Review of the new Citroen C2 1.1-Litre Furio

There's a lot I miss about being a teen or early twentysomething. The ability to stay out until the wee small hours and shrug the effects off the next morning, the impression of physical indestructibility and the carefree lack of responsibility are things I'd love to have back. One thing that isn't so welcome is an insurance quote for my first car that read like the bottom figure on Rio Ferdinand's pay slip. Citroen have long been masters of offering tempting alternatives to impecunious younger drivers and the C2 1.1 Furio is but the latest in a long line of cars that combine sharp styling with manageable insurance cover.

Rated at insurance group 2E, there's not a whole lot that's more affordable than the Furio. Not a lot that you'd be seen dead in, at any rate. Although it's hardly the sort of car that'll have the opposite sex walking agog into pavement furniture, the Furio looks a few grades removed from the normal depressing box that most insurance agents direct younger drivers towards. Styling touches which help set the Furio apart from more mainstream C2 models include a rear spoiler, fog lights, colour-coded mouldings, two-tone bolstered sports seats and a leather-bound steering wheel. The C2 1.1i Furio doesn't want for standard equipment either, offering a CD player, anti lock brakes with electronic brake assist and brakeforce distribution, no fewer than four airbags, remote central locking with deadlocks, as well as electric front windows and door mirrors. This car is so safe you won't need to ring the parents when you get back home after a weekend lumping them with a term's worth of dirty underwear.

The Furio sits at the bottom of as sporty C2 triumvirate that ascends through VTR versions to the peppy VTS sport hatches. Together, these three trim levels account for over 40 per cent of the C2s that were sold in this country last year. It's taken other manufacturers a good deal longer to twig that although a 200bhp hatch might make the cover of the glossy car magazines, it's certainly not going to sell in big numbers. Those who want them can't afford them and those who can afford them tend to have grown out of that kind of thing. With a price tag of £9,395, the 1.1i Furio is certainly affordable and Citroen will periodically generate deals that can knock up to £1,200 off that price. Couple that with an attractive finance package and you have a car that almost anybody could afford to keep on the road. What's more, strong demand means that when the time comes to trade up, there will always be a ready queue of takers.

"The C2 1.1-litre Furio isn't hugely quick off the mark but it'll be extremely rapid off the showroom floors "

Performance from the 1.1-litre is best described as modest, the 61bhp four-cylinder engine hauling the C2 to 60mph in 14.4 seconds and on to a rather frenetic top speed of 98mph. Fuel economy is, conversely, very good, the C2 averaging 37.1mpg around town, 57.6mpg on a long run with an overall combined fuel figure of 47.9mpg. It's worth calculating how many miles you drive per year and how many years you plan to own the car before plumping for a pricier diesel version. Chances are the C2 1.1 model will work out as the more economical all-round proposition. The downside of a small petrol engine is that it can feel a little weedy on long inclines and you may need to stir the stick a little to inject some urge. Alternatively, 1.4i and 1.4HDi diesels are also available for buyers seeking a little more punch.

Although it shares its chassis, drivetrains and a number of body and interior parts with the C3, don't think of this car as merely a scaled down version of Citroen's spherical supermini. The styling marks a different direction with a C3-style bulbous nose allied to a far edgier, angular back end. Although to some it might look like the results of two design studies fused at the door pillars, it's certainly distinctive. The side windows adopt a staggered line while the rear haunches blister out in a purposeful fashion and the latest models can be identified by a clear section in the tail-light clusters.

The C2 Furio maximises its use of available space very effectively. Despite being even shorter than a Saxo, it's easily able to seat four in comfort. Lessons have been learned from the reception given to the C3 interior and the C2 adopts many of the funkier styling touches such as the ventilation system and the bar rev counter and introduces a few of its own. Interior materials quality has been improved with the introduction of the upmarket dashboard also found in the C3 featuring high-grade plastics and silver detailing. There's a wide range of trim choices from sober monotones right up to the most extrovert two-tone designs.

The steering adjusts for rake and reach in all versions while plusher trims also get a height adjustable seat. Few will have any cause for complaint given the amount of space in the front of the cabin as it feels no smaller than the C3, a car already renowned for its spaciousness. Like the C3, the C2 gets a can holder ahead of the gear lever as well as generously proportioned door bins that can accommodate a 500ml bottle of pop. Access to the rear isn't bad and Citroen have displayed admirable pragmatism in failing to pretend that the C2 is anything other than a four seater. So many small cars cram three belts in across the back and end up trussing occupants up like a leg of lamb but the two rear seats of the C2 are well sculpted and respectable in terms of knee and shoulder room although taller passengers may feel the sloping roof impinges on their coif.

It's sometimes said that youth is wasted on the young. That may well be true, but looking at the order book for the Citroen C2 shows that this car is definitely appreciated by today's teens and twentysomethings. The Furio will only add to that appeal and it's tough to imagine a better first car for the image-conscious youngster.