In this blog entry, I’m covering 1999 to 2002 Citroen Xsara 1.6i. The Xsaras were on sale in Malaysia in 3 bodystyles which is Coupe, 5 door hatchback and estate. It was priced from RM89,000 to RM98,000 back in 2000. The then distributor, Directional Motors Sdn Bhd managed to import 300 to 400 units between 1999 to 2002. The used car values of Xsara in Malaysia are as follows (2001 and 2002 are estimated figures as I can’t find any in the used markets):
Year: 1999 2000 2001 2002
Price (RM) 17k 20k 24k 30k
As usual, I don’t have a testcar to brag about. All is not lost, I dished out a COMPLETE Review by GoAuto Australia (1), followed by 6 Owners reviews from (2). Enjoy…
Overview
The Xsara range went through a reshuffle at the beginning of 2001 with the arrival of a facelift which saw the addition to its five-door hatch of two coupe models - the 2.0-litre VTS and the 1.6-litre VTR. Coupe is a bit of a misnomer, by the way, as they are both definitely three-door hatchbacks. The VTR is the plain-jane 1.6-litre version (tested here), while the 2.0-litre VTS is the grungier of the two. Both add a real touch of panache to the Xsara, and the Citroen range as a whole.
THE Citroen Xsara may not look like a Citroen, drive like a Citroen or ride like a Citroen, but the badge may be enough to lure buyers to this Peugeot-based small car. The Peugeot connection can be seen as a positive - the Xsara picks up the 306's peerless-in-class chassis, renowned for its splendid balance of ride, handling and roadholding qualities. So it is comfortable in a Renault sort of way, well equipped and capable of taking up to five passengers, with luggage.
The Car
Citroen claims the Xsara is one of the most spacious cars in the segment, offering the longest cabin length and the biggest boot capacity of 408 litres Equipped with Citroen's self-steering rear axle, the Xsara offers the marque's traditional ride and handling qualities
The central rear view mirror is fitted with two ball joints so it can be adjusted for tilt as well as height
The door check straps have three positions to make it easy to get in and out of the Xsara. The first notch enables the door to be opened slightly so you do not hit the car parked next to you
An indicator on the instrument cluster shows the distance to be covered before the next scheduled service. If the figure is less than 500km, the display flashes
The main points of inspection in the engine bay are clearly identified through the use of bright colours and symbols to simplify routine maintenance
All Xsara models are equipped with an electric function to adjust headlamp elevation
The use of high-strength steel in the doors and substructure brings a considerable increase in stiffness without a weight penalty
The rear parcel shelf can be stored vertically against the back of the rear bench
Electric windows, climate control air-conditioning, remote central locking and a powered passenger door mirror are standard along with a driver airbag.
The Car - Seat Plan
THE Xsara coupe is a five-seater, with five lap-sash seatbelts, five headrests and dual frontal airbags. There are small door pockets front and rear, along with two seat-back pockets and a reasonably-sized glovebox. Further storage space is provided by a lidded centre box, lidded boxes in each door armrest and a coin holder with a rubber mat in the vertical centre console. But no sign of a cupholder anywhere except in the glovebox lid.
The Car - Seats
ALTHOUGH Citroen doesn't describe them as such, the seats are heavily bolstered enough to be called sports seats. Finished in a cloth trim, they - along with the rest of the interior presentation - continue the European mania for all things dark. A little red relieves the black in the seat and door trim, and the cloth is interrupted by vinyl on the seat sides and backs. The driver's seat has height adjustment via an excellent VW-style lever, but the front passenger misses out on this feature, which is a pity because the hip point is high, placing tall passengers' heads too close to the grabhandle above the door.
The Car - Dash
THE Xsara coupe places its two major dials in a hooded recess in the dash, with the speedometer on the left and the tachometer on the right. As with any would-be sporting model, the dials are done in white, with the needles in red. The tripmeter and odometer are digital and placed within the speedo dial, while the oil pressure gauge within the tacho. Water temperature gauge sits at the bottom left of the recess and the fuel gauge at bottom right. The indicator arrows sit top dead centre and, unusually, are backlit outlines rather than fully lit-up when activated. The recess is surrounded by hard, black plastic which houses the joystick-type power mirror adjustment on the right and instrument illumination adjust on the left.
