Citroen C4 review - Interior, design and technology
Citroen has designed a real head turner in the C4, although the infotainment system is a little awkward to use
With the previous C4 model being so forgettably bland, it was vital that Citroen came up with a striking new design for the third-generation car. Has it succeeded? Well, first impressions are certainly good. The aggressive coupe line catches the eye and the use of sharper angles across some of the body work gives the C4 a tauter, more modern look.
In fact, at around 1,300kg, the C4 is quite a bit lighter than most of its rivals which benefits ride quality and comfort - an area Citroen feels it can target to convince customers away from more dynamic rivals.
Interior quality is a bit of a mixture - not up to the standard of the very best in the class, but just about passing muster. You won’t find lots of soft-touch materials in use around the cabin, but Citroen has done a decent job of ensuring a reasonable level of perceived quality.
Standard equipment is generous with entry-level Sense trim including 18-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, rear parking sensors and dual-zone climate control. Upgrading to the more luxurious Shine and Shine Plus specifications adds kit such as adaptive cruise control, a keyless entry and start function, wireless smartphone charging and electrically-adjustable heated front seats.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The C4 comes with a large 10-inch screen as standard, and best of all there are physical buttons for the air-conditioning controls. This is something that some Citroen models don’t have, and fiddling with them on the touchscreen is annoying, so we’re glad that real buttons are making a comeback.
The touchscreen is large and looks smart, and has great functionality; everything you need is here, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which work well on the big display.
The screen could be more responsive to inputs, though, and the menus aren’t as easy to understand and navigate as we’d like, while the system is also slower to load than some rivals. All versions, with the exception of the entry-level Sense, include a head-up display as standard.
