The Citroën C-Elysée gets a fresh look to stay the leader in its segment

Its basic rules are its roominess, its comfort and a certain austerity that eliminates anything superfluous. In an age of technology and gadgets this might seem crazy, but since production began at the Vigo plant in 2012, the Citroën C-Elysée has already reached nearly 400,000 owners. In addition, the Citroën C-Elysée is the face of the French brand in the WTCC, where it has won three World Manufacturers’ Championship titles.

The Citroën C-Elysée has become a real success in several European markets, although perhaps the most important for this saloon is China, while in our country it is leader of the B+C Sedan segment with 5,800 registrations so far this year. With the aim of staying at the top of the sales charts, Citroën will introduce slight aesthetic and equipment changes to the C-Elysée.

If we start with the front, you will notice at a glance that it has been modified, now giving a feeling of a bigger car and a look in line with the latest models. The chrome chevrons now extend across the entire grille until they join the headlights, which also receive a new design. Something also happens at the lower part, where the air intake merges with the housing of the fog lights, a housing that is now larger and also receives its dose of chrome.

At the rear of the Citroën C-Elysée we find a new light cluster with a 3D effect, which also aims to enhance that sense of width we mentioned earlier. Finally, there are new 16-inch aluminium alloy wheels called “San Diego”, and the Azul Teles and Gris Aluminium paints are replaced by Azul Lazuli and Gris Acier respectively.

The aesthetic changes inside are not numerous. Noteworthy are a decorative strip on the passenger side that varies depending on the trim level, a central console with a 7-inch touchscreen, new graphics for the gauges and, for the top-of-the-range versions, a white display screen between the two dials that will provide the driver with the most relevant information.

Continuing with the interior, the Citroën C-Elysée is a saloon that offers comfort and space, especially for occupants of the rear seats, while with its 506 litres of boot space there is ample room for luggage. It also benefits from the Connect Radio system, which combines Bluetooth, voice recognition, Android Auto & Carplay and 4 speakers; the Connect Nav 3D system, with touchscreen and real-time connectivity; and a rear-view camera.

Mechanically it will continue to offer two petrol engines, the most basic being the 82 CV PureTech engine with a manual gearbox, and another 115 CV VTi engine available with a manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. As for diesel, there is the already familiar 100 CV BlueHDi.

Citroën expects the new C-Elysée to go on sale during the first quarter of 2017.

Source | Citroën