USED Citroën C4 Hatchback (05 - 10)

My car

The engine is willing and has enough torque to mean you can drive in a reasonably relaxed fashion and make good progress. The ride is compliant with very little crash, but it corners well with little body roll. The main criticism is the lack of steering feel - the wheel is very light and this can make high speed runs on the motorway slightly disconcerting.

Refinement is generally good; the engine isn't the quietest under load but otherwise is quiet. Wind noise is slightly disappointing, but overall it's still quite good. Fuel consumption was good.

I would be concerned over build quality - Citroen may have made great strides but the external door handles and some interior fittings were still flimsy and unlikely to last compared to Japanese or German brands. This could create problems a few years down the line.

Inside the cabin is cramped, and, although bold, the dash can be irritating. Too much is controlled on the steering wheel boss, with a pointless digital rev counter mounted on top, right out of your eye line. The digital display for speed and trip is much better. Generally the car is too complicated to get used to quickly.

The rear seats and cramped and the boot is small. For space, look at larger cars such as the Honda Civic. The seats aren't the most comfortable, being slightly too thin and not having enough lumbar support, but there are worse.

Overall, it's very competent. Personal preference will dictate whether you like its quirks.

My car

I have had my C4 for about a week, and so far I am very impressed. I wasn't planning on getting a C4, but when I saw this one I was taken by the way it looks.

Driving it is a pleasure, although the engine needs working to get the best from it, but it does go very well for a 1.6. Fuel economy is also very good - according to the computer I am averaging 35mpg, which, for mostly round town stop-start driving, I feel is pretty good.

The interior is stunning and very well put together. The standard radio/CD player gives very good sound and seems powerful enough. Road noise is hardly ever noticeable, although I do sometimes get wind noise from the door mirrors, but nothing to worry about, and it's certainly not intrusive.

The sport seats are very supportive - they take a while to adjust to find the perfect driving position, but once done, it is a very comfortable car.

I would happily recommend the C4 to anyone thinking of a family hatch. If you want something just as good if not better than a Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and so on, but individual and distinctive, then this is the car.

My car

This is an excellent car - the build quality is very good, the controls are well placed and easy to understand, the six-speed gearbox is light and positive, and the engine economical and powerful.

The pedals are well placed, with plenty of room for size-nine feet, even in boots. The only minor Criticism is that at first I found it difficult to fasten the driver's seat belt - the arm rest is in the way, but I soon got used to that.

I would recommend this vehicle to any potential buyers. I did consider a Focus - another nice car - but I found them a bit dull. I'm glad chose the C4.

My car

Absolutely beautiful. I ordered the 2.0-litre diesel exclusive, and it had all the options except the glass sunroof.

It arrived in around 10 weeks, and the build quality together with the features was better than I could ever have hoped for.

The technology is great and works well. There are some ingenious thoughts such as the wing mirrors that fold themselves in automatically when you lock the car if you choose.

A fantastic car all round. Well done Citroen.