Skip advert
Advertisement

Citroen C1 review - does French hatch offer the thrill of city driving? - Interior and tech

Good value city car, but unrefined on the road

Evo rating
RRP
from £8,345
  • Efficient, easy to park, well-equipped and good value
  • Poor body control, coarse manners, better rivals

Citroen's C1 retains the minimalist look of its predecessor, but the designers have seemingly been given a little more free rein and it certainly looks contemporary. All versions other than the sole C1 Touch model come with an easy-to-use seven-inch touchscreen system mounted high up the dashboard. It features the latest MirrorLink technology that attempts to mimic compatible smartphones when they're hooked up, using apps such as internet radio and satnav. This display is also used by the reversing camera that is standard on the C1 Flair.

In terms of space, the C1 isn't a class-leader. The front seat occupants won't complain so long as they're not too broad-shouldered, but this is a very small car in terms of width and length and you feel it inside. Headroom is perfectly fine. The five-door version ostensibly makes it easier to get into the (not very capacious) rear seats, though the rear doors don't open anywhere near wide enough, making it feel even more cramped than it should. The rear seat splits and folds 50:50 in all but the entry-level Feel model, and you'll be needing all the space you can get, as the boot holds just 196 litres of luggage - and there's a high lip to lift baggage over. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Government goes undercover to clamp down on loud car exhausts, not just emissions
Exhaust
News

Government goes undercover to clamp down on loud car exhausts, not just emissions

As the government explores new legislation to keep emissions in check, the DVSA has fined a firm for creating loud exhausts 
1 Sep 2026
Car emissions consultation ends soon, with UK's tuned and modified vehicles targeted
Aventador exhausts
News

Car emissions consultation ends soon, with UK's tuned and modified vehicles targeted

Consultation ends next week on rule changes that will fine drivers who have modified emission-control devices on their cars, but what does it actually…
30 Aug 2026
Bristol Fighter review – Britain’s troubled 210mph answer to the Ferrari 599
Bristol Fighter
Reviews

Bristol Fighter review – Britain’s troubled 210mph answer to the Ferrari 599

The 200mph British supercar with gullwing doors and an 8-litre V10 was conceived to challenge accepted supercar norms, and now it's made an unexpected…
2 Sep 2026