| A Week at the Wheel | Cambs, England | Citroen C-Crosser 2.2 HDi |

Inside & Out:

Citroen's C-Crosser shares the basic body style and floorpan with its close relatives meaning that it's a generously proportioned and practical family SUV. Of the three manufacturers' versions, Citroen's family face suits the body most and the C-Crosser is easily the best-looking and most cohesive model. As such, it's a much cleaner and modern looking SUV than many rival offerings.

As with the Peugeot 4007 and the Mitsubishi Outlander the interior remains a strong point: roomy, comfortable and well equipped, it is competitive with the best the class has to offer. The range of cubbies and stowage is excellent for a practical family car and features like the split rear tailgate make small but clearly differentiating factors compared to rivals. The C-Crosser is a well thought out, good quality and usable family car.

Engine & Transmission:

PSA group's expertise with diesel engines pays handsomely here with the passenger car orientated 2.2-litre four-cylinder HDi unit blessing the C-Crosser with good performance and economy thanks to its 156bhp and 280lb.ft of torque ensuring a blend of low down urge and good towing ability with an average of 36mpg during our test week, as well as excellent manners and refinement. Against the clock the C-Crosser is more than competitive in comparison to rivals such as the Vauxhall Antara and the refinement is class leading.

Ride & Handling:

The C-Crosser features a switchable four-wheel drive system that engages front-wheel drive for the majority of the time, switching to four-wheel drive when it detects a loss of traction. Additionally, full-time four-wheel drive may be selected via a dial near the handbrake. This versatile system ensures that the C-Crosser offers the best of both worlds on and off road balancing traction, roadholding and grip, as well as economy, in a broad spectrum of conditions.

With this part-time four-wheel drive available to ensure optimum traction - wet or dry - the C-Crosser offers car like handling somewhat at odds with its size and weight. The ride is firm, but well controlled and comfortable both around town and on the open road. The C-Crosser compares favourably with the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail - the cars cited as its main rivals.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Standard equipment in the Executive model tested is very generous, including leather electric heated seats, a CD changer and 18-inch rims over and above the already generously specified VTR, although it should be noted that the sunroof isn't available in production models in the UK. The music server in the dash remains a favourite of ours too, allowing the storage of all your favourite CDs with none of the clutter. We'd also have the optional reversing camera as a very useful aid for parking and manoeuvring.

Service intervals of 12,500 miles, a three-year 60,000 mile warranty and decent economy should ensure the C-Crosser is cheap and painless to live with. The fact it is a Citroen, a company quite well known for a keen deal, means it could well be cheap to buy as well - haggle hard.

Overall:

Citroen's C-Crosser is the last of the three closely related cars we've driven and it's easily our favourite of the triplets. As such it is a strong contender in the class offering the most credible and capable opposition to the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail. If Citroen markets the car as aggressively as it does the rest of its range it could have a very big, and deserved, success on its hands.