CITROËN AUSTRALIA

The Citroën Xsara:
Interior

The vehicle interior expresses reliability, solidity and refinement, with sensually curving lines, harmonious colours, noble materials and a high-quality finish. The aim is to make life on board a pleasurable, uncomplicated and reassuring experience.

The fluid, enveloping lines of the Xsara's passenger compartment give the vehicle a luxuriant air, reminiscent of both modern and classic styling. The dashboard with its protective, reassuring curves, and the hood that turns into a long console sweeping down between the front seats, gives the driver's station a look of security. The timed ceiling lights add a touch of refinement with their smooth, phased on/off control.

The seat upholstery, door panels and grained composite material parts are made of high quality materials that feel pleasant and luxuriant to the touch. The colours are easy on the eye. Throughout the development process, the styling specialists were guided by the criteria of elegance and refinement. This focus on tasteful design has made the interior of the Xsara a reference in its field.

The Citroën Xsara's spacious interior defies its exterior dimensions. Measuring 1.70 m from the accelerator to the rear seats, it boasts the longest cabin length in the segment. Passengers in the back (generally less pampered in this type of vehicle) travel in comfort, thanks to the extra legroom provided by hollowing out the back of the front seats. The generous elbow room (1.44 m) places the Xsara among the best in its segment.

The Xsara also boasts considerable stowage space. The 408 litre boot (1,190 litres with the rear seat folded down) is the biggest in its category. With its 2/3-1/3 split rear seat, the Xsara is able to offer the configuration best suited to the transport of bulky objects.

Passenger welfare does not stop here. Travelling comfort is further enhanced by the many convenient and roomy stowage bins and cubbies.

The spacious, carpeted glovebox is lighted and lockable. The lid can be used to hold cups, pens, and cards and dockets.

At the top of the dashboard is a second glovebox, with a lid, which can be used to store small objects. This glovebox is not provided if the vehicle is equipped with a passenger's airbag.

The front doors are equipped with bins that can be used to store A4 format documents. The top part of the armrests tip up giving access to another deep, roomy storage space.

The back of the front seats have map pockets.

The boot is designed for maximum convenience. The rear parcel shelf can be stored vertically against the back of the rear bench. Elastic straps are provided to hold objects - such as an oil can - in an upright position.

When the rear seat is folded down, two recesses are provided to place the rear headrests against the back of the front seats.

A luxurious, comfortable & quiet passenger compartment

In terms of dynamic comfort, the Citroën Xsara reflects the values that the marque has always considered to be essential. The running gear is designed to combine comfort and performance, with high quality suspension and efficient damping.

The self-steering rear axle is fitted with upgraded elastic shims to filter out minor irregularities on the road surface for a smoother ride.

All the Xsara models are equipped with 'green' tyres that generate less road noise than conventional tyres and offer a better grip. Their main advantage, however, is to cut rolling resistance by some 15%, resulting in a drop in fuel consumption of around 5% on average.

The high quality fabrics and materials are a delight to touch, while the flawless fit of each part was the focus of specific attention. The design of the seats and the choice of foam provides just the right degree of support, either too firm or too soft