Citroen Synergie Estate 1995-2002

The Citroën Synergie is one of the few family vehicles on the market that can seat 8 passengers. It was also sold as a five, six and seven seater. Getting into and out of the back row of seats is made easy by the big sliding doors on the Synergie. The boot space isn't very big though when the back row of seats are in, however this can be increased by taking back row of seats out if they are not needed. As with most Multi Purpose Vehicles (MPV's) the back row of seats wouldn't suit an adult for long journeys and so should only really be used by children. The back row of seats also only comes with lap seat belts rather than the more conventional three point seatbelts which might deter some. The rear seats are also extremely heavy making fitting and removing the seats very difficult.

Pros and Cons:

• Good performance by the Turbo-diesel engine
  Large sliding side doors
  It can carry eight people

• Low quality interior
  Poor positioning of the driver's seat

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Exterior and Interior

The Synergie is the best looking MPV available when compared to Fiat's Ulysse and Lancia's Zeta and is the only one that can carry 8 passengers. Models with fewer seats were sold, but the 8 seater version was the most popular. They are extremely easy to get into even for the third row of passengers thanks to the large sliding side doors. However the back row of seats is cramped being suitable for children only and are only available with lap seatbelts. Although the boot space isn't very big with the back row of seats in it can be increased by taking them out, although this can prove difficult due to their weight. The interior is made of poor quality materials which unfortunately let the Synergie down, however the ride is extremely comfortable as one would be expected from Citroën.

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Engines

There are only a few engines to choose from in the Citroën Synergie with two 2.0-litre petrol engines and a 1.9-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engine. The 2.0-litre diesel was introduced in 2000 as a replacement for the 1.9 which was discontinued in the same year. A second 2.0-litre petrol was also introduced in 2000 which came with more power.

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Performance and Economy

Out of the two petrol engines the 138bhp 2.0-litre introduced in 2000 is the better engine. It has 15bhp more than the original 2.0-litre and runs a lot smoother and it also manages 30.7mpg, which is not far behind the 34.9mpg the 1.9-litre diesels returns. The 2.0-litre diesel is the overall better engine to go for as it produces 110bhp, 20 more than the original 1.9-litre, and manages an impressive 49.6mpg. It is also incredibly smooth with immense pulling power which is needed for a vehicle of this size, especially with 8 people on board. The insurance isn't too bad either with the Synergie falling into groups 10 through to 12.

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What it's like to Drive

The driving position in the Synergie is poor, but it does provide the driver with a commanding view of the road and is extremely comfortable. The ride is smooth with the suspension handling all but the worst of the bumps pretty well. Undulating roads can cause a slight problem with the ride becoming bouncy which is especially noticeable in the back. Furthermore, the ride is incredibly quiet with the majority of wind and road noise being excluded from the cabin.

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Faults and Repairs

The Synergie, as with most Citroën's doesn't fair well when it comes to reliability surveys with the Synergie coming in well below average. There have been multiple problems with leaking cooling systems and the clutch release bearings needing to be changed after just 30,000 miles. There have also been problems with water entering the gearbox on the 2.0-litre diesel engines causing them to lose power. Citroën recalled 2.0-litre diesels made between September 2000 and May 2001 because of this, with premature handbrake wear also resulting in another call back for vehicles made between January and July 1998.

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