Citroen C1

Citroën C1 at a glance

The C1 was Citroën's entry model for 17 years. It is listed with the rest of the range in our Citroën catalogue.

Generations

C1 I (2005-2014): the B-Zero city car

Citroën and Toyota developed the first C1 under the B-Zero project, and the three cars from Kolín differed mainly in their front ends, rear lights and badges. The one-box shape was drawn by Donato Coco. Launch trims were Vibe, Rhythm and Code; UK special editions included the Cool, the Airplay and the launch-period Splash.

The car was updated twice. In January 2009 the C1, 107 and Aygo got a new front end, a revised clutch and new trim names (VT and VTR). The second update in March 2012 brought a revised bumper and bonnet, LED daytime running lights, a new steering wheel and lower fuel consumption, plus trims such as VTR+, Platinum, Edition and Connexion.

The first C1 sold well. Wikipedia's sales table shows 17,949 European registrations in 2005, a peak of 118,702 in 2009 and still 35,897 in 2021, its last full year. Less common offshoots include the C1 ev'ie electric conversion sold in the UK by the Electric Car Corporation from 2009 to 2012, a van version called Entreprise for Portugal and Greece, and Franco Sbarro's GT-C1 concept.

C1 II (2014-2022): ETG gearbox and Airscape

The second generation was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014 and was again built at TPCA with the Peugeot 108 and the second Toyota Aygo. It is slightly longer at 3,466 mm, with the same 2,340 mm wheelbase. The Airscape version kept the steel door frames but added a folding canvas roof, in three- and five-door form.

Trims were Touch, Feel, Flair and Shine at first; Sense and Shine replaced Feel and Flair in 2020. Special editions included Elle, JCC+ with designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Furio, Urban Ride and Origins.

Toyota and PSA had planned a third generation on Toyota's TNGA-B platform for 2021, but the plan was cancelled. TPCA announced the end of the C1 and the 108 for 2021, and the last cars were built in January 2022. Wikipedia counts about 1.2 million C1s across both generations. At Kolín, Toyota continued with the Aygo X crossover.

Engines, gearboxes and performance

The 1.0 three-cylinder is a Toyota engine; the 1.2 PureTech and the 1.4 HDi diesel came from PSA. In the first generation the alternative to the five-speed manual was an automated manual called SensoDrive; the second generation used a five-speed automated manual known as ETG5. Both change gear with a single clutch and are slower and jerkier than a conventional automatic.

ADAC lists the PureTech 82 in Germany from July 2014 to April 2018, after which the range was reduced to the VTi 72. Power values are given as kW first; our power converter translates them into hp or PS.

Dimensions, space and boot

The C1 seats four. The short body makes it easy to park, but the boot is small even by city-car standards, and the three-door has long doors that can be awkward in tight spaces. The Airscape roof does not reduce boot space because it folds onto the roof itself.

Fuel economy and running costs

Official figures were low for a petrol car without hybrid help. Wikipedia lists 4.3 l/100 km and 99-109 g/km of CO2 for the first-generation 1.0 and 4.0 l/100 km for the 1.4 HDi. In the second generation the VTi 68 was rated at 4.1 l/100 km and 90 g/km, and the VTi 72 at 3.8 l/100 km and 86 g/km (NEDC-era figures). Parkers lists 95 g/km for a 1.0 VTi Flair five-door. Real-world consumption is usually higher, so the fuel cost calculator is a better guide to what a C1 costs to run with your own mileage.

New prices stayed low. ADAC lists the 2014 C1 VTi 68 Start three-door at EUR 8,890 in Germany (2014) and the VTi 72 Start three-door at EUR 9,990 (2020-2021). The best-equipped five-door VTi 72 Shine cost EUR 14,800 in 2020-2021.

Trims and equipment

The German price list shows how the range was built up: Start was the bare entry version, Live and Feel added comfort equipment, and Shine was the top trim, with Selection, Furio, Elle, Origins, Urban Ride, JCC+ and Millenium as special editions. In 2019-2021 the step from a VTi 72 Start to a Shine three-door was EUR 4,110 in Germany (ADAC, 2020). The first generation's 2012 update added LED daytime running lights and a new steering wheel, and the second generation offered a touchscreen on higher trims. The Airscape roof was available on several trims.

Safety

The first C1 scored four stars in 2005. When the 2012 facelift was tested under the tougher protocol, the C1, 107 and Aygo dropped to three stars. The second generation returned to four stars in 2014, with the weakest score in safety assist because autonomous emergency braking was not standard. More results are in our safety ratings section.

Reliability and known issues

The C1 has a simple layout: a naturally aspirated three-cylinder, a conventional manual gearbox in most cars and little electronic equipment. The automated manual gearboxes shift slowly by design, so they feel jerky to drivers used to a torque-converter automatic. We have not found a sourced pattern of recurring faults, so we do not list any here. A service history and a test drive of ETG cars are the main checks for a used C1.

Rivals

The 108 and the Aygo are the same car with different styling; the Aygo had its own front end. The Volkswagen up! and its SEAT and Škoda twins were the main alternatives from a different maker.

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