Citroen C1 hatchback (2005 – ) expert review

The Citroen C1 isn’t as attractive as its cousin, the Toyota Aygo, but it’s better than the Peugeot 107 and gets full marks for sheer cheekiness. The bulbous front allowed us to sneak into tiny gaps in traffic out of bounds to more masculine cars. The C1’s rear gives away its budget credentials more, with a low-cost one-piece glass tailgate dominating the proceedings. Alloy wheels aren’t available on the cheapest models and only come as standard on the top VTR+ models, but don’t forget the C1 is more likely to be used as an urban tool rather than a fashion accessory.

The cabin is a love-it-or-hate-it affair. The dash is dominated by the centre console, which houses the stereo and heater controls. At night, the lower part emits an orange glow, which we found distracting particularly given the lack of a dial to dim the display. In front of the steering wheel is a single unit, which features the speedo, warning lights and digital fuel gauge. The rev counter sits – rather oddly – atop this unit, like one of Mickey Mouse’s ears. This means the same speedo housing can be used on all models – another way in which Citroen has cut costs.

There’s plenty of storage space around the cabin, with pockets in the doors, centre console and under the dashboard. These spaces are open to view, meaning you can’t tuck valuables out of sight. The C1 isn’t huge in the back, but most owners are only going to need them to ferry the kids to school, and the occasional bit of shopping. Adults would find them uncomfortable for more than a short run. The boot’s tiny too, with just 139 litres of space under the parcel shelf, but folding the seats increases the space to an impressive 751 litres.

Handling isn’t the C1’s main selling point, but the car still offers plenty of  entertainment, and is strangely reminiscent of the original Mini. There’s a bit of lean when cornering enthusiastically, which is made worse by the lack of side support from the seats. The ride is surprisingly good, given it is a budget car, but bigger bumps can be felt in the cabin.

The C1’s 1-litre, 3-cylinder engine is a strong performer round town, where short, sharp bursts of acceleration are the order of the day. At motorway speeds the engine is loud and unrefined, and we found ourselves taking lower-speed B-roads, rather than dual carriageways and motorways. The car’s 0-60mph time of 12.3 seconds and 98mph top speed are academic, because most C1s will rarely venture out of town.

With prices starting at less than £8k, the C1 is good value, but Citroen is well known for offering discounts and cashback offers, so you’re likely to get even more off the screen price. The 1.0-litre petrol-engine that comes in every C1 returns an average of 65.7mpg with a manual gearbox, while specifying the optional automatic gearbox reduces that by about 3mpg. There’s a three year, 60,000 mile warranty for new C1s, and servicing is every 10,000 miles.

Combining French flair with Japanese build quality (it shares many components with the Toyota Aygo), the C1 should be pretty robust. Some owners have complained of water getting into the rear lights, but there shouldn’t be much else to worry about.

The C1 originally scored four stars from Euro NCAP, but in line with the newer, more stringent tests, the organisation has downgraded the car’s score to just three, saying that Citroen has ‘failed to keep abreast of latest safety developments and standards’. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are standard on all models, as are driver and passenger airbags, but no models have an electronic stability programme (ESP) as standard. It’s only available as an option.

If you’re expecting sat-nav and massaging seats, forget it. This is a cheap car, so you’ll only get the basics. The entry-level VT model has no rev counter or central locking and only two speakers, while you only get standard alloy wheels with the top VTR+ trim. Having said that, a CD player with a socket for your MP3 player is standard on all models.

The sub-£10,000 car market is a competitive one, so models have to have that X-factor to succeed. Fortunately, the C1 looks good, goes well and is very cheap – in short, it’s all you could ever want from a city car.