Which used Citroen C1 should you buy?

There is no decision to make when it comes to what is under the bonnet – all Citroen C1s are powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine producing 73PS. This will deliver around 50mpg fuel economy, while CO2 emissions are as low as 85g/km.

The gearbox choice is straightforward, too – a five-speed manual is standard, and there’s no automatic option.

The Citroen C1 is a commendably compact city car that is perfect for squeezing into small parking spots. Over short distances it’s comfortable enough for four adults, but for regular motorway marathons you might want to consider something larger for better refinement and more space.

Which Citroen C1 you go for, then, is likely to be dictated by the specification you consider essential, and how much you are prepared to pay for it.

Read our full Citroen C1 review

What used Citroen C1 trim levels are available?

The range starts with the entry-level Citroen C1 Touch, which is only available with three doors. The mid-level Citroen C1 Feel and top-spec Citroen C1 Flair are also offered with five doors.

Most buyers prefer a five-door for the extra convenience and practicality it brings. Five-door Citroen C1 Urban Ride and Citroen C1 Shine models were introduced later in the car’s lifespan.

Citroen C1 Touch

The fact that the Citroen C1 Touch is three-door only reduces its appeal significantly for those who want to regularly carry rear-seat passengers. It comes with some decent safety kit, but the entertainment package is basic and hubcaps replace the more stylish alloy wheels you get with more expensive trims. Citroen did offer a decent palette of colours at prices from just £250 when new, so there are a reasonable number of basic used Citroen C1s with bright paintwork. Key specification includes:

• Hill start assist
• Emergency braking assistance
• Electric front windows
• Height adjustable steering wheel
• MP3 audio system

Citroen C1 Feel

The Citroen C1 Feel cost markedly more than the Citroen C1 Touch when new, and this is reflected by a more comprehensive equipment list (highlights below). There are larger wheels than on the Citroen C1 Touch models, although these are still steel items with plastic covers. A five-door version is available, but this has hinged rear windows rather than wind-down affairs, which aren’t to everyone’s taste.

• Body-coloured door handles
• Body-coloured mirrors
• Air-conditioning
• Touchscreen media display
• Digital radio
• Smartphone connectivity
• Optional Airscape fabric roof
• Optional safety pack with lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition

Citroen C1 Flair

The Citroen C1 Flair is another step up the ladder, offering more in the way of convenience features and some appealing options not available on lesser models. Highlights include:

• Alloy wheels
• Chrome door handles, mirrors and window surrounds
• Dark-tinted rear windows
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearknob
• Optional Airscape fabric roof on five-door versions
• Optional Automatic pack with automatic air-con and headlights
• Optional sat-nav

Citroen C1 special editions

There were a number of attractive special edition Citroen C1 models offering additional colour and styling options. These include the Citroen C1 Urban Ride, Citroen C1 JCC+ and the Citroen C1 Origins to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary in 2019. Some of these special-edition Citroen C1s could be personalised with a range of roof graphics.

Citroen C1 Shine

Later models were only available as the Citroen C1 Urban Ride special edition or the Citroen C1 Shine, which came as a hard-top or with the Airscape roof. Key kit for the Citroen C1 Shine included:

• Air-conditioning
• Reversing camera
• Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
• 15-inch alloy wheels
• Seven-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto

Is a used Citroen C1 a good buy?

The Citroen C1 was launched in 2014 and gained instant recognition as one of the more characterful city cars, with cute looks thanks to its bold split-level headlights and bright, contrasting trim and colour options. 

There’s plenty of tough opposition in this sector of the market, though, with the likes of the Volkswagen Up and stablemate the Skoda Citigo winning plenty of fans.

In addition, the Citroen C1 is one of three cars built at the same factory with the same mechanical parts and only subtle changes to the looks. If you can’t find a model that suits, try to track down a Peugeot 108 or Toyota Aygo instead.