Citroen C-Crosser
Ratings
4 stars
Summary
Recommended. An impressive debut SUV for Citroen - just a shame it offers little of the innovation that the French brand was once renowned for.
Review
Citroen may have been first to bring us the disc brake, front wheel drive and hydropneumatic suspension but one thing this innovative brand has never managed to build is an SUV. So in the face of rising demand for such vehicles PSA (Citroen and Peugeot's owner) called on a company that knows a thing or two about the 4x4: Mitsubishi.
The result of this joint venture is the C-Crosser - think of it as a Mitsubishi Outlander wearing an avant-garde French designer jacket. Citroen has taken the newest Outlander, radically altered the styling (although not the proportions) and adjusted the suspension to be more pliant on European roads. Sister brand Peugeot, incidentally, has done exactly the same thing, launching a triplet to these SUV twins called the 4007.
Buying into established SUV technology means that straight away Citroen has come up with a car which competes with class leaders. The C-Crosser has lockable four-wheel-drive, a spacious cabin, five proper chairs and two jump seats, a flat boot floor and nearly 1700 litres of luggage space. It also drives well, keeping body lean in check through corners rather than rolling occupants about, and inspires further confidence with well-weighted steering. The ride is comfortable enough too, although the C-Crosser can't better the hushed ambience offered by a Land Rover Freelander, and on the motorway the wind noise is particularly noticeable. But it does get PSA's 2.2 litre turbo diesel engine, which is smooth and appropriately powerful for lugging the C-Crosser's 1750kg mass. Minor gripes stem from the questionable quality of the cabin materials and a lack of steering wheel reach adjustment. But our biggest problem with the C-Crosser is how much it costs; more than cars like the popular Toyota RAV 4, equipment-laden Chevrolet Captiva and even the standard-bearing Land Rover Freelander.
Get past the price though, and this is an impressive debut foray into the SUV market for Citroen.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
4 star
The looks won't be to everyone's taste, but we found them appealing. Let's face it, there are plenty of ditchwater-dull SUVs and it's good to stand out.
Handling
4 star
Taut body control and well-weighted steering helped the C-Crosser put in an impressive performance (for an SUV) on twisty roads.
Comfort
3 star
Suspension that sometimes struggles to soak up bumps and dips in the road, and somewhat intrusive wind and tyre roar at high speeds are concerns. They're not huge ones though, and we'd have no worries about driving a long journey in the C-Crosser.
Quality & Reliability
2 star
The trim and cabin materials are in danger of letting this car down, particularly as it's priced at the top end of the SUV segment. Japanese Mitsubishi engineering should help to ensure reliability, though.
Performance
3 star
There's no great urgency from the 2.2 litre turbodiesel engine but its 156bhp maximum power is sufficient for most tasks and with 280lb ft torque,
Roominess
4 star
Plenty of space for luggage and a family, but three adults would struggle for leg and shoulder room on the rear seats. The two fold out jump seats are for really for kids only.
Running Costs
3 star
A claimed fuel economy of 38.4mpg isn't bad for a car of this type, and the C-Crosser will genuinely return that on road without the driver having to drive like a vicar. However, as with most SUVs, tax and fuel will cost more than a conventional saloon or estate.
Value for money
2 star
Considering this is an Outlander underneath it's hard for Citroen to justify the higher price, even if it the C-Crosser does come with more equipment. Class-leading models like the Toyota RAV-4 and Land Rover Freelander cost less.
