Citroen C8 Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Citroen C8 range
Prices: £19,695-£28,095 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-14 [est]
Emissions: 182-218g/km
Performance: [2.2 HDi] 0-60 11.4s Max Speed 122mph
Fuel Consumption: [2.2 HDI] (extra urban) 42.8mpg
Safety: Six airbags, ABS with EBD and EBA, ESP
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4727/1818/1752

SIZE MATTERS

Our Rating: 6.4 / 10

Citroën’s C8 demonstrates that sometimes there’s no substitute for a proper large MPV. Andy Enright reports

Clever packaging only gets you so far. In order to really get to grips with a big family, you need a seriously sizeable MPV and the Citroën C8 more than answers that call. With modest prices, big equipment counts and decent engines it’s a tough one to overlook.

If I were a car manufacturer, I’d have to admit that I’d think twice before entering into a joint venture with Citroën. Peugeot and Toyota collaborated with their 107 and Aygo models but Citroën trumped them with sales of their C1 citycar. Much the same happened with the Synergie, the MPV that preceded the C8, in this instance Peugeot and Fiat getting beaten to the punch. Undeterred, they collaborated again with Citroën and the C8 has done a lot better than the Peugeot 807 and Fiat Ulysse models. Perhaps it’s due to the aggressive dealer incentivising with zero per cent finance offers, free insurance deals, big cashbacks and no deposit sweeteners. With a revised C8 range on offer, Citroën again look rather smug. Although there are more modern-looking MPVs around, the C8 seems to have hit a sweet spot in the market with its combination of value and equipment.

Although it can’t be faulted for its luggage swallowing or safety provision, you wouldn’t figure that a Citroën C8 would prove to be a particularly entertaining steer. While it’s clearly no sports car, the C8 is surprisingly agile and if you choose one of the two diesel engines on offer, it’s even quite quick on a cross country jaunt. From a technical perspective the pick of the engine range is the 2.2-litre HDi diesel while will get from 0-60 in 11.4 seconds. This might not sound hugely impressive but with 400Nm of torque at your disposal, this C8 has some real overtaking punch.

The other diesel engine, the 2.0-litre, is available in either 120 or 136bhp guises and both are well worth looking at, although the 2.0-litre petrol unit is best avoided if you’re going to load the C8 up, its mere 190Nm of torque not giving it a whole lot of muscle to fight against some hefty gross tonnage. Body roll is well contained through corners, although you’re not going to mistake the C8 for an Elise. Ride quality is good on well surfaced roads although on rutted surfaces it’s easy to see where the Citroën loses out in terms o

There’s plenty to cover in terms of practicality. Check out the clever ‘childview’ rear-view mirror, the triple sunroofs, the swivelling front seats, the refrigerated drinks holders and the fifty or so storage compartments dotted around the cabin. There’s room for up to eight adults and access for them is made easier by the flat floor and the dashboard-mounted gearlever. If luggage rather than people carrying is what you need, Citroen’s patented ‘Quickfix’ instant anchoring system will enable you to quickly slide, fold or remove the rear seats for maximum flexibility. The boot is enormous, with a maximum load capacity of almost 3,000 litres.

The seats are mind-bogglingly adjustable in almost every direction. They spin, fold, slide, detach…. you name it they do it. Clap loudly and they even jump through a fiery hoop. Okay, so we just made that bit up, but the combinations are astonishing. Four-zone air conditioning helps combat the effect of the three (count ‘em) sunroofs. Multiplex wiring allows for such electronic niceties as light sensitive headlamps, automatic windscreen wipers, and speed indexing of the stereo volume as well as rear parking sensors, guide-me-home headlights and remote control operation of the sunroofs, windows, door mirrors and the sliding doors.

A recent restyle has offered a smoother look, incorporating Citroen’s familiar chevrons at the front and rear, bringing them in line with other models in the marque’s family. There’s also a smarter front grille, extra exterior chrome inserts, plus dark tinted windows and tailgate on Exclusive models. Inside, there are enhanced materials, soft-touch finishes and further chrome inserts for a more polished feel.

The C8 is offered with three trim levels. Even base LX trim isn’t badly appointed with features such as electronic stability control, automatic air conditioning, cruise control with speed limiter, an MP3 compatible CD stereo and leather dressing for the steering wheel and gear knob. The cabins o