Till date, we have done reviews on the Kia Soul and the Audi A3 and if you haven’t read about it yet, you can check out the following links:
Kia Soul Automobile Review
Audi A3 Automobile Review
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Well, for today’s entry, we will be sharing our driving experience with the CITROËN C4 Diesel Variant Hatchback Car.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The CITROËN C4 Hatchback Car was launched in January earlier this year and it comes in two variants; the petrol 1.6L THP 155 variant and the diesel 1.6L e-HDi 115 variant, both in 6-speed Electronic Gearbox System [EGS]. For simplicity sake, we are going to focus our sharing on the CITROËN C4 [Diesel Variant].
Fitted with a Stop & Start System and an e-HDi microhybrid technology that cuts fuel consumption by 15%, the e-HDi variant is the first diesel passenger car in the CITROËN range in Singapore. As the CITROËN C4 [Diesel Variant] boasts a low carbon emission of only 109g/km, prospective buyers can enjoy $15,000 CEVS rebate. The CITROËN C4 [Diesel Variant] costs $142,988 and currently, CITROËN has some really special deals and for more information about that, do check out CITROËN Singapore’s Facebook Page.
Exterior Design
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The CITROËN C4 surprises and appeals through its styling. From fluid surfaces, sculpted lines to its chrome trims, the CITROËN C4 has a striking exterior that is assertive, elegant and surprisingly compact as a hatchback.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The impression of strength and stability is immediate from the first glance, illustrated by the car’s balanced proportions and the positioning of the body, sitting close to the wheels. The sculpted lines and black rear spoiler further illustrate the quest to optimise aerodynamics.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The Michelin Energy Saver Tyres
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
CITROËN and Michelin have pooled their innovative capacities to develop the 16-inch Michelin Energy Saver Tyres, premiered on the e-HDi variants of the CITROËN C4. The Michelin Energy Saver Tyre achieves a hitherto unknown balance in performance by cutting fuel consumption while improving safety and achieving the highest levels in tyre mileage.
The 1.6L e-HDi 115 Engine under the Hood
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
A closer look at the 1.6L e-HDi 115 Engine
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The e-HDi system is original in that it combines several technologies: an HDi engine, one of the most efficient powertrains on the market; a Stop & Start system with a second-generation reversible alternator; an e-booster system to restart the engine instantly; an electronic control system for the alternator, designed to recover energy when the vehicle slows down; and a gearbox with optimised ratios.
Interior Design
Boot space in the CITROËN C4 has also been maximised at 408 litres and it features a cubic shape, low, slim load sill, and interior fittings to ensure that all the space available can be used. Although the rear seats can be folded down, it doesn’t fold down completely like what we have seen in the Kia Soul and Audi A3 Sportback.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The glovebox compartment is rather small for large items but good enough for some parking coupons.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
Door bins that can contain bottles of up to 1.5 litres at the front.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
Like the exterior, the interior styling of the CITROËN C4 creates an immediate impression of quality and sophistication.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The dashboard and fascia of the CITROËN C4 have been designed with the best in-class materials. Cool satin chrome lines the steering wheel controls, air-conditioned vents, and as well as the gear lever.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The CITROËN C4 is cleverly engineered with a central storage compartment that houses the connecting box with a jack, USB port and Bluetooth hands-free kit. I personally find the central storage compartment deep and wide enough to put all sorts of items like the mobile phone, wallet and sunglasses.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The bright and airy ambience created by the wide windscreen can be further enhanced by a 1.3 m² panoramic sunroof.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The switch for the panoramic sunroof are located above the rear mirror and there’s even an indicator to note which passenger does not have his/her seatbelts on.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
A closer look at the seatbelt and airbag status indicator.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The new instrument cluster with three dials combines analogue and digital information. The readout plays on depth and contrast to ensure exceptional legibility.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The carefully designed steering wheel with centralised controls, grouping the many functions in clearly defined areas- audio, telephone, speed limiter-cruise control, comfort
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
The many other push buttons that are conveniently located at the driver’s dashboard.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
Driving Performance
Although I have driven diesel-powered vans before, it was my first time driving a diesel-powered passenger car. From the outside, the idling sound of the engine was rather loud; very much like what you would hear from vans and lorries when they are idling. However, once inside the cabin of the CITROËN C4, the atmosphere is hushed and relaxed. The acoustic treatment and soundproofing of the cabin reduce vibrations, engine noise, aerodynamic noise, and driving and impact noise, thus turning the hatchback into a serene haven.
Sitting in the driver’s seat of the CITROËN C4 makes me feel like a pilot in an aeroplane cockpit. There are so many buttons and controls and it took me quite a while to make sense of the features that are available in the car.
When driving the CITROËN C4, I could feel the e-HDi technology kick in. Whenever the vehicle comes to a stop or from 8 km/h during the deceleration phase with the 6-speed clutchless gearbox, the engine would be cut and it would restart instantaneously when I was about to move off. In case you’re wondering, the main comfort functions such as the air-conditioning and radio and assistance functions like the steering and ESP, naturally remain available during the “STOP” phase. This innovation helps cuts fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 15%.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
When coming to a stop, it didn’t require much effort because the brake is nice and tight. The CITROËN C4 handles pretty well during cornering and the pick-up speed is also relatively fast; hence overtaking cars shouldn’t be much of an issue. We found the transmission to be rather responsive and you can switch to manual-shift paddling if you wish to.
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| From Citroen C4 2013 |
Elegant and dynamic, rational and versatile, reassuring and modern; the CITROËN C4 truly sets new standards in the hatchback market. Having reviewed the Kia Soul, Audi A3 Sportback, and now the Citroen C4; which one do you like the best?
We have also gotten in touch with a few more automobile brands like Mercedez-Benz, Mazda, Volvo, and BMW, and we might be doing a test-drive of the hatchback cars they have if time permits.
Apart from cars, we are currently reviewing the Nikon COOLPIX P520 camera and upcoming blog entries will also see us reviewing the NESPRESSO Pixie Coffee Machine and the Logitech UE Boombox. So stay tuned to us for more reviews and updates!