Citroen C4 SpaceTourer

Specs: engines and versions compared

All twelve rows share Front, transverse engines, FWD, a 55 l tank, 130 mm ground clearance, Independent, spring front suspension, Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem rear suspension, Ventilated disc front brakes and Disc rear brakes. Fuel injection is Direct injection (direct) on the Gasoline rows and not measured on every Diesel.

All twelve rows share Front, transverse engines, FWD, a 55 l tank, 130 mm ground clearance, Independent, spring front suspension, Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem rear suspension, Ventilated disc front brakes and Disc rear brakes. Fuel injection is Direct injection (direct) on the Gasoline rows and not measured on every Diesel.

The file lists 1.6 HDi MT twice with identical numbers (115 hp, 1395 kg, 12.1 s, 189 km/h). There is nothing to choose between those two rows. The other duplicate names are not clones: they differ by mass, 0–100 km/h, payload or CO2, so they must be bought as separate cars.

Power per litre (hp ÷ litres) ranks the catalogue as: 1.2 PureTech MT / 1.2 PureTech AT 109.3 hp/l; 1.6 Puretech AT 93.9 hp/l; 1.5 BlueHDi MT / 1.5 BlueHDi AT 87.4 hp/l; 2.0 HDi AT 81.6 hp/l; 1.6 HDi AT 76.9 hp/l; 1.6 HDi MT 73.7 hp/l. The 1199 cc 3 Inline Gasoline is the densest engine. The 1560 cc 2-valve Diesel is the least dense.

Performance and mpg: what the extra power actually buys

The 150 hp 1.6 Puretech AT at 1480 kg is 0.2 s quicker to 100 km/h than the 163 hp 2.0 HDi AT (9.0 vs 9.2 s) even though it has 13 hp less, because it is 135 kg lighter (1480 vs 1615 kg). The heavier 1.6 Puretech AT at 1505 kg is 9.3 s — 0.1 s slower than 2.0 HDi AT. The Gasoline 4 Inline therefore wins a sprint only on the light row.

Against the same 131 hp Diesel, 1.6 Puretech AT (1480 kg) is 2.5 s quicker than light 1.5 BlueHDi MT (11.5 s) and 3.5 s quicker than heavy 1.5 BlueHDi MT (12.5 s). The cost is mixed use: 6.4 vs 3.9 l/100 km, a gap of 2.5 l/100 km, and CO2 149 vs 102–104 g/km.

2.0 HDi AT is the only version that both sprints under 10 s and stays on Diesel mixed use: 9.2 s, 4.7 l/100 km. Versus 1.5 BlueHDi AT that is 2.6 s quicker (9.2 vs 11.8) for 1.0 l/100 km more mixed fuel (4.7 vs 3.7) and 25 g/km more CO2 (124 vs 99). Versus light 1.6 Puretech AT it is 0.2 s slower, 1.7 l/100 km better mixed, and 25 g/km lower CO2.

The slowest car is heavy 1.5 BlueHDi MT at 12.5 s. Light 1.6 HDi MT at 12.1 s is next. Both 115 hp cars sit 16 hp below 1.5 BlueHDi MT and 0.6–1.0 s behind the light 131 hp Manual Diesel. Top speed on 1.6 HDi MT is 189 km/h against 198 km/h on both 1.5 BlueHDi MT rows — 9 km/h.

Automatic versus Manual on the same 131 hp 1.5 Diesel: 1.5 BlueHDi AT (8 gears, 1505 kg) does 11.8 s, which is 0.7 s faster than the 1505 kg 1.5 BlueHDi MT (12.5 s) and 0.3 s slower than the 1395 kg 1.5 BlueHDi MT (11.5 s). Mixed use favours the Automatic: 3.7 vs 3.9 l/100 km. City use is 4.1 vs 4.5–4.6 l/100 km.

On the 1.2 Gasoline, Manual and Automatic share 11.2 s to 100 km/h. 1.2 PureTech MT is 4 km/h faster at the top (200 vs 196 km/h). Mixed use is the same 5.0 l/100 km; city is 6.1 Manual vs 5.8 Automatic.