The Car - Controls
The overall presentation of the VTR is moderately sporting, with some carbon-fibre trim and a burnished metal gearknob. But the centre verticle console doesn't tilt in toward the driver at all, as some sporting cars do - BMW for instance - and the whole impression is pretty dark. There are some odd touches too, like the horn on the end of the left-hand indicator stalk, the power front window switches mounted in the vertical centre console rather than on the doors. The rear windows are manual push-outs by the way. After that it starts getting a bit sparse: no sign of cruise control or any other steering wheel controls, no trip computer, no internal fuel or hatch release, not even variable intermittent wipers. At least the left footrest is a proper one.
The Car - Wheels/tyres
WHILE the VTR's six-spoke plastic wheel covers are quite stylish, if you want alloys you'll have to pay the extra for the VTS. Nevertheless, the wheel covers are easy enough to clean with no small crevices to access. Citroen hasn't skimped on the spare, with a full-size item mounted on a bracket under the floor - no, we don't mean under the boot floor, we mean underneath the car altogether. The sturdy-looking jack is securely located in a plastic box located in the boot.
The Car - Luggage
CITROEN claims 408 litres of boot volume with the rear seats in place, with an impressive 1190 litres created when the 60/40 split-fold rear seats are dropped down. It's noticeable there's quite a high lift into the cargo area, although once you get there it's fully carpeted except for the rear bulkhead, and the floor's flat. The child seat straps are in the floor, which won't help carrying cargo. Theres no sign of hooks or parcel nets, only a fragile rubber strap on the right-hand side which we think was designed to secure objects.
The Car - Climate control
AIR-CONDITIONING is standard and Citroen describes it as a 'climate control" system. It looks just like an old-style system with red and blue zones denoting hotter and colder, only Citroen's painted some numbers on the fascia to give you a rough idea of the temperature you're setting. Climate control or not, our past experience with this system is that the Aussie summer can tax its capacities to the limit. Commendably, the system does include a pollen and particle filter.
The Car - Sound system
THE VTR employs a Eurovox sound system familiar to purchasers of cars from a variety of European car-makers, including Citroen's sister car company, Peugeot. The six-speaker system includes an in-dash single-CD player, and AM/FM stereo. Of a cassette player there is no sign, the stereo offers 12 FM pre-sets, six AM pre-sets and all functions are operated by push-buttons. Annoyingly, the unit will not turn off when you shut down the engine and withdraw the ignition key. Why?
Security
THE VTR is equipped with remote central locking of the doors and hatch, via a large fob. To prevent picking, the locks have two rows of cyclinders which means the number of possible combinations increases from 2000 to 20,000. To reduce the risk of a thief copying the key by stealing the fuel cap, the fuel cap lock has only one row of barrels. The locks are also freewheeling and the rods secure against picking. Citroen has also ensured the boot lock cannot be accessed by removing the lights and number plate. The NRMA awards the Xsara 76.5 points out of a possible 110 for theft security, losing 10 points for the lack of an alarm alone.
We like: Interior space, on-road competence, build quality
We don't: Choppy low-speed ride, average performance of 1.6-litre version
Our Opinion
Xsara is the name of Citroen's small medium car, which first appeared here in 1998 as a five-door hatchback. A totally orthodox car which shares much of its underpinnings with the Peugeot 306, it's been a small but consistent seller
UNDER the skin, the Xsara is a modified, updated Peugeot 306. Xsara is more fortunate than most in this regard. We still find the 306 to be one of the sweetest driving cars around, especially dominant in the under $40,000 class. Steering response is not dull, although the car never feels as agile as the 306.
The Citroen benefits from a supple, cosseting ride, ideal for the urban elite at whom it is aimed. People like this car. They point at it, they ask about it. They like it. It's not aggressive, it's not confronting, it's simply nice.
Citroen might prefer the VTR to be regarded with more apprehension, or lust perhaps. But this is a benign car, as easy to drive as it is easy on the eye.
