test drives

VIDEO

By Tim Saunders
 
Long journeys are the best way of putting a vehicle through its paces, I find. On a short jaunt seats have little chance to prove themselves and cruise control can’t usually be activated. So a trip to Bath for the futuristic Toyota CH-R should highlight strengths and weaknesses.
For looks, this compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) scores highly. It has a chunky, masculine front and an eye-catching rear. A designer’s job is increasingly tough but they’ve done well here; even if it does look similar to the more staid Honda HR-V from the side. Both share the hidden rear door handles that mislead the eye into thinking it’s a three-door. The children don’t like this because they can’t reach them. They seem a little flimsy, too. Keyless entry is helpful but this only works when opening the front doors.
To the driver of a 15-year-old Ford Fiesta where there are pleasingly few blindspots the CH-R takes a bit of getting used to but thanks to the reversing camera life is not too difficult. I’ve booked parking on a driveway and it’s a fairly tight spot meaning that I can only park head on. If I want to reverse into the space I must reverse down the long driveway. I’m not brave enough to do this at night but I do tackle it with success in the morning. Nevertheless it does feel quite a cumbersome vehicle and the turning circle is larger than I would hope.
Its high ride height is enjoyable, providing a good view of the road ahead; probably most noticeably on approaching Bath itself, travelling from the top of the hill that takes you down into the city. Here there is a panoramic view of Georgian splendour.
My wife wants to fold the central information panel away because it annoys her. And trust me, annoying her is not a good idea. That said the satellite navigation is easy to use and works. But we can’t figure out how to turn the radio off and to listen purely to the navigation instructions. Driver and front passenger get plenty of space but the overall dashboard design is a bit boxy and clumsy. There’s a bit too much black plastic for my liking and I’m not a great fan of the electric blue strip that runs across the dash.
With its six-speed manual gearbox it is a surprise to learn that the engine is a tiny 1.2-litre petrol unit. It seems to be quite efficient, travelling to Somerset and back to Hampshire on less than half a tank. Cruise control, which also monitors the distance of the car in front, braking and accelerating accordingly, aids frugality while the turbo boosts performance. Cruise is cancelled out at speeds below 25mph. When activated it is possible to change between gears without cruise control stopping. This is useful, some systems don’t work like this. There’s quite a decisive gearbox, too.
The rear seems a bit dark for the children. The shape of the windows, in response to the design of the CH-R, means that light is not at the top of the list of priorities for the designers. The black interior doesn’t help either although it does provide a feeling of richness. I like the imprint in the roof trim. Space is tight in the back when travelling with three cumbersome car seats. In fact Harriett cannot put her seatbelt on because the point is under Henry’s car seat in the middle. It’s quite a wide vehicle, certainly when compared to my own Fiesta, yet the seatbelt position does not pose such a problem in the latter.
Lifting the bootlid requires a bit of strength, not ideal for its legions of female fans, I would imagine but it does reveal a very good size space, which tackles our luggage and pushchair. The rear is probably the most attractive part of this vehicle; it is simply gorgeous with its curves and the spoiler above the blacked out window really adds to the overall appeal. From the back it does remind me a little of a frog. It certainly has far greater character in my opinion than the Honda HR-V.
The addition of heated front seats is much appreciated by my wife on a cold winter’s morning. The seats themselves are comfortable over the course of the journey.
As for punch, when there’s a row of slow moving traffic near Longleat, we easily overtake on the dual carriageway leaving a good amount of space behind us.
My children love cars as much as I do and enjoy pushing buttons. On the school run one morning as Heidi and I are reading and little Henry (2) is entertaining himself on the touchscreen, he discovers a Glass of Water app. He’s a clever lad. Basically this can be activated to determine careful driving. Any jerky braking or accelerating will spill the digital glass of water. The aim of course, is to get to your destination without any spillage, which is shown at the end of the journey. I didn’t try this…
 
FACTS AT A GLANCE
 
Toyota CH-R 1.2-litre Dynamic Turbo Petrol Icon
 
Price: From £27,095
0-60mph: 10.9secs
Top speed: 118mph
Power: 116bhp
Economy: 44 to 47mpg

Many motorists crave looks and economy but they don’t necessarily have the budgets for both.
So the Citroen C3 with its 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine is sure to win many hearts and minds. It’s the most efficient car I have driven for a very long time.
With its blue bodywork and white roof the five-door hatchback looks sporty and stylish. It should also not suffer supermarket trolleys gladly… thanks to Citroen’s patented Bump technology. Ram a trolley into the door and should rebound and likely do the assailant a bit of damage. It reminds me of when my Dad bought a car and on parking in a supermarket car park a nasty dent appeared in the door from a trolley. It remained there forever more. Although Citroen’s Bump technology will tackle many trolley problems on doors it cannot cover all eventualities and does not deal with oafs in 4x4s who get out and slam their doors uncaringly into the poor little car next to them. I think Citroen would do well to cover most of the bodywork of their cars in this Bump technology. Dent removal companies would suddenly experience a drop in trade.
Inside the C3 there’s daring orange leather on the dashboard and on the edges of the black fabric seats as well as around the steering wheel. It’s also practical.
The petrol engine is responsive and I like the five-speed manual gearbox and traditional handbrake. There’s engine stop/start and on a full 45 litre tank it will easily cover over 500 miles. Pretty impressive.
Head on it looks quite chunky with its large grille and bumper and inside there’s a reasonable amount of space with an adequate boot for a car of this size. Of course with all the Saunders’ luggage it is often necessary to remove the parcel shelf and this occasion is no different. If only our daughters could travel light but even on a sleepover at their grandparents it seems they need to take the kitchen sink.
The sat nav is easy to use but try as I might I cannot get it to allow me to search by postcode, which is a pain. That said, it is a trustworthy system and I am impressed how it introduces me to some of Devon’s scenic country roads that I have not come across before and I am all the better for this experience.
The C3 can be driven with urgency and it will not disappoint. Driving in Britain during the day has become an utter waste of time due to endless traffic jams and so it is a joy to drive early in the morning or late at night when the roads are quiet. It actually takes us just two hours to travel from Hampshire to Devon at 6am. The same journey during the day can take up to six hours. On a decent long stretch of road the C3 overtakes six cars in a row, all crawling along at under 50mph. It is a very safe manoeuvre, I reassure my wife as she moans at my needless risk taking. No risk whatsoever and the Citroen conducts itself splendidly without even breaking into a sweat. My wife on the other hand… It’s by no means a super fast car but it is quick and does feel like a sports car when the revs are high and the road is clear. The engine bears the distinctive sound of other small three-cylinder Citroens and Peugeots; it’s a sound that has grown on me – and I love the fact that this is turbocharged.
This family sized hatchback comes equipped with all round electric windows and wing mirrors and the central touchscreen operates the heating, sat nav and radio. It is also home to a helpful reversing camera. Here is a car for all mums and dads who are not too old for a bit of fun.

Facts at a glance
Citroen C3 Flair S&S PureTech 110 Manual in Cobalt Blue with Opal White roof
Price: £18,610
Top speed: 117mph
0-60mph: 9.3secs
Power: 110bhp
Economy: 60mpg approx