1.6 HDi AT at 1395 kg is the quicker of the two 120 hp Automatic Diesels (11.2 vs 11.5 s) and the more economical (mixed 3.9 vs 4.0, city 4.4 vs 4.6, CO2 103 vs 106). It also undercuts 1.6 HDi MT on mixed use by 0.4 l/100 km (3.9 vs 4.3) while adding 5 hp (120 vs 115).

Dimensions and weight: kg per hp and what payload you keep

Ground clearance is 130 mm on every row. Tank is 55 l on every row.

Kerb weight spans 220 kg: 1395 kg on light 1.5 BlueHDi MT, 1.6 HDi MT, light 1.6 HDi AT and 1.2 PureTech MT, up to 1615 kg on 2.0 HDi AT. Gross weight spans 355 kg: 1935 kg on 1.2 PureTech MT to 2290 kg on 2.0 HDi AT.

Payload (gross − kerb) is the reason some “same name” Diesels exist. 1.6 HDi AT at 1434 kg carries 771 kg, the highest in the file. 1.6 HDi MT carries 755 kg. Light 1.6 Puretech AT carries only 460 kg — 311 kg less than the 1434 kg 1.6 HDi AT. If the Compact Van is bought as a load carrier, the Gasoline 150 hp car on the 1480 kg row is the worst match in this catalogue.

kg per hp (kerb ÷ hp) is lowest on light 1.6 Puretech AT at 9.87 kg/hp, then 2.0 HDi AT at 9.91 kg/hp. 1.6 HDi MT is heaviest per horsepower at 12.13 kg/hp, which matches it being the joint-slowest group.

The two 1.5 BlueHDi MT rows share 131 hp, 300 Nm, 198 km/h and 3.9 l/100 km mixed. The 110 kg kerb gap (1505 − 1395) costs 1.0 s to 100 km/h (12.5 vs 11.5) and 40 kg of payload (510 vs 550). Mixed fuel does not change; city rises 0.1 l/100 km (4.6 vs 4.5) and CO2 rises 2 g/km (104 vs 102). Buy the 1395 kg row unless you need the 2015 kg gross rating.

The two 1.6 Puretech AT rows share 150 hp, 6.4 l/100 km mixed and 149 g/km CO2. The 25 kg kerb gap (1505 − 1480) costs 0.3 s (9.3 vs 9.0) but adds 195 kg of payload (655 vs 460) and 220 kg of gross (2160 vs 1940). That is the only Gasoline pair where extra mass clearly buys load, not just a slower sprint.

The two 1.6 HDi AT rows share 120 hp and 300 Nm. The 1434 kg car is 39 kg heavier than the 1395 kg car, 0.3 s slower (11.5 vs 11.2), 1 km/h faster at the top (189 vs 188), 0.1 l/100 km thirstier mixed (4.0 vs 3.9), and 191 kg stronger on payload (771 vs 580). Choose 1395 kg for use and 1434 kg for payload.

Wheel sizes are 205/60 R16 and 205/55 R17 on every measured Diesel except 2.0 HDi AT, where wheels are not measured. Both 1.6 Puretech AT rows add 225/45 R18. Compression ratio is 16.5 on 1.5 BlueHDi, 16 on 1.6 HDi, 16.7 on 2.0 HDi, 11 on 1.6 Puretech, 10.5 on 1.2 PureTech. Bore × stroke is 75 × 84.8 (1.5), 75 × 88.3 (1.6 HDi), 85 × 88 (2.0), 77 × 85.8 (1.6 Puretech), 75 × 90.5 (1.2). Fuel grade is Diesel on Diesels and 95 on Gasoline.

Reliability and problems: what the numbers can and cannot say

This file has no failure rates, no service intervals and no prices. Reliability here means only what the hardware list shows.

Every Diesel except the 1.5 and 2.0 uses 2 valves per cylinder; 1.5 BlueHDi, 2.0 HDi and all Gasoline rows use 4. The 1.6 HDi family is the only 2-valve group. Injection on Diesels is not measured; Gasoline is Direct injection (direct).

Gearbox count is the other split: Manual 6 on 1.5 BlueHDi MT, 1.6 HDi MT and 1.2 PureTech MT; Automatic 6 on both 1.6 Puretech AT and both 1.6 HDi AT; Automatic 8 on 1.5 BlueHDi AT, 2.0 HDi AT and 1.2 PureTech AT. There is no Automatic 8 Gasoline 4 Inline and no Manual 2.0.

