Roy Lewis roadtests the Citroen C-Crosser (From Hereford Times)

Roy Lewis roadtests the Citroen C-Crosser

8:00am Saturday 6th March 2010 in

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THERE is a fairly fine line between cynicism and common sense that the Citroen C-Crosser bridges.

With so few 4x4 drivers venturing off the tarmac on a regular basis it is a sensible proposition to build cars to suit and this is why the roomy softroaders are so popular.

The Citroen shares its platform and much of its mechanicals as a result of a joint venture with Mitsubishi and Peugeot and, thanks to subtle differences, the cars have managed to retain much of their own individual character. However, buyers will no doubt take into consideration which brand has the closest dealership and also who gives the best deal.

Arguably, the Citroen looks the most stylish of the trio. The package is certainly a good one with the four-cylinder 2.2-litre HDi engine with common rail direct injection giving strong performance and pushing out a healthy 156bhp.

The motor has had a number of tweaks to improve its economy and emissions to around 40mpg and a C02 (g/km) figure of 192 which puts it in the £215 annual road tax bracket – not bad for a fairly large SUV.

But the biggest update is the new six-speed automatic gearbox option for the 2.2-litre which has a dual clutch system to give smooth and quick changes. And drivers can swap ratios manually via the handy silver steering paddles, plus there is a sport mode that gives sharper shifts.

The new gearbox is a winner as it makes for such easy progress and has only a small impact on fuel consumption or CO2 emissions.

While the Citroen can’t match the big mud-pluggers when the going gets rough, the trade-off is splendid on-road performance that would shame many a saloon.

The Citroen is light on its feet with virtually no body roll or the impression of unchecked inertia that can afflict vehicles of this type. The ride is firm, but comfortable, and the road holding is particularly good so that you can hurl the Citroen into bends with confidence.

The bigger SUVs are not cheap to buy and with fuel costs high and still rising, together with the threat of more expensive road tax, many buyers are looking carefully at value for money. But with the Citroen they get a quality-built vehicle that will virtually do-it-all, boasts a wealth of equipment and is notably cheaper than some of the well-established rivals in the 4x4 sector.

The on-the-road prices go from £24,145 in the seven-seat VTR+ trim to £28,120 for the more luxurious Exclusive specification model.

Inside, the accent is on comfort and practicality. The roomy interior is classy and well built with the driver having a fairly commanding seating position. There is a new stylish and more practical dashboard and trim with chrome finish to the dials and vents while the specification is also improved with Bluetooth and automatic wipers as standard items.

The occupants are well protected with ABS, electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability control with traction control, driver, front passenger, front lateral and front and rear curtain airbags fitted as standard on all models.

Building on this, the C-Crosser has the benefits of three driving modes.

In normal conditions the vehicle runs in 2WD with 4WD or lock up modes available at the touch of a button to provide good traction whatever the conditions.

The VTR+ trim has five standard seats plus two child retractable ones that fold into the boot floor when not in use to give a large load bay made even more practical by a split tailgate.

The top-of-the-range Exclusive trim boasts the same extra seats, plus Xenon dual function headlights with washer jets, rear parking sensors, full leather trim with heated front seats and a fully electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

Metallic paint and colour sat nav with reversing camera are among the few options.

AT-A-GLANCE

Citroen C-Crosser 2.2 HDi Exclusive auto.

Price: £28,120 (on-the-road).

Top speed: 123mph.

0-62mph: 11.1 seconds.

Fuel: 38.7mpg.

C02 emissions (g/km): 192.

Verdict: Versatile, great to drive, stylish, well built, roomy, well equipped and good blend of performance with economy.