rag, polishing. You look at the sun - as there was an even varnish, it is. Consumption all winter with auto was 9.5 liters. I liked that the windshield washer holes do not freeze at all, because on Shniva we poked around with a needle all winter. It rides wonderfully on any city snow and yard porridge, it has never got stuck, maybe due to the large wheels (there are Gislaved Nord Frost 5, 205/16), by the way, a short 1st gear came in handy right there, played the role of a downshift. In general, the machine began to accelerate much faster, so the minus with the dullness of acceleration can be crossed out.
But a new minus appeared in the design of the driver's mat. It has holes for attaching to the floor on a special. pins near the seat, and in winter you climb into the car with snowy feet, water accumulates and flows into the area of \u200b\u200bthese fasteners, seeps and is absorbed into the carpet. I had to put a rag under my feet and wipe the water regularly. It was possible to throw a non-leaky rug from above, such as from the seven, but the hands did not reach.
So to sell the machine, as we twitched it was in the fall, we abruptly changed our minds, we need such a cow ourselves.
But the official Citroen service is definitely not a matter of joy. About how they changed the thermostat, I wrote. Then they forgot to assemble the instrument panel for us after lubricating the box, putting in a niche extra spare parts in their opinion, which they had to fasten themselves. Then we ordered a new plastic protection, waited for it for a couple of weeks, called to clarify when it would be delivered, and we were told that it had been in stock for a long time, and they decided that we had changed our minds about picking it up, since we were not coming (although no one called us, and we paid for the protection in advance). Finally, we ordered a mirror, waited for it for 3 weeks, then called and invited us to install it. The husband came, gave the car, they dismantled the door, removed the broken one and started to install a new mirror ... and then they found out that it did not fit, because it was from the old C4 brand! And to see this upon receipt was not fate. WELL, and then again waiting for the mirror ... In short, in the best traditions of the VAZ.
When choosing a new car, most potential buyers in the showroom go to the prettiest model first. Regardless of which class it belongs to, what characteristics it has and how much it costs. Yes, and we stop our final choice on the car that, other things being equal, seems to us prettier outwardly. That's the way we are.
French automakers are only happy about this state of affairs. Citroenians, for example, note that the main percentage of buyers who find themselves in their car dealership come precisely for style. And the new Citroen C4 Sedan will definitely live up to expectations. The car turned out really very attractive. The nose-to-tail design of the C4 Sedan is full of elegant lines and solutions.
Hood? With spectacular "ribs" that add aggression. Headlights? Direction indicators emphasize them with a separate boomerang. Borta? Covered with textured stampings. The window sill chrome line ends with a graceful curve. And of course, where without the branded concave rear window in the style of C5 and C6. But the C4 Sedan is not a model from the premium art line DS, but a product designed for the mass consumer. Here they are - French charm and Citroen breed without positioning discounts! For me, this is how the sedan turned out to be more interesting than the hatchback and much more proportional and harmonious than its blood “brother” Peugeot 408. By the way, having received an invitation to the Citroen test in the Pskov region, I had a great desire to come there on 408, so that immediately, “without leaving the box office ”, to reveal all the differences and similarities of the two soplatform cars. But the organizers were adamant: “What are you doing! No competitors, especially Peugeot! By the way, about how the Peugeot 408 fought with three competitors. I wonder if the employees of the Russian representative offices of the two French brands greet each other while working in the same building? Be that as it may, but the “four hundred and eighth” was still “present” on the test: I kept it in mind every time I approached the new Citroen.
The first thing I want to note is that the Citroen C4 sedan turned out to be smaller in size. With the same wheelbase (2708 mm), it is 82 mm shorter, 26 mm narrower and 9 mm lower than the Peugeot. However, this practically did not affect the space inside the car - there is more than enough space in the C4. But there are differences. In 408, due to the vertically set back of the sofa, it is possible to sit cross-legged, but academically, like a first-grader at a desk. In C4, the slope was made more: the space to the front seats decreased slightly, but you can take a more relaxed, reclining position. The latter option on a long journey is preferable. As in the 408, neither the rear armrest nor the cup holders for the rear passengers of the Citroen are allowed in any version.
The front of the interior of the C4 Sedan exactly copies the interior of the hatchback, with the exception of the heated seat adjustment wheels, which are located below the center console here. The driver's seat with the necessary number of adjustments, but not optimal in shape - I would like more pronounced support from the sides and in the lumbar region.