The main reason for that is the 1587cc 16-valve four-cylinder engine, which produces 83kW at 5750rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4000rpm. Perfectly decent numbers for a 1.6, but combine it with an 1134kg kerb weight and any prospect of eye-watering performance is absent.
It's a nice, enthusiastic engine which revs hards without rough patches or excessive noise, but that punch associated with real sports vehicles is missing.
Frugal, relaxed driving ensures the engine remains all but inaudible. On test, an intriguing harmonic at cruising speed droned its way through the interior - a characteristic we hope was confined to our manual review car.
The tail is truncated but the notchback shape (with more than a nod to its bigger Xantia sister) hides a large boot for the class. Visibility is questionable. Looking forward it's fine, but the "shoulder check" by the driver isn't all that valuable because of the proximity of the B-pillar and the slope of the C-pillar - the latter also making it hard for little people to see out from the back seat.
Handy bungee chords inside secure small parcels while a lightly sprung hatch has a useful handle that is easy to grip even with snow gloves on.
Priced and equipped attractively, the Xsara makes an appealing proposition in its segment.
- Automotive NetWorks 05/07/1999
Mechanical - Engine
THE VTR is powered by a 1.6-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine that produces 83kW at 5750 rpm, and 150Nm of torque at 4000rpm, good figures for an engine of this capacity and threatening some 1.8s. Codenamed TU5J4, changes from this engine's predecessor include reprofiling the inlet and exhaust manifold, and increasing the size of the inlet valves. Sequential fuel injection and a fly-by-wire electronic throttle are also now part of the package. Standard unleaded fuel is okay to use, with the official consumption given at 9.3L/100km on the city cycle and 5.5L/100 for highway driving.
Mechanical - Suspension
THE Xsara Coupe shares its suspension layout with the famous Peugeot 306. Why? Because Peugeot and Citroen are all part of the same big, happy French family known as the PSA Group, which also includes the much smaller specialist makers Matra and Talbot. Front suspension is by MacPherson struts with coil springs, dampers and a decoupled anti-roll bar. At the rear there's a torsion beam axle with two trailing arms, an anti-roll bar and dampers.
Did you know?
Citroen employs a self-steering rear axle in the Xsara, which basically stops the rear wheels heading in the opposite direction during hard cornering
Mechanical - Steering
THE Xsara is steered via a rack-and-pinion system with variable power assistance. The steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach. The VTR turns from lock-to-lock in 2.5 turns and has a 10.7-metre turning circle. The rear axle employs a system called passive rear steering, which is designed to rid the rear wheels of the tendency to steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels when loaded up, and reduces the risk of the car becoming unsettled during cornering. Compared to the previous coupe, which we didn't get in Australia, this car's front track has been widened by 10mm and the rear by 12mm.
Did you know?
Citroen has campaigned the Xsara in world championship rallying for a number of years, scoring its first win in the Rally of Catalunya in 1999, when it was only a two-wheel drive up against four-wheel drives like the Subaru Impreza WRX and Ford Focus WRC
Safety
BOTH the driver and front-seat passenger are offered the security of "smart" airbags as standard, while front side and curtain airbags and ABS anti-lock braking with electronic brake force distribution are standard only on the VTS, although they can be optioned. Everyone gets height adjustable lap-sash seatbelts with the fronts also having pyrotechnic pretensionsers, force limiters and seatbelt grabbers. Headrests are also standard all-round, with height and tilt adjustment at the front. The facelifted Xsara gains additional reinforcements to side members, windscreen pillars, roof, B-pillars, doors, engine subframe and lower front.
Data
WARRANTY:
* Three years/60,000km
* Major service intervals: 12 months/20,000km
ENGINE:
* 1.587-litre 16-valve DOHC front-mounted transverse inline four-cylinder
* Power: 83kW @ 5750rpm
* Torque: 150Nm @ 4000rpm
* Bore x stroke: 78.5mm x 82.0mm
TRANSMISSION:
* Four speed automatic
SUSPENSION:
* Front: independent by MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
* Rear: torsion beam axle with two trailing arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar, passive rear steering
STEERING:
* Power-assisted rack-and-pinion
* Turns lock-to-lock: 2.5
* Turning circle: 10.7 metres
BRAKES:
Front: Ventilated Discs,
Rear: drums, servo assisted dual circuits.