Problems that look like “two cars with one name” are catalogue clones plus mass variants. Treat 1.6 HDi MT as one spec listed twice. Treat 1.5 BlueHDi MT, 1.6 Puretech AT and 1.6 HDi AT as pairs that must be matched on kerb and gross, not on the badge.

Which version to choose

There is no second generation to wait for: 1 generation from 2018-03-01, listed to 2020-12-31 on every modification, generation stop not measured.

Buy 1.5 BlueHDi AT if the question is Diesel mpg. 131 hp, Automatic 8, mixed 3.7 l/100 km, city 4.1, CO2 99 g/km — all three are the Diesel (and catalogue) lows. Payload 705 kg sits in the upper half. 0–100 km/h at 11.8 s is mid-pack, 0.7 s better than the heavy Manual twin.

Buy light 1.6 Puretech AT (1480 kg, 150 hp) if the question is 0–100 km/h. 9.0 s is the best figure in the file; 9.87 kg/hp is the lowest mass per horsepower; 93.9 hp/l is the densest 4 Inline. You give up 2.5 l/100 km mixed versus light 1.5 BlueHDi MT and you keep only 460 kg payload. If you need Gasoline and load, take the 1505 kg 1.6 Puretech AT instead: 9.3 s, 655 kg payload.

Buy 2.0 HDi AT if the question is torque and top speed. 400 Nm at 2000 rpm is 100 Nm above every 1.5 BlueHDi and 1.6 HDi AT (300 Nm) and 170 Nm above 1.2 PureTech MT (230 Nm). 210 km/h is 10 km/h above 1.6 Puretech AT and 12 km/h above 1.5 BlueHDi AT. Mixed 4.7 l/100 km is 1.0 worse than 1.5 BlueHDi AT and 1.7 better than 1.6 Puretech AT. Wheels are not measured on this row.

Buy 1.6 HDi AT at 1434 kg if the question is payload. 771 kg is the catalogue maximum, 96 kg above 2.0 HDi AT (675 kg) and 311 kg above light 1.6 Puretech AT. You accept 120 hp, 11.5 s and mixed 4.0 l/100 km. The 1395 kg 1.6 HDi AT is the mpg twin (3.9 mixed, 11.2 s) with 580 kg payload.

Buy 1.2 PureTech MT if the question is Gasoline without an Automatic and without the 6.4 l/100 km of 1.6 Puretech. 131 hp from 1199 cc (109.3 hp/l), 11.2 s, 200 km/h, mixed 5.0, kerb 1395 kg, payload 540 kg. 1.2 PureTech AT matches the 11.2 s and 5.0 mixed, adds Automatic 8, adds 84 kg kerb, cuts top speed by 4 km/h, and raises payload to 651 kg.

Skip 1.6 HDi MT unless you need a Manual Diesel and maximum 2150 kg gross. 115 hp is the lowest power; 12.1 s is second-slowest; mixed 4.3 l/100 km is the thirstiest Diesel; 73.7 hp/l is the lowest specific output. Payload 755 kg is excellent, but 1.6 HDi AT at 1434 kg beats it on payload (771 kg) and on mixed use (4.0 vs 4.3) with 5 hp more.

Between the two 1.5 BlueHDi MT rows, take 1395 kg for 11.5 s and 10.65 kg/hp unless you need the 2015 kg gross of the 1505 kg row. Mixed use does not reward the heavier car.

A short map: daily Diesel and Automatic → 1.5 BlueHDi AT. Daily Gasoline and a sprint → light 1.6 Puretech AT. Towing-style payload on Diesel Automatic → 1.6 HDi AT 1434 kg. Motorway Diesel with 400 Nm → 2.0 HDi AT. Manual Gasoline → 1.2 PureTech MT. Manual Diesel on a budget of complexity → light 1.5 BlueHDi MT, not 1.6 HDi MT. Prices are not in this file, so “extra money” here means extra kilograms, extra litres per 100 km, extra seconds to 100 km/h, or extra newton-metres — and those are all measured.