Citroen C-Crosser: 11,018 miles

At last! We’ve finally put the all-wheel-drive system on our Citroen C-Crosser to the test.

I borrowed the keys to RV58 GBE for my summer break, and parking up on the beach at Brean Sands in north Somerset gavethe perfect excuse to engage four-wheel drive!

Auto Express publishing director James Burnay usually looks after the Citroen, but when I needed a car for a two-week holiday, the SUV’s promise of space and economy made it my number one pick. So, apart from its trick transmission, did it live up to my expectations?

The answer is a resounding yes! Anyone with children will appreciate how much extra kit you have to carry when you go away – and from the moment I began packing the C-Crosser, it was already winning me over.

With our 20-month-old daughter, Neve, in tow we didn’t need the car’s third row of chairs, so I left them stowed flat and loaded the boot.

Incredibly, everything fitted in under the load cover, even with the sliding back seats in their rearmost position.

With all our gear on board, the 4x4 continued to impress. The neatly designed cabin is easy on the eye and simple to use, and our long-termer features practical leather upholstery and a high-spec stereo. The latter includes a built-in hard drive, which proved to be a real bonus.

In the rush to pack I forgot to pick up any music, but fortunately we were able to choose from James’s collection like an on-board jukebox.

Performance from the 2.2-litre diesel engine was also satisfyingly punchy, while the cruise control came in handy on the drive out of London.

Navigation wasn’t a problem, either, as the integrated sat-nav guided us to all the places we wanted to visit on our trip. And once you’ve arrived at your destination, the Citroen has another ace up its sleeve – because its Range Rover-style split-folding tailgate is great for families. The lower section doubles as a bench and is perfect for changing out of wet swimming costumes and muddy shoes.

On top of all this, the C-Crosser averaged a superb 36.3mpg on our 800-mile trip – although 799 of those miles were completed with the transmission switched to the eco-friendly, two-wheel-drive setting! Now all I need to do is get the sand out of the carpet, before I hand back the keys...

Extra Info

While the seats in the third row of the C-Crosser aren’t as comfortable as the other five, children love them. And they feature headrests and three-point seatbelts.

Headroom is generous all-round, though, and with all seven seats in place, there’s still room for a pushchair. I’ve even squeezed in seven people and two dogs!

James Burnay Publishing director