Review - 2023 Citroen C4

The Citroen C4’s striking visual package is matched by a fairly healthy equipment list here in Australia in order to win over buyers from more common rivals.

After a brief hiatus, the Citroen C4 is set to make its return to the Australian market in the early stages of 2024, so before it arrives, let’s take a look at the important specs to see how it takes on its fierce rivals.

Citroen C4 Competition

Starting Price: $39,990

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How Much Does It Cost?

Citroen is yet to confirm pricing for the MY24 Citroen C4 here in Australia, though when it was last offered in 2022, the C4 Shine Automatic was priced at $39,990.

Keep in mind that prices are likely to rise when the 2024 model is introduced here in Australia, with the aforementioned pricing not inclusive of on-road costs.

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Citroen C4 (SHINE 1.2 THP 114) Specifications

What Features Does the Citroen C4 Have?

The Citroen C4 Shine comes riding on a set of 18-inch alloys and receives LED headlights, fog lights and daytime running lamps, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, Siena leather upholstery with heated and massaging seats.

On the tech front, the C4 Shine picks up a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors, a head-up display, a 10-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster, satellite navigation and a six-speaker sound system.

Keep in mind that specifications for the MY24 Citroen C4 are yet to be finalised, so the features and figures mentioned here might not reflect a potentially updated MY24 C4 here in Australia.

Range Features:

• 18-inch alloys

• LED headlights, fog lights & daytime running lamps

• Adaptive cruise control

• Keyless entry & start

• Dual-zone climate control 

• Siena leather upholstery 

• Heated, massaging front seats 

• Rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors 

• Head-up display 

• 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster 

• 10-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto 

• Six-speaker sound system

Is the Citroen C4 Comfortable to Drive?

As we’ve come to expect from Citroen’s lineup, the C4 is impressively comfortable even on Australian roads, while its user-friendly nature makes for a great city car.

Under the bonnet, the C4 comes packing a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine that throws 114kW of power and 240Nm of torque to the front wheels via an eight-speed transmission.

While it’s just a pint-sized engine, those outputs translate to some decent acceleration off the line in the C4, with the slick eight-speed automatic making the town driving experience a particularly smooth affair.

Around town, the C4 is happy to dart through traffic and change direction on a dime thanks to its very urban-friendly platform and suspension gear, making the process of parking and navigating tight spots in the urban jungle a simple task.

The C4’s lightweight platform means that it's quick on its feet, while the suspension handles small to moderate bumps with confidence, making for a great city car.

Pick up the pace and leave the city and the C4 remains pretty composed on Australian roads thanks, largely, to Citroen’s clever hydraulic cushion that helps to iron out larger bumps on the road.

All up, the C4 is a super impressive package on pretty much any road you can throw at it, where it is happy to bumble around town and hit the highway for hours on end while remaining nice and comfortable for the segment.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

Citroen’s tiny little 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine is rated at 6.1L/100km on a combined cycle, putting it at the sharp end of the segment when it comes to fuel efficiency.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

While the Citroen C4 doesn’t have a huge footprint, the French company has used ample amounts of its trademark design flair to make the C4’s cabin feel special and remarkably comfortable.

Citroen is a brand known for its comfortable cars, and this very much extends to the C4’s cabin which picks up a lovely set of leather seats in the front of the cabin, both of which pick up seat heating and a massage function.

While the cabin ergonomics take some time to get used to, once you’re acclimatised, things are reasonably user-friendly inside the C4’s cabin which feels nice and spacious in the front of the cabin, with great visibility.

Storage options in the front of the cabin include two layers of storage where the centre console meets the base of the dash, a pair of cup holders and some extremely sizey door bins on either side of the cabin.

Move to the rear of the C4 and there’s an impressive amount of space for adults, and while the sloping roofline design has impacted the potential for more headroom, the second row is nice and spacious.

The second row of the C4 picks up ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts, while the boot measures in at 380L, expanding to 1250L with the second row folded down to help accommodate bulky cargo.

Is it Safe?

The Citroen C4 range has been awarded a four-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2021, where it scored 76% for adult protection, 81% for child protection, 57% for vulnerable road user protection and 62% for safety assist.

As standard, the Citroen C4 picks up autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, blind-spot monitoring, a rear-view camera with parking sensors, traffic sign recognition and curtain airbags.

Our Verdict: Is the Citroen C4 Worth it?

In a world brimming with increasingly homogenous vehicles that seem to blend together, the Citroen C4 stands proudly on its feet as a truly unique, impressively comfortable and surprisingly practical vehicle.

While it lacks the full five-star safety rating, the C4 comes extremely well-equipped for a European vehicle here in Australia, making it well-deserving of a spot on your shortlist. If you’re shopping around for a new car, be sure to contact one of our car-buying experts who can help find you the best possible price.

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty 

2. Four-star ANCAP safety rating 

3. 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol (114kW/240Nm) 

4. 6.1L/100km combined cycle fuel economy figures 

5. 380L boot expands to 1250L with seats folded