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History Citroën Xsara

If you want to know all about the Citroën Xsara, the story begins in 1997 when the car was first introduced to the general public. The Xsara was supposed to make the popular Citroën BX and ZX disappear. The car does bear some resemblance to the larger Citroën Xantia, a design by established designer Bertone. Nevertheless, the Xsara was lukewarmly received: the design was too conservative, even colorless according to some critics. Not even an advertising campaign with top model Claudia Schiffer could change that.

face lift

The French did not give up and gave the Xsara a facelift in 2000. The car received a stiffer chassis, a modernized front end with bright headlight units and interior improvements. Starting in 2002, Xsaras featured audio controls on the steering wheel, new bumpers and a new instrument panel. In 2004, the Xsara had to make way for its successor: the Citroën C4.

Engines Citroën Xsara

The Xsara has been available only with four-cylinder gasoline or diesel engines. Driving on gasoline started at a 1.4-liter (75 hp), but more fun was a 1.8 with 110 hp or a 135-hp 2.0-liter. The sporty VTS top version even got 167 horsepower.

As befits a French brand, Citroën distinguished itself with robust diesel engines. The 1.9-liter diesel engine with only 68 hp was still one of the old school; later it became modern HDI diesel engines (1.4 or 1.9 liter capacity) with 68, 90 and 110 hp.

Equipment Citroën Xsara

Standard features of the Citroën Xsara include ABS, airbags for both driver and passenger, side airbags and front power windows. More luxurious features such as air conditioning, cruise control, metallic paint and alloy wheels were available at extra cost.

READ ALSO: What makes a Citroën a real Citroën?

The Xsara looks like a dead-eyed midsize car, sharing many components with the Citroën ZX and the 306 from PSA conglomerate Peugeot. That’s not a bad start. The French technicians then tried to give the soft-suspension Citroën something special: a passive co-steering rear axle. However, that does not make the Xsara a distinctly dynamic handling car.

Picasso MPV and coupe

For large families, Citroën marketed the closely related Xsara Picasso. More than 1.7 million units of this spacious MPV were sold between 1999 and 2012.

In addition to a five-door hatchback, the Xsara was also available as a three-door coupe. This coupe did not have a particularly pronounced sporty character, but it did have a sportier trimmed interior. If you ordered the coupe as a VTR, you got a 167-hp four-cylinder with fine sporty performance.

Talk about sporting achievements: Citroën dominated the World Rally Championship with the Xsara WRC. With French driver Sébastien Loeb at the wheel, Citroën took the World Rally Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006 with the Xsara.

Hybrid prototypes

In the late 1990s, Citroen was already experimenting with hybrid powertrains. So there was an Xsara DYNalto concept, a real first. It was the first mild hybrid: the starter motor and alternator worked as a start/stop system to reduce the consumption and emissions of the 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. According to Citroën, this would yield fuel savings of 20 percent.

At the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, Citroën showed its Xsara DYNActive. A true hybrid with a 75-hp gasoline engine backed by a 34-hp electric motor. That gave the car a range of 1,000 kilometers. Also nice: 35 percent less gasoline consumption than the conventional gasoline version. With this DYNActive, you could drive 20 kilometers purely electric. But alas: the DYNalto and the DYNActive never made it to the production stage.

Citroën and Microsoft

For the Xsara, Citroën developed AutoPC with Microsoft. This innovative system allows the driver to control the radio with CD changer, as well as GPS navigation and telephony (including text messages and e-mails) via voice control while on the road. Nowadays an absolute rarity: only 500 copies of this Xsara Windows CE were produced.

Citroën Xsara as an occasion

The Citroën Xsara excels in few things. Still, that does not make it an unattractive and very affordable occasion. With an Xsara, you get a relatively affordable and practical hatchback or usable station wagon. The engines are reliable; spare parts are available and affordable. Unfortunately, though, the model is becoming quite dated.

Are you looking for a Citroën Xsara as a used car? Then pay attention to the following points of interest:

• Automatic transmissions and clutches are known weaknesses.
• There have been complaints about malfunctions in the electronic system. This can be pricey, as it may take some time to find the cause.
• Older Xsaras or those with high mileage may suffer from suspension wear. Resolve this in a timely manner, otherwise there is a risk of disproportionate tire wear and reduced handling.