What_Car_UK_-_August_2020

whatcar.com August 2020 15

Traditional use of tartan marks this out as a GTI interior

Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is optional

Subtle from behind, but diffuser gives the GTI game away

Chunky GTI-badged steering wheel sure looks the part

assistance, automatic emergency braking and

ambient interior lighting with 30 colours.

Overall, the early signs are encouraging. The

new GTI may not be the most powerful hot

hatch out there, but it appears to retain the mix

of agility and everyday usability that’s always

been key to the hot Golf’s appeal.

FIRST LOOK

Citroën C

Reinvented family hatch gets striking looks and the option of

electric power On sale January 2021 Price from £23,000 (est)

CITROËNHASA longhistoryofmakingcars

that are both characterful and comfortable,

from the sweeping lines of the very rst C4,

introduced in 1928, to the C4 Cactus from

2014, with its distinctive outline, novel rubber

Airbump body protection panels and

airy, practical interior. And now, the 10th-

generation C4 has an identity all of its own.

Pumped-up wheel arches and a steeply

sloping rooine combine to give it a coupé

SUV look in prole, while – as with other

modern Citroëns – super-slim daytime

running lights are set high in its nose.

From the rear, a gently angled tailgate,

a small rear spoiler and an oversized

bumper that juts out behind the car serve

to emphasise the SUV impression. And that

counts for more than just its looks, too; taller

than a conventional hatchback, the C4 is

also said to provide a high driving position

and good ground clearance.

The striking new model replaces both the

C4 Cactus and the already-discontinued

C4 hatchback in a bid to compete with

popular family cars such as the Ford Focus

and Volkswagen Golf. An electric version

called the ë-C4 will be available, along with

conventional petrol and diesel options.

The ë-C4 is powered by the same 134bhp

electric motor and 50kWh battery that we’ve

already seen in the Peugeot e-2008. In the

ë-C4, they provide an ofcial range of 217

miles. The battery can be replenished using

a 100kW rapid charger, achieving an 80%

charge in just 30 minutes.

Internal combustion engine options

include a range of turbocharged 1.2-litre

three-cylinder petrols with 99bhp, 128bhp

and 153bhp, as well as 108bhp and 153bhp

1.5-litre four-cylinder diesels. The lowest-

powered petrol and diesel engines can

be specied with a six-speed manual

gearbox only, while the mid-range petrol

model can be manual or automatic and

the most powerful petrol and diesel variants

are automatic only.

The new C4 features the Progressive

Hydraulic Cushion suspension that we’ve

already experienced on the C4 Cactus

and C5 Aircross large SUV; certainly on the

latter, this system provides a very comfortable

ride. Citroën has also paid lot of attention

to seat comfort, with well-padded cushions,

lumbar support adjustment for the front

seats and centre armrests front and rear

to make occupants feel like they’re sitting

in armchairs. There’s even an optional seat

massage feature for extra driving relaxation.

The C4’s interior is dominated by matt

Tall stance and bold surfacing lend the new C4 a distinctive look, with more than a hint of coupe SUV visual appeal

‘Taller than a regular

hatchback, the C

is said to provide a

high driving position

as well as good

ground clearance’

It’s grownmore sophisticated,

but the new GTI shows every

sign of living up to its name

SAYS

Claire Evans

[email protected]