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First Drive

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Citroen C1 1.4 HDi

Test date 13 October 2005  Price as tested  £9,375

What’s new?

Citroen’s baby is the first of the C1/107/Aygo triplets to get an oil-burner – but then it is their own engine.

What’s it like?

Noisy. There’s no mistaking this diesel supermini for a petrol: there’s a proper old-school clatter at pretty much any speed. But aural intrusion aside, the engine works fine. There’s more torque than the three-cylinder petrol, which means it punts the diminutive C1 around town with relative ease.

Should I buy one?

petrol is already frugal, returning 61mpg on the combined cycle, which means the the diesel’s 69mpg figure look somewhat mediocre. Given the UK’s dearer diesel prices at the pump and the HDI’s higher list price, the diesel pay-off will take too long to recoup. For once, we’ll stick to the green pumps.

Jamie Corstorphine

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