IT'S the second part of the French Revolution! Citroen has actually designed a vehicle that stands out from the crowd ...but this time for all the right reasons.
Venturing into the sports utility vehicle market for the first time, the company renowned for its outlandish designs, has certainly come up trumps with the C-Crosser.
For not only does it look fabulous with strong, bold lines guaranteed to turn heads, but it packs a mighty punch too.
The 2.2-litre engine delivers plenty of power both in and around town and on the more open road, and the ease of four-wheel-drive operations is very user-friendly.
By turning a dial, the C-Crosser can be switched from a fuel-saving two-wheel to four-wheel drive, and a further rotation puts it into 'Lock' mode for the very extreme terrain or conditions. What it does is lock the differential to ensure maximum traction.
Versatility plays a very big part in the C-Crosser, especially when it comes to the flexible five plus two seating arrangement.
Exiting the two rear seats is very easy and at the push of a button, these seats can be electronically folded forwards and so opening up a vast storage area.
The two-piece tailgate can be dropped down and doubles as a handy bench supporting loads up to 200kg.
Up front, the clean and clutter-free design of the instrument panel and dash is both striking and very practical.
And the list of top-notch features is impressive too, including an on-board trip computer, cruise control, an automatic door and boot locking system, CD player with MP3 attachment and a six-CD autochanger.
Another area Citroen excels in is safety and the C-Crosser comes fitted with anti-lock brakes, electronic stability programme, top-of-the-range child seat anchorages, numerous airbags and much, much more.
And for peace of mind, there is an anti-theft alarm and immobiliser to keep away unwanted attention.
All in all, this venture by Citroen into the SUV world is certain to have many rival companies heading back to the drawing board.
FAST FACTS
Citroen C-Crosser 2.2 HDi Exclusive
Price: £25,695
Mechanical: 156bhp, 2,179cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 124mph
0-62mph: 9.9 secs
Combined mpg: 38.7
Insurance group: 13
CO2 emissions: 194g/km
BiK rating: 28%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust