Citroen C8 Estate 2003-2007

For families with six or seven members the C8 is the perfect car with loads of space for 7 people to sit easily as well as having a big enough boot for their luggage. The C8 also comes as a 6 or 8 seater with the 6 seater giving tons of room for every one, but the 8 seater feels a bit cramped. It is a safe and spacious family vehicle with a practical design. The use of sliding doors comes in useful when parked in tight spaces as you don't have to worry about your children hitting any nearby cars or walls. The diesel engines give better performance than the petrol alternative, but also give a sooth and seamless ride.

Pros and Cons:

• Roomy interior that fits seven people easily
  A practical and safe design

• Users will take time to get used to the controls
  Not much room in the 8 seater

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Exterior and Interior

The C8 isn't a looker, but compared to its rivals the Peugot 807, Fiat Ulysse, Lancia Phedra it looks the best of the bunch. The interior is a different story though and is actually very good. It has plenty of space and all the mod-cons to keep most people happy. It easily seats 6 or 7 but the 8 being a bit of a squeeze. The sliding rear doors make getting in and out of the back seats extremely easy and with most of them being electrical it's easy for even the smallest of children to open. The rear seats can also be removed making the boot into huge space of 2948 L. The drivers seat is positioned high giving them a commanding view of the road and with all the big windows the views out the sides and back are just as good. The controls are well laid out and are easily accessible however the speedometer and such are mounted in the middle of the dash which some drivers might find hard to get used to.

There are multiple trim levels with the basic LX trim coming with climate control, power steering, electric front windows, remote locking and a CD player. The next trim up, the SX comes with electrically adjustable seats, electric rear windows and an alarm. The more expensive trims don't really offer you much more for your money with the most significant detailing being leather seats so you're better off sticking with the SX trim.

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Engines

There are only four engines to choose from which come in the form of 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre petrol and diesel derivatives.

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Performance and Economy

The diesels are by far the better engines as the petrol's are underpowered when fully loaded and when pushed become extremely thirsty. The smaller 2.0-litre diesel is the most fuel efficient achieving 41mpg, followed by the 2.2-diesel with 39mpg. The 2.0-litre petrol manages 30mpg and with the 2.2 coming in at the mid 20's. Of all the engines, the 2.2 diesel is the best providing lots of power with 130bhp, 20bhp more than the smaller engine. The fuel efficiency isn't as good, but for the added power it's worth it. The C8 insurance costs are not too bad with most derivatives falling into groups 10 to 12.

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What it's like to Drive

he C8 handles well for a car of its size with the power steering becoming especially useful when parking in tight spaces. The ride is smooth with most of the bumps being smoothed out with even the people at the back sitting comfortably. The high drivers' seat will suit most drivers and gives a good view all round. There is some body roll going into the corners but it is well controlled for a car of this size.

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Faults and Repairs

As with most Citroens the C8 suffers from electrical problems, the rear sliding door is one of them. The C8 has been recalled twice to fix these problems, but you should check the recalls have been completed when purchasing one. Other electrical faults to look out for are with the automatic wipers and the instrument panel. The tyres should also be given a look over as the 15" tyres suffered from premature wear, but this was sorted by putting 16" tyres on the vehicle.

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