DURING the past 12 months, Citroen has been busy adding to the ever-burgeoning small car marketplace with the C3 and the C3 Pluriel.
Now the French carmaker has made it a hat-trick with the introduction of the C2, which has been created to pick up where the hugely successful Citroen Saxo left off.
Classed as a supermini, although it registered with me as more of a city car, the C2 stands on the C3 platform and comes with a quartet of engine options and five trim levels from which to choose.
This is an important car for the Gallic carmaker as it continues its push in this highly competitive marketplace and the newcomer is aimed, Citroen says, at both young couples and singles as well as more mature drivers.
Nine models are available from which to choose, designed to suit most tastes. There are even some harlequin-esque seating fabrics to tempt the daring, striking body colours for the attention seekers and, should this not be sufficiently exciting and wacky interior styling cues on some models which include funky touches such as coloured translucent door grab handles and gear lever knob, plus aluminium effect air vents.
Kit levels rise progressively through the L, LX, SX, Furio and VTR models with electric front windows not kicking in until the LX model and air con and electric door mirrors starting at SX level.
Shorter than the outgoing Saxo, but billed by its creators as the "Big Small Car," the C2 is nevertheless a genuine four-seater within its boldly styled, slightly wicked looking, compact bodyshell.
Citroen does point to the C2 being one of the most spacious cars in its class, a claim borne out by excellent headroom and manoeuvrable elbow room front and rear. I didn't experience any discomfort tyring the rear seat out for myself, which is not always so with models of this genre.
The rear seats split and fold on all trim levels but the C2's "unique" independent sliding and folding rear seat set-up only comes as standard on the LX and SX models and is optional on the Furio and VTR.
Boot space is not huge but it comes via a user friendly split tailgate opening up into an area which should accommodate the family shopping, there being room for around eight well-filled supermarket carrier bags stood upright.
The rake and reach steering wheel and driver's seat height adjustment (availble on the LX model and above) should enable most drivers to easily reach a comfortable driving position, while all-round vision is particularly good.
On the road, the C2 is a true city slicker. The 1.1-litre 61bhp and 75bhp 1.4-litre petrol engines provide the right amounts of power to complement its undoubted qualities on the urban trawl, where parking is a painless exercise thanks to the variable power steering, tight turning circle and good all-round vision which could make the optional parking sensors virtually redundant!
Diesel power comes courtesy of a 70bhp 1.4-litre HDi power source which performs its task in pretty refined fashion and holds the promise, dependent on driving styles, of almost 70mpg on the combined driving cycle.
While it may be too comfortable and compliant for some, ride quality is very good. The C2 recognises the fact that tarmac undulations are present, but it doesn't transfer their existence particularly meaningfully cabinside, while the light to the touch power steering combines with the well-balanced suspension set-up to provide a good blend of agility and grippy roadholding.
With Citroen maintaining it does not have any plans up its sleeve for a VTS model, the sharpest knife in the C2 box is the VTR. Following in the tyre tracks of its Saxo predecessor, the C2 VTR boasts more than a touch of sporting ability, powered by a 110bhp 16-valve petrol engine.
While not searingly quick, the VTR will do the 0-62mph dash in a creditable 10.9 seconds, en route to a top speed of 121mph and it does acquit itself in a very competent and agile manner.
The VTR looks the part, mounted on 16-inch alloys, with sporty side skirts and a chrome tailpipe, while it also features a more firmed-up suspension set-up, very positive power steering and ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Braking Assistance (EBA).
The VTR transmits the engine's power to the front driving wheels via the standard-fit Sensodrive system, which provides automatic mode or clutchless gear changing via paddle shifters behind the steering wheel or the gear lever - no manual transmission, I'm afraid!
A good effort this from Citroen with a car which is competitively priced - even more so with a cashback offer available from launch.
The range, starts at £7,495 for the 1.1-litre L entry level version (£6,995 with the cashback), which comes with an attractive Group 1 insurance rating, rising to £10,995 on the road for the VTR.