Sunday, September 16, 2007

When the Citroen C-Crosser was given to us we were excited. Although this is the firms first proper SUV it turned out to be abit disappointing.

Despite being based off the Mitsubishi Outlander the 3rd row seats were cramped and small. The 3rd row is suitable for youngsters under 13. The 2nd row seating was average. There was fair amount of leg room, shoulder room and hip room. Sliding rear seats are standard on this SUV but we didn't know how they worked....

The cabin is surprisingly spacious and the drivers seat position was good. The cabin was rather dark and dull and the gearstick had black lettering making it hard to read the gears.

The C-Crosser is easy to get in and out of because it has slightly high ground clearance and the split tailgate makes the SUV very practical indeed.

There is no automatic transmission available and there are only 2 grades; VTR and Exclusive. Another downer is the price. Starting from £25,500 its more expensive than the Mitsubishi Outlander Elegance which starts at £24,000 which itself comes with a satellite navigation system, electric seats and leather seats unlike the entry-level C-Crosser.

If your after fuel economy then don't opt for this model. The Mitsubishi Outlander is more cleaner and efficient. The 5 seater Outlander pollutes 174g/km and combines 42mpg and the 7 seater pollutes 183g/km and manages 40mpg combined. The C-Crosser does 38mpg combined and pumps out 194g/km which according to Citroen is one of the lowest in its class.

Pros:

Quirky styling, good driving position, practicality

Cons:

Expensive, no auto option, high emissions, dull interior