The quality of finishing materials in Citroen is not worse than in cars of a higher class. The front panel is soft, fitting parts on the level. The keys on the panel and on the steering wheel are large, with a clear purpose and quick identification.
The instrument panel is from the category of "beautiful, but not informative." Clearly and quickly read only the digital speedometer reading. But the changeable backlight has eight colors.
Unlike the Peugeot 408, in which the multimedia complex is a Chinese Phantom with a “touchscreen” covered with an original frame, the Citroen C4 Sedan has an entertainment system with navigation, although not touch-sensitive, but it is a full-time French one. Surcharge for it - 40,000 rubles.
But in terms of the size of the trunk, a sedan with two chevrons is much inferior to its “lion relative”. The volume of the cargo compartment in Citroen is 440 liters compared to 560 in Peugeot. In addition, in the C4, the trunk lid is on classic hinges that eat up part of the usable space, while the 408 has an original mount on external levers. The difference in power plants between the two "French" is exclusively quantitative. And not in favor of Citroen, which brought to Russia only one 1.6 gasoline engine in atmospheric and turbocharged versions.
First I got the option with a 115-horsepower engine and manual transmission. The tandem is well known and more than once run-in on various models of the PSA concern. In this configuration, the Citroen C4 Sedan is the best choice in terms of vehicle dynamics and price. The engine allows, not lagging behind anyone, to feel confident in the city, and on the highway to go into a lower gear only when overtaking sharply or from speeds prohibited in Russia. The box itself is slightly inferior to German competitors in terms of gear shifting clarity, and the clutch pedal has too long travel.
The version with the "automatic" was presented only with a 150 horsepower turbo engine. There are no questions at all about the work of this “couple” - the benefit is that the box is a modern six-speed one, and the power unit with a good margin of power and traction. Needless to say, this engine pulls a heavy C5 without much difficulty. And on the C4 Sedan, the need to calculate the trajectory of overtaking practically disappears - you just press the accelerator and go faster than anyone. By the way, the main virtue of the motor is not so much dynamics as elasticity. Citroen accelerates vigorously from both idle and medium speeds, but smoothly. Without fuss and nervousness.
Behavior on the road - this is what is almost the main difference between the Citroen C4 Sedan and the Peugeot 408 with a completely identical design scheme. Apparently, the specialists of one concern had very different terms of reference. "Four hundred and eighth" received a clearance of as much as 178 mm and a suspension impenetrable on any potholes. But because of the increased center of gravity and omnivorous shock absorbers, Peugeot began to chat on a crooked canvas; in turns appeared, albeit insignificant, but rolls; on transverse road waves - not straining, but noticeable buildup.
C4 perfectly holds even the broken Pskov roads and flies into corners in the same breath. At the same time, the suspension copes commendably gently with small and medium-sized potholes. But a little more pothole - the rear shock absorbers are no, no, and it will close on the rebound. A good addition to the picture is the classic electro-hydraulic booster, which fills the steering wheel with decent information, unlike newfangled, all-electric systems. During the test, I had no complaints about the ground clearance of the Citroen C4 sedan. But the call to the dealer of the brand was embarrassing: I (who introduced himself as an ordinary buyer) was told that the clearance is 155 mm! After the publication of this material, the Russian representative office of Citroen in Russia contacted us with a request to correct the data. It turns out that the clearance of the four-door C4 is almost as good as the Peugeot 408 and is equal to 176 mm.
Noise isolation Citroen C4 Sedan at the average level - no worse and no better than the main competitors. Basically solo tires, to which, after 100 km / h, a slight sound from the oncoming air is added. A subconscious comparison of two French sedans led to an unexpected conclusion. Built on the same platform, with the same suspension scheme, with the same gasoline engines and almost the same price, the cars turned out to be very different. Peugeot made the 408 in many respects a compromise, but fully meeting the requirements of the mass Russian consumer: a large, spacious and high sedan. But Citroen remained true to himself. The C4 Sedan is first and foremost a stylish car with thoroughbred driving habits, where pragmatic features are a free addition. That's just the average motorist in our country admires the size of the trunk and ground clearance more than the elegance of forms and well-adjusted behavior on the road ...
