The Essentials

• Price from £13,995
• What Car? says:
• Fuel economy: up to 74.0mpg
• What is it? The Citroen C4 looks quite smart but it's not that spacious or good to drive

• Drive

  All models have enough oomph but the C4 is lacking in many other areas

• Inside

  Too many fiddly and oddly organised buttons

• Safety

  Covers all bases, and more

• Reliability

  Average but nothing special

• Space

  Not as roomy as most rivals

• Standard and extras

  Decent standard equipment with some high-tech options

• What's it like to drive?

  The C4 is fairly plucky even with the weakest engine available, but the 110 1.6 diesel is the one to go for, as it has plenty of oomph and is economical too. However, the C4 doesn't feel particularly smooth on the road and it won't light any fires for keen drivers. The cabin is pleasingly quiet however. Just avoid the semi-automatic versions, as the gearbox is rather jerky.

• What's it like inside?

  The cabin features some attractive soft-touch and chrome details, while on some models you can vary the instrument backlighting, and the sounds of the warning chimes, to your taste. However, some of the buttons are fiddly and some are confusingly arranged. Headroom is good throughout but there's not enough legroom for taller passengers in the back, so those with gangly teenagers might need to look elsewhere. The boot is a good size though, although the rear backrests don't fold completly flat when you need to expand the load space. Even the entry-level model includes air-con and cruise control and more expensive trims are generously equipped. All models include Isofix points on the outer rear seats (both including top tether points), while the front passenger airbag can be deactivated to allow you to fit a Group 0+ child seat here.

• How reliable is it?

  Some of the materials in the lower reaches of the cabin feel a bit flimsy but Citroen's reliability record has improved recently, with the last C4 rating as above average in the 2012 JD Power customer satisfaction survey. The car is well kitted out for safety, with six airbags including curtain 'bags that extend to the rear, blind-spot monitoring, cornering lights and a speed limiter with five memory settings. This new version of the C4 hasn't yet been crash tested by Euro NCAP.

• Should I buy one?

  The C4 isn't particularly cheap to buy and its re-sale values aren't that great either. However, you can offset some of this if you haggle for the massive discount available from dealers. Economy and emissions figures are competitive too.