ABS anti-lock braking with electronic brake force distribution are standard on COUPE
DIMENSIONS:
* Length: 4188mm
* Width: 1705mm
* Height: 1405mm
* Front track: 1433mm
* Rear track: 1442mm
* Wheelbase: 2540mm
* Kerb weight: 1219kg
PERFORMANCE:
Maximum speed: 190km/h
0-100km/h: 12.8 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
See owner’s review
STANDARD EQUIPMENT:
* Remote central locking
* Twin front airbags
* Air-conditioning
* Front and rear fog lights
* Five lap-sash seatbelts
* Five head restraints
* Front/rear foglights
* Cloth upholstery
* Electric windows/mirrors
* Height/reach adjustable steering wheel
* Split-folding rear seat
Without further ado, let's proceed to Owner's review (2)
Owner 1: 2001 Citroen Xsara SX review from Croatia
"Very good"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
At present there's nothing wrong with the car.
Overall, car is still in a very good condition.
I buy only original parts and expect good quality from it. I changed parts that have worn out during regular use.
General comments?
I like this car very much and I'm very pleasant with it.
It has 80 kw, and it is strong engine, but expect a lack of power under 3000 rpm (because it is 16V engine).
Around 4000 rpm (peak torque moment) and through, till 5500 rpm, it pulls like rocket. But always have on your mind that this car can't turn into Honda Civic!
Fuel consumption is very reasonable for that kind of power. I'm simply thrilled with equipment level!
Car is comfortable for driving, and kind of pleasant even after a couple of hours.
I would recommend this car to anyone who is seeking for comfortable, relaxing, and quick ride.
It is NOT boy-racer's car, forget about that.
Owner 2: 2002 Citroen Xsara LX review from Sweden
"A dream, that delivers more than you expect"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing. I one year I've done 20000 Km with no problem at all. On the 20 000 Km service they changed oil, oil filter, and dust (pollen) filter.
General comments?
I'm very pleased with the car. Nothing wrong so far I've had nothing, but nice surprises. Ex: the back wiper starts automatically if you drive back :). The LCD is smart enough to know what door is open and so on.
I tested the car at high speed and it went all the way up to 190Km/h with 3 persons and a full trunk. I guess with only me in the car 200Km/h will be no problem. I snow it's a dream. Handel's better that a 4x4! (with M/S tires). I've order it fully loaded (all options) and it was a very cheap car. It averages 6 l/100km on highway (at 130 km/h) and 7.3 l/100Km in town.
Brakes are a dream. Sometimes I begin to trust them to much...
In my model a on-board computer (average consumption, km left to drive...) was not a option and I'm missing that, but the cruse control, ESP, AAC and all the cool things are a dream, especially for the money!
Owner 3: 2000 Citroen Xsara Plaisir review from Belgium
"Cheap 2nd hand, comfy, practical and reliable"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
When I first bought it, the airbag warning light was sometimes on. I was not at ease to say the least, but later I found out that it's a common fault. On most cars apparently, not just Citroens. I did what some guys here did: fiddled a bit with the connector under the seat and never had the problem since.
Otherwise nothing except normal maintenance.
General comments?
Fuel consumption: excellent. The car consumes 6.5l of petrol per 100km. My driving style is normal I'd say. Not burning rubber and not sluggish either.
Road holding: very good. It doesn't corner like my previous ZX though...pity.
Performance: good for its size and the 1.6 engine.
Exterior: is rather bland, not ugly though. I quite like the view 3/4 back. You can also see that the Xsara has better aerodynamics than the ZX.
Interior: looks and feels much better built than a ZX. Very comfortable velours seats, nice steering wheel, much less noisy than a ZX, engine noise greatly reduced, very good size boot. Thank god for the airco.
Gearshift is o.k. I've seen better.
Visibility backwards isn't that good because the window is narrow and there are also the rear head restraints.
Costs: doesn't use a lot of petrol, my Citroen garage is very good (nice people, know what they're doing, very reasonable prices).
Bought it privately as a 6-year old for 4000€ with 40000km guaranteed.
