We need to replace our manual '03 Punto diesel as (a) wifey has a prozen left shoulder and can't manage the stick at the moment and (b) the growing family don't readily fit in it any more. Our other car is Kia Sedona so we need something economical and preferably low road fund licence group and I'd seen the Citroen C4 1.6 HDI auto specifications and it looks like the best compromise, but has anyone on here owned or owns one and if so, what did/do you think?

We have a c4 grand picasso 1.6 hdi but it is a manual one.

We love it, big and comfortable with 50+ mpg. Torquey, gutsy engine. 55k miles so far in just over a year with not a problem.


However, apparently some people have reported turbo failures that have caused engine damage. Mostly due to skipped oil changes.

I had a C4 and they are a very, very good car.

I wanted one but couldn't find any 3 door auto's and I wanted petrol but I did test drive a 1.6 5 door diesel like your after and it was alright but not what I wanted. That said it was a brand new car at the time (09). Something to look out for though, I think it had an automated manual gearbox rather than a propper auto (This was 4 years ago and I drove it for 15 minutes, I could be wrong). They're fine when you get used to them but they take some getting used to and I wouldn't want one that wasn't under warrantee.

This has all been under the assumption you are buying used of course.

I'd have a look at a C3, I drove one at the same time with a 1.6 petrol, simillar amount of room inside due to layout and drove much better.

No experience of the Citroen, but did have a V50 1.6D, which I believe is the same PSA/Ford engine. Excellent engine IMHO, great economy, smooth and quiet and plenty of tug even in bigger cars.

We had a c4 1.6 petrol for a year or so, generally it was good, very gadgety, but we got annoyed by an untracable smell of fuel, and the final straw was after replacing the original tyres, we couldnt get them balanced, 4 different sets of tyres, new and used wouldnt sort it. Wheels were un touched and it was all 4 wheels that wobbled, new discs etc etc.
We traded in for a megane gt150, diesel, very happy with it.

[Edited on 4-2-13 by loggyboy]

If its newer than 2005 and your wife only does short journeys around town don't get one. My wife has a peugeot 206cc 1.6hdi 2005 (55) and we have terrible problems with anti pollution faults, blocked filters etc. do a search for 1.6 hdi anti pollution or block diesel filter etc. so many people have the same issues.

We are going to sell it in the summer she's only had it for 5 months