Citroen hope the new C4 hatchback will get up your nose - in more ways than you might imagine! The replacement for the Xsara comes with the choice of designer 'smells' to put you in the mood for driving every time you step aboard.
The specially commissioned perfumes include vanilla and musk pouches that slot in to the air conditioning system and are designed to last for about two months.
Whether this will be enough to tempt buyers away from the best-selling Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra remains to be seen but it's a novel and interesting idea all the same!
Bigger all round than the Xsara, the C4 offers sufficient space to allow six-footers to travel in comfort in the rear as well as the front. The cabin is pleasantly light and airy and come with plenty of stowage compartments, most of them fitted with damped-action lids.
It's user-friendly too, thanks to rear seats that can be folded to provide a flat floor and a handy partitioning system that allows the boot to be divided into three compartments to prevent smaller items from rolling about in transit.
The C4's dashboard is just as different as the exterior styling. Citroen's designers have created an instrument layout that's minimalist in appearance, while still providing a full range of information.
Most of the usual switchgear is housed in the centre of a steering wheel, with a fixed-hub the dash panel is notably smoother and less cluttered. It tales some getting used too but is certainly easier to read.
Citroen's new range has a lot more showroom appeal than the Focus, Astra or Golf and it comes with a smart idea to help it keep its looks. Instead of metal, impact-resisting plastic is used for the front wings - and because they are also easier to replace, insurance and repair costs should be less.
On the safety front, the C4 wins high ratings all round and looks set to gain the maximum 5-star award in the next Euro NCAP tests. Apart from its special steering wheel, the car is also unique in being available with laminated glass for the doors. Much harder to break than toughened glass, it makes it more secure against the advances of those people who choose to gain unlawful access to vehicles by lobbing house bricks through side windows.
Petrol engines for the range span 1.4-litres to 2.0-litres, but the top motor, producing 180bhp, is reserved for the VTS coupe. All three turbodiesel engines on offer comply with Euro IV emission rules, and the trio is led by the excellent 138bhp 2.0-litre unit used in the C5. However, the entry-level 1.6-litre - PSA's latest HDi - produces 92bhp and debuts in the C4 alongside the 110 version and it is significant that each tops the magic 60mpg figure on the combined economy cycle.
Even base-level LX cars for the UK will come with cruise control and a speed limiter as standard, along with anti-lock braking with emergency brake assist, central locking, power front windows and a CD sound system. Prices are expected to start at just over ¯¿½12,000.
Air conditioning will form part of SX trim packaging and Exclusive versions are likely to stand on alloy wheels and have headlamps that swivel around to give better night vision through corners, a monitoring system to warn of loss of pressure or a puncture, a CD changer and a 10-speaker premium sound system. The lane departure warning system introduced on the C5 will be among the options.
Effortless acceleration and a high sixth gear for supremely relaxed cruising make the 2.0-litre HDi version the best model. It's remarkably lively, refined and so stingy on the fuel that it looks to be the best compromise between performance and economy. Backed by supple suspension that still gives sharp handling, it's a strong candidate for the European Car of the Year title.
