Citroen Saxo

Citroën Saxo at a glance

The Saxo sits in our Citroën catalogue between the AX and the C2 and C3. Its interior and body panels were different from the Peugeot 106, but most of what you cannot see is shared.

Generations and versions

The Saxo had one generation. The Mark II facelift of September 1999 brought new headlights, a new bonnet and grille, and multipoint fuel injection on the 1.1-litre engine.

The sporty versions changed with the facelift. The VTR used an eight-valve 1.6 with 66 kW (90 hp) from 1997 to 1999 and 72 kW (98 hp) from 1999 to 2003; the VTS used the only 16-valve engine in the range throughout. The West Coast, later renamed Furio, combined sporty looks with the 1.4 eight-valve engine, which was cheaper to insure than the 1.6.

Engines, transmissions and performance

All Saxo engines were naturally aspirated four-cylinders from PSA's TU family. Apart from the VTS, they had a single overhead camshaft.

German figures are slightly different: ADAC lists the facelifted VTS 16V at 87 kW (118 PS) and the diesel at 40-42 kW (54-57 PS). A five-speed manual gearbox was standard, and the 1.4 could be ordered with an automatic. The Mk II VTS was marginally heavier than the Mk I, and slightly slower.

Saxo Électrique

Citroën also built 2,174 Saxo Électrique cars together with Heuliez. A Leroy Somer DC motor gave 11 kW (15 hp) continuously and 20 kW (26 hp) at peak, fed by 20 liquid-cooled SAFT STM5 batteries of 6 V and 100 Ah. Citroën quoted a range of about 80 km and a top speed of 91 km/h.

Dimensions, space and boot

The boot and tank figures come from the ADAC data for the facelifted three-door 1.1, which weighs 880 kg. The VTS is the heaviest Saxo. The drag coefficient is Cd 0.34.

Fuel economy and running costs

The 1.1 uses 6.1 l/100 km combined (NEDC) and emits 145 g/km of CO2 according to ADAC. The difference in fuel use between the engines was small; for many owners the bigger cost was insurance, which is why the 1.4 Furio was popular as a cheaper-to-insure alternative to the VTR and VTS. The fuel cost calculator shows what a given consumption costs per year.

In Germany the facelifted Saxo cost from EUR 8,535 for the 1.1 Tonic three-door (ADAC list price, 2003) to EUR 18,175 for the 1.6 16V VTS (1999-2004).

Trims and equipment

German trims after the facelift were X, SX, Chrono, Tonic and Furio, plus the VTS. Right-hand-drive Saxos never had air conditioning, because the blower motor sat where the evaporator would have to go. Basic equipment was simple: the 2000 Euro NCAP test car had a driver's airbag, front belt pretensioners and load limiters.

Safety

Euro NCAP tested the Saxo in September 2000 and gave it two stars for adult occupant protection, with 13 points. In the frontal test the structure became unstable and a door opened; the dummy's head slid off the airbag and nearly hit the steering wheel, and chest loads were high. In the side test the door struck the dummy hard. The Peugeot 106 was tested at the same time with similarly poor results. Compare modern superminis in our safety section.

Reliability and known issues

We have no sourced data on recurring faults of the Saxo, so none are listed here. Its engines and running gear are shared with the Peugeot 106 and other PSA models of the period, which helps with parts supply. On sporty versions, check for signs of hard use and modifications, since the VTR and VTS were widely used in club motorsport.

The Saxo in motorsport

The Saxo Kit Car ran in the S1600 and Kit Car classes of the World Rally Championship from 1997 to 2007 and entered the Nürburgring 24 Hours every year in the same period. By 2025 Saxos had collected more than 700 podiums and 200 wins. The Junior Saloon Car Championship has been based on the Saxo since 2014, after the SAXMAX series of 2006-2014.

Rivals

The Saxo competed with the Peugeot 106, its platform twin, and with superminis such as the Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Fiat Punto and Opel Corsa.

Use our comparison tool for side-by-side figures.

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