When small is still too big or too expensive, the small car is the time. In the short and comparatively inexpensive category, the Citroen C1 has been in the second generation since July 2014. Like the relatives Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo, the Frenchman rolls off the production line in Kolin, Czech Republic.

Body and interior of the Citroen C1

The 3,47 meter short C1 is offered as a three- or five-door model. As an alternative to a fixed roof, Citroen offers an electric, wide-opening folding roof, so that the "Airscape" models can be used as a convertible replacement. The space available for the four-seater is divided. While the driver and front passenger still have a comparatively large amount of space around them, the rear is very cramped. At the back, children are most likely to find a suitable seat. If you want to take passengers in the back rows more often, you should go for the five-door. Access to the rear is easier than with the three-door versions. Otherwise, the back seat is suitable as an extension of the small trunk. 196 liters are very manageable. If you fold down the rear seat bench, the volume increases to 780 liters. The Stadtfloh scores points with its turning circle of 9,6 meters. Interested parties have to compromise on the appearance of the material. The insulation is only halfway successful; there's a lot of hard plastic in the interior and the seats are more thin than comfortable.

Motors and drive of the Citroen C1

When the second generation started, there was a choice of two three-cylinder petrol engines, a 1,0-liter with 51 kW / 68 hp and a 1,2-liter with 60 kW / 82 hp. Drivers who like things to be faster and who occasionally plan to take longer motorway routes in addition to city traffic are in good hands with the more powerful engine. The standard sprint succeeds in 11 seconds, the top speed is reached at 170 km / h. In addition, it still offers 118 Nm torque. With an average of 4,3 liters, it is on par with the consumption level of the smaller unit (4,1 to 4,3 liters). However, he was thrown out of the program in mid-2018 as part of a facelift. The one-liter three-cylinder, which comes from the cooperation with Toyota, receives three horsepower more with the refresh and mobilizes 53 kW / 72 PS. The maximum torque drops from 95 to 93 Nm. Drivers of this engine need patience. You need 14,3 seconds for the "sprint" from 0 to 100 km / h. A manual five-speed gearbox is available for both engines for power transmission. As an alternative, there is an automated manual transmission (“Efficient Tronic”) for the 1,0-liter three-cylinder. However, this is a typical representative of its kind and ensures that the heads and upper bodies of the occupants accompany the switching processes in a lively manner.

Equipment and safety of the Citroen C1

The basic version of the two-door C9.000 (five-door: 1 euros surcharge) was offered for market launch from just under 450 euros. Since the French also expect their smallest to have a very sharp nib, the entry-level version is missing a lot. If, for budget reasons, you can still do without a radio (there is only one preparation), divisible rear seat backs and air conditioning, the lack of power steering or an adjustable steering wheel makes itself uncomfortably noticeable. From the second equipment line there are more comfort features. The composition of the equipment levels has changed over the course of the production period: prospective buyers should take a close look at which details are on board. In addition, Citroen always puts on special models in between. These often come with attractive extras and colorful applications. Models from the facelift onwards have a modern infotainment system, depending on the equipment, that masters the connectivity standards Mirrorlink, Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The range of assistance systems such as collision avoidance or lane departure warning systems has been expanded to include traffic sign recognition. In the 2014 NCAP crash test, the little one achieved four out of five stars.

Quality of the Citroen C1

The current C1 does better than the first generation in some disciplines at TÜV. The chassis is the prime discipline of the micro car. Brake components and the exhaust system cause problems. Even when it comes to light, the little Frenchman cannot always score and is uncomfortable due to the setting of the low beam. Even during the first general inspection (HU), the TÜV inspectors found more significant defects than the average. But the mileage is below that of all tested cars.

Conclusion on the Citroen C1 as a used car

Second-generation second-hand C1s are available in the used car portals from around 4.500 euros. Here you will find mostly well-equipped specimens, C1 customers clearly value comfort. Folding roof versions are rare and available from around 7.000 euros. Anyone who pays attention to a copy that is well-maintained and has a fresh HU sticker cannot go wrong. Those interested in early models should ensure that a recall was carried out in 2016. That concerned cars from autumn 2014. Here the insufficiently dimensioned steering column shaft could break.