Citroen C-Crosser Estate 2007 - Present

The C-Crosser represents Citroen's first proper foray off road and they seem to have hit the mark first time. The C-Crosser is pleasant to drive, roomy and stylish. There is room for seven people to travel in comfort, although only youngsters in the rear two seats, anyone else is likely to be cramped.

The C-Crosser is actually built by Mitsubishi and the quality shines through. It was something of a surprise that it's not made by Citroen as the ride feels trademark Citroen with their hydropneumatic suspension system. On road and off road the C-Crosser feels like a very accomplished performer, it's no surprise as it's really a re-badged Mitsubishi Outlander, which benefits from the legacy of the Japanese manufacturers off road knowledge. They look somewhat functional and are a really sizable vehicle, although which seven seater isn't?

The decision of which engine to choose from is removed from the list of dilemmas presented to potential buyers. The 2.2L turbodiesel unit offers ample performance and good levels of grunt throughout the rev range. It's no flyer but can be made to jump if required. 0 - 60 is undertaken in a 9.6 seconds, which for a car of it's size feels even faster than it is. The six speed manual gearbox provides a slick and willing conduit for the oil burners power. The spread of power, building from 1250 revs makes most driving challenges a breeze. Overtaking can be attempted with confidence, hills are seemingly flattened and drivers have the ability to tow almost anything they require.

Inside the C-Crosser there are five very comfortable seats that will transport adults for long journeys in complete comfort. The rear seats are for children only, the C-Crosser is described as a 5+2 seater. All models come with climate control, electric windows and a reclining row of second seats. The built in sat nav system doubles up as a music storage facility with room for a couple of thousand songs, so you'll be able to accommodate the Spice Girls and Pink Floyd, to keep all the occupants happy.

They're pretty huge so you may find environmentalists looking down their nose at you but you'll be the one laughing as you get 39 mpg from the big Frenchman, seemingly without too much compromise on performance. The C-Crosser can wear a number of different hats and it wears them all pretty well.

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