Citroen C1. For the most serious pragmatists
The four-seater, front-wheel drive, 3 or 5-door Citroen C1 Hatchback was developed within the B-Zero project by PSA Peugeot Citroën in cooperation with Toyota. The first generation was restyled twice, and the market currently offers the second generation. Being an example of automotive globalism, the Citroen C1 can also come as the Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo, although these cars are not completely identical. But all three variants are produced by TPCA (Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile) in the Czech Republic. The new Citroen C1 is not officially supplied to Israel, which is a pity. But we will tell you about it anyway, because it is small and incredibly convenient.
However, the Israeli market offers a quasi-double of the C1, the second generation Toyota Aygo Hatchback, restyled in 2018. The car is equipped with a 1.0-liter gasoline engine developing 72 hp which makes it possible to reach the maximum speed of 160 km/h. Fuel consumption is very low, averaging 4.2 l/100 km and only 3.8 l/100 km on the highway.
The first generation
Produced between 2005 and 2015, the first generation was restyled twice in 2008 and 2012. The cute friendly design of the С1 is conceived by the Italian Donato Coco, one of the most eminent car designers of our time, author of such models like the Citroën Xsara Picasso, Citroën C2, C3 Pluriel, Ferrari F430 Scuderia and Ferrari F430 Spider 16M. According to marketing research, the curious-looking fuel-efficient car appealed to everyone except for pimple-faced teenagers dreaming of the Escalade and Linkoln cars, but was to the taste of serious and pragmatic people for whom the car was more than a means of transport which did not burden the family budget and which did not occupy too much space in life. Their number has reached 760 thousand people in the world.
The cute friendly design of the С1 is conceived by the Italian Donato Coco, one of the most eminent car designers of our time.
Unlike the majority of compact cars, the first C1 immediately offered a 3- and 5-door body. The interior space in the front part of the car was sufficient even for very tall people, and the large glass area created a special sensation of spaciousness inside. Of course, the rear of a 3-door car was only suitable for children or very small adults and only for short trips.
On the other hand, the compact C1 offered surprisingly many storage options: no less than twelve compartments scattered around the center console, dashboard and doors, as well as door drawers suitable for A4 documents. The total volume of the luggage compartment was an impressive 139 liters for such a compact car or 751 liters with the rear seats folded down.
The C1 was driven by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine, distinguished by exceptional fuel-efficiency, which made it second only to the Toyota Prius. The engine generated 68 hp, which allowed developing the first 100 km/h in 14 seconds, while the maximum speed was 158 km/h. The engine was accompanied by a 5-speed automatic transmission.
2008 restyling
In 2008, the Citroen C1 was restyled at the same time as the Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo. The exterior was slightly changed. The model started featuring air conditioning, a CD player and electric front windows. The C1 acquired a new ECU under the hood that brought emissions down to Euro5 levels.
2012 restyling
In 2012, the car went through another restyling. New features include a CD sound system with integrated Citroën connector (Bluetooth with USB), an electronic transmission system with paddle shifters. The front bumper was completely redesigned with fog lights and LED daytime running lights, which were rare in the segment at the time. A significant advantage of the car was the reduction of CO2 emissions up to 99 g/km, which provided an environmental fee waiver in a number of countries.
The second generation
It was introduced in 2014. The new Citroen C1 is an ergonomic car that has a well-organized interior space, so it can comfortably carry up to four adults, even despite its small size (length - 3.46 m, width - 1.62 m and height - 1.45 m). The car is primarily designed for dense city traffic driving. All multimedia functions (radio, telephone, video player, on-board computer) are united on the 7-inch touchscreen monitor. It can be equipped with a speakerphone and control system, a rear view camera and a start-off assistance system. The handy city compact car even supports hands-free entry and operation.
Compared to the previous generation model, the new Citroen C1 is equipped with a rear axle 4 kg lighter, new suspension springs, new shock absorbers and a new large diameter anti-roll bar. These changes improve suspension performance and optimize road handling. The new tires with very low rolling resistance and compact dimensions (14 and 15 inches) contribute to faster braking and lower fuel consumption. The car comes with two latest generation gasoline engines to choose from. The e-VTi 68 Airdream engine, combined with a 5-speed gearbox and Start-Stop technology, continues the tradition of minimum fuel consumption and minimum CO2 emissions. And the new PureTech VTi engine with 82 hp and 118 Nm of torque enables the compact C1 to develop 100 km/h in 11 seconds, and is even capable of driving outside the city. For a long time!