Brief technical characteristics of the Citroen C4 Sedan
The cost of Citroen C4 Sedan in the Russian market
The new French sedan is delivered to Russia with one 1.6 petrol engine in different boost levels: 115, 120 and 150 horsepower. The atmospheric engine is either a five-speed "mechanics" or a four-speed "automatic". The turbo version is equipped only with an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission. Basic equipment Dynamique 1.6 MT for 579,000 rubles is not rich and includes ABS, two frontal airbags, front electric windows, central locking with remote control, electric drive and heated mirrors. 32,000 rubles will have to pay extra for air conditioning. 13,000 and 11,000 rubles will be asked for a full-time MP3 radio and metallic color, respectively. Same execution with a four-speed "automatic" costs 647,000 rubles , but air conditioning is already included in the equipment. Second set Tendance 1.6 MT for 648,000 rubles already has four airbags, and air conditioning, and radio. Plus: an on-board computer, full power accessories, heated front seats, fog lights and cruise control. Of the options: alloy wheels for 17,000 rubles, Bluetooth for 10,000, metallic color for 11,000 rubles and automatic transmission for 35,000 rubles. Execution Exclusive 1.6 MT will cost 710,000 rubles . Among other things, the C4 Sedan will be equipped with parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, a rain and light sensor, front seats with massage (!), A blind spot monitoring system and a hill start assist system. In addition to the “automatic”, you can additionally order adaptive xenon headlights for 34,000 rubles, a leather interior with electric seats for 50,000 rubles and a navigation system for 40,000 rubles. Top version Exclusive+ 1.6 MT worth 795,000 rubles differs only in that it comes exclusively with an automatic transmission, and the optional equipment of the previous configuration is already included in the price (with the exception of the leather interior). Turbocharged Citroen C4 Sedan 1.6 THP with a six-speed "automatic" offered in Tendance, Exclusive and Exclusive+ versions at a price of 763,000, 818,000 and 853,000 rubles, respectively.
C4 has updated its design to a more relaxed one. Presented to our public back in May, many buyers were interested in its value. And not in vain. After all, the equipment of the car, its technical characteristics are quite worthy of attention for the minimum price. And in the showrooms of Paris, it could be found since the fall of 2012. In Russia in 2012, the Citroen C4 hatchback was purchased by about 13,000 drivers. And in 2013, the Citroen C4, a sedan, was replaced.
On the part of the Russians, this model has a huge location. The car has become more attractive, more spacious and more suitable for Russian roads. In the next Citroen C4 review, you will find out why this is so.
The silhouette of the car Citroen C4 has an oblong elongated shape, with accentuated side shapes and concave rear windows. At the rear, a spoiler completes the picture, slightly soaring upwards. LED light lights flash at the back and front, brightening up. French designers made the Citroen C4, a sedan on an elongated platform, 10 cm larger. Designing it for the Russian market, they increased the ground clearance to 17 cm. The sedan looks much more elite, and the stampings on the side areas add sophistication.
The boot size has become larger than that of previous brothers, and the wheelbase has been stretched, increasing the freedom of action for passengers in the rear seats. The trunk volume of the Citroen C4 is 440 liters. The back part in terms of design is not particularly distinguished by anything, it has an ordinary look. The trunk, having a good capacity, did not cope with the proper fixation of the lid.
Video about the test drive of the Citroen C4 car:
Continuing C4, let us dwell on the description of the cabin. A solid design that does not cause a sense of economy, spacious enough. A chic detail is the cabin roof, which has five different positions.
Soft plastic covers the top of the Citroen C4's dash. The windshield is fully heated. Instruments of various indicators are beautifully arranged, which change their color from white to blue. The settings can be customized to your liking.
The convenient location of the driver's seat in the car, although a little elevated, but its position can be adjusted. Performs a massage function and fixes the driver well on the road. The same can be said about the adjacent seat, however, such an elevation gives additional space in, which, in principle, is already enough.
A sofa with an increased inclination of the back, making the trip more comfortable for passengers, if you do not notice the absence of a central armrest. The company emphasizes the qualities of the rear placement in the Citroen C4 car with the luxury style, which means luxury. Winter promises to be warmer due to the air ducts in the legs, which have become larger. Despite the fact that two passengers can easily afford to accommodate two passengers in the back of the car, it is better for them not to be too tall.
The Citroen C4 car has excellent handling quality - it is a smooth ride. The engineers worked on a new one. Now it functions with softness and is designed for driving at high speed in any road surface. When checking the sedan on a bumpy Russian road, it turned out that he did not care about various pits.
