Whether you like the dancing and ice skating robot in the ads or not, it's hard not to like a manufacturer who tries something different and innovative. Something like Citroen's C4, a breath of fresh air in the often somewhat staid family hatchback sector. This was the car that made its Xsara predecessor appear like something you'd need to carbon date rather than drive. Mind you futuristic looks aren't usually easy on the eye, but in this case, the shape is something you'd be proud to have on your driveway.

Two distinctly different body styles are available and Citroen have taken a leaf out of Vauxhall's book in their product development plans. By introducing plenty of MPV-style models, Vauxhall left themselves free to design sportier and more dynamic versions of their 'regular' cars. Citroen followed suit and, divested of the need to seat seven people and their 1.5-litre bottles of pop, the C4 looks extremely svelte, both in five-door hatchback form and three-door Coupe format. Prices start from £12,195 either way.

There's an element of Ford Focus to the rear windowline but the C4 is more extreme still, even the hatchback boasting a coupe-like silhouette. Early shots of a C4 rally car mockup left many with moistened palms and the sporty VTS version of the Coupe will be the model for them. With big alloys and spoilers, this car looks great. Citroen claim class-leading aerodynamics, the drag coefficent of just 0.28 paying dividends not only in performance and economy but also in keeping the all-important CO2 emissions in check.

This being Citroen, we can take a whole host of innovations for granted and the C4 doesn't come up short. An involuntary lane departure warning system has been developed that aims to prevent drivers from losing concentration or dozing off at the wheel. Moving dual function Xenon headlamps offer improved lighting when cornering and provide a neat historical throwback to the DS model.

"This being Citroen, we can take a whole host of innovations for granted?"

No car in this class can shift serious numbers unless it scores well on the safety front and Citroen has achieved a full set of stars in the EuroNCAP safety tests. The multi-function steering wheel houses a whole host of the controls from the centre console, ensuring that the driver is in touch with the control of the vehicle at all times. Despite the multitude of functions marshalled by the tiller, there's still room for an airbag that Citroen claims offers better protection than any of their prior designs.

Building in features more often seen on luxury cars is an ongoing theme, the C4 featuring laminated side window glass. Not only does this aid safety in the result of an accident, it also provides enhanced protection against crime and even boosts the cabin's acoustic qualities. Manufacturers of car stereos have long lamented the fact that with a high proportion of echoing surfaces, the car's interior is one of the most acoustically challenging environments in which to create great sounding music reproduction. It has been found that the insulating layer of clear plastic inside a laminated windscreen produced less acoustic scatter than the harsher echoes that rebounded off a more brittle toughened screen.

The innovations don't stop there. The C4 even features a scented air freshener built into the dashboard to prolong that fantastic new car smell. One of the nicer detail touches is a translucent instrument cluster that adjusts to ambient light levels, giving a clear readout whatever the light conditions. Many cars offer LCD screens that are virtually impossible to read in daylight and if you switch your headlamps on so that other cars can see you coming, the problem can get worse. Thankfully Citroen have spent some time and money coming up with a solution.

The trim levels are split 50/50 between comfort and sportiness. Those valuing the finer things in life can select from, in ascending order, LX, SX and Exclusive while sports fans will go for VTR or VTS. The VTR Plus level provides something of the best of both worlds. There's a wide range of powerplants, most of which meet Euro IV emissions standards, offering a broad range of performance - from 90 to 180bhp for the petrol engines and 92 to 138bhp for diesels. Buyers seeking the convenience of an automatic can specify a 5-speed unit with the 1.6 or 2.0-litre petrol engines in SX or Exclusive trim. Alternatively, Citroen's six-speed 'Electronic Gearbox' is offered with the 1.6-litre HDI and there's also an auto option for 2.0-litre HDi customers.

Is all of this enough to steal meaningful sales from cars like the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra? The pricing seems right and if Citroen's recent track record is anything to go by, there will be all manner of tempting deals on the table. The C3 and the C2 have helped modernise Citroen's reputation. Now the C4 hopes to claim some significant payback.

TOP 5 C4 DEALS

The results below show the top C4 deals on buyacar

	Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR Plus 5dr EGS Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £257	Saving £3,314	Price £13,906
	Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR Plus 3dr EGS Coupe
	ETR	Mthly £261	Saving £3,314	Price £13,906
	Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V VTR Plus 5dr [Non-DPFS] Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £249	Saving £3,185	Price £13,535
	Citroen C4 1.6HDi 16V SX [110] 5dr EGS Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £246	Saving £2,959	Price £13,336
	Citroen C4 1.6i 16V SX 5dr Auto Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £233	Saving £2,679	Price £12,441

typical 10.81% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000