Owner 4: 2001 Citroen Xsara VTS from Australia and New Zealand
"I made a mistake, should have just bought a Corolla"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The first problem encountered with my Xsara was the engine management lamp. It turns on in the morning when I start the air conditioner while the engine is still cold. Then came minor problems such as the air vents on the dashboard was pushed in, pocket behind the driver seat pulled out, squeaky brakes, radio lost FM reception, and just now, the signal wand gets stuck on the right indicator especially on cold winter mornings. Crickey! All these happened with just 16,000 kms on the clock. This is my first (and last) French car. Mind you, I only experience problems with my Japanese cars when they've traveled over 100,000 km.
General comments?
The only thing that makes me happy to own a Xsara is its ability to take on sharp corners. Handling is superb for a small hatch and it drives like a larger sedan. Its suspension is a bit hard, but I like it that way. Steering is not overly assisted and is very accurate. Its 1.6 li engine lacks flair, but is competent - a power output comparable to the Focus 1.8 li. Its fuel consumption is not exceptional. Runs on 10 li per 100km (suburb driving), just like any other 1.6 car.
________________________________________
4th Nov 2004, 15:54
I am the original writer and I'd just like to give an update on my Xsara. After all faults were fixed by the dealer, with just 15,000 km, I'm glad to say that I'm now quite happy with my Xsara, now reaching the 40K mark. The first 10K was very disappointing. I had the dealer change the indicator stalk, radiator hose, rubber door seal, CD player, and engine mount. The dealer though was very cooperative. At 10K, I also find the car too sluggish off the mark, but now it's very perky and quick for a 1.6 auto, comparable even to most 1.8's. I still like the Xsara's handling capabilities, the best for its class. Once we made a mistake of filling it with 91 ULP which caused the engine management to light up. A couple of Optimax full tanks solved the problem. I hope no more surprises to come, but then the car is already 3.5 y.o, I expect more minor faults which I guess is common even for Japanese cars.
Fix the spelling and
Owner 5: "2000 Citroen Xsara 1.6i review from Malta
A complete flop, I was robbed out of 13, 000 uk pounds!!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The airbag warning light switched on continuously after a week, the air-conditioner broke after a year and a half, it took three attempts to be fixed by our local agent, and was charged a staggering 800.00 Uk pounds to be fixed and all the amount is labor costs, except for a few pipes. After 2 years the cenral lock broke too, The back bonnet used the get jammed, Please notice that I bought the car brand new and for nearly 13,000 Uk pounds.
General comments?
I will never buy a citroen again, never, what a nightmare and a waste of money.
I will never buy a car from the local agents too, What a shameful disgrace and service!!
Owner 6: 2003 Citroen Xsara LX review from UK and Ireland
"A family car for not much money. Shame about the reliability"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
PAS hose split at 42000 miles.
Brakes failed 2 days after MOT and dealer service at 46000 miles - reason, no friction material on rear pads (should have been checked at dealer service).
Handbrake failed 2 weeks after having the rear pads replaced at dealer - reason, rear caliper not secured.
Throttle cable sticking at 50000 miles.
Exhaust manifold cracked at 50000 miles.
Spare wheel lowering screw seized at 53000 miles.
Clutch cable auto adjuster slipping at 55000 miles.
Auto wipers have never worked properly - just shut off whenever you pull up to a junction.
Radio sometimes loses station memory.
Screen wash fuse blown, which requires the removal of the battery and tray to open the engine fuse box.
General comments?
Generally you can see where Citroen have cut costs and raided the PSA parts bin for this car, everything is just thrown together without a thought for how it can be serviced, like the battery and battery tray needing to be removed to replace a fuse, or that the screen-wash tank is only accessible by removing a cover panel from the engine bay.
The only good points I can think of are reasonable carrying capacity as its is an estate model, and fuel economy is not too bad at 40mpg.
Bad points are seats are comfortable only for short journeys as they are too soft and lack support, vague slow steering, extremely rubbery and notchy gear change and general dated feel of the car.
That's all folks. Thanks for having the time and patience to read this LONG Review.
REFERENCES:
(1)http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/RT/
4EDFB93D787D3680CA256B980011A66B_Overview?OpenDocument
(2) www.carsurvey.org
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