Engine size Citroen C4 equal to 1.6 liters, and it starts by pressing one button. Petrol, turbocharged, develops 150 hp. With. With such a power of the Citroen C4, at the start, for some reason, some heaviness is felt during acceleration. Acceleration to 100 km occurs in 10 seconds. I would like to expect more from these "horses". But the six-speed automatic works smoothly and clearly, the brakes respond perfectly. In addition to this engine, engines with the same volume, but with a power of 115 and 120 hp, flaunt in the line. With. The youngest car engine has a five-speed manual gearbox. On the “mechanics”, sometimes when switching, you can feel vibration waves. But the electro-hydraulic booster smooths out the difficulties in control.
The Citroen C4 has an average degree in comparison with competitive models. Not too high, but not low either. The safety of passengers and the driver in the car is taken care of by the ABS, AFU and REF systems, as well as the exchange rate stability system. The car passed many test tests, including in harsh conditions, and successfully coped with them.
Let's summarize the description with more specific technical characteristics of the Citroen C4 model - the THP sedan.
| Car model: | Citroen C4 1.6 THP |
| Manufacturer country: | Russia |
| body type: | sedan |
| Number of places: | 5 |
| Number of doors: | 4 |
| Engine capacity, cu. cm: | 1598 |
| Power, l. s./about. min.: | 150/110/6000 |
| Maximum speed, km/h: | 200 |
| Acceleration to 100 km/h, s: | 9,6 |
| Type of drive: | front |
| Checkpoint: | 6 automatic transmission, 5 manual transmission |
| Fuel type: | gasoline AI-95, AI 98 |
| Consumption per 100 km: | city, automatic 11.3; mixed, automatic 7.9; suburban, automatic 6.0 |
| Length, mm: | 4621 |
| Width, mm: | 1789 |
| Height, mm: | 1496 |
| Clearance, mm: | 176 |
| Tire size: | 215/55R16;215/50R17 |
| Curb weight, kg: | 1390 |
| Gross weight, kg: | 1835 |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 60 |
Pros Citroen C4:
- elegant car design;
- pleasant lighting;
- high ground clearance;
- huge trunk, with a small height to lift your cargo. For convenience, a LED flashlight is provided, which you can take with you. Pleased with the presence of various niches, holes for any items;
- good sound insulation in the car;
- suspension smoothness;
- economical fuel;
- comfortable chairs.
Cons Citroen C4:
- lack of dynamics. A car for a quiet imposing trip;
- there is no device indicating the temperature of the car warming up;
- rather long antenna;
- inconvenient car navigation;
- hard turns;
- sharp brakes, but effective;
- low ceiling behind the sofa.
Here, of course, the question largely depends on individual perception. For some, there are shortcomings, and someone will not notice such details in the car at all.
Price range
Four configurations of the Citroen C4 represent any combination of engine and gearbox to choose from. The complete set of the car at 579,000 rubles includes two airbags, rear air ducts, heated mirrors, electric drive, and a spare tire. In the presence of 115 liters. With. and five-speed mechanics. If you dream of an air conditioner, if you please add up to 32,000 rubles. For 647,000 rubles you will receive 120 liters. With. In all trim levels, windshield heating is provided, especially for the Russian climate.
For a variation of the Citroen C4, a model equipped with a navigation system, a color display of the on-board computer, USB and Bluetooth, a keyless access system to the passenger compartment and other additional options is suitable for a more expensive model. The maximum price of the Citroen C4 will be 853,000 rubles. By spending this amount, you will become the owner of a car with a capacity of 150 liters. With. with a 6-speed "automatic". The French generously provide for any buyer.
Therefore, the successful production of Citroen has been taking place in Kaluga since April, the car received Russian localization of 34%. The Russians are hospitable, as they fell in love with French charisma a long time ago.
Parting word: summary
Let's summarize the general impression of the Citroen C4, a sedan, in a brief summary. The car has undergone a lot of work of craftsmen in order to be adapted for Russian roads. The increased ground clearance of the Citroen C4, pleasant suspension support comfort. For small trips around the city, for work and leisure, he spends only 9 liters per 100 km.
It won't incur big expenses. Many motorists focus their attention on this particular brand among this class. It meets the needs of both a seasoned driver and a first-time novice behind the wheel. "Perestroika" Citroen pulled positive changes. This also applies to the interior design, which was worked out by French experts, its space and interior equipment, and additional options for the car.
Video about prices for Citroen C4:
Best of all, the Citroen C4 car is suitable for those who keep their way on straight roads without unnecessary winding turns, on more or less smooth surfaces and do not particularly strive to accelerate. Then you can enjoy all the advantages of the car to the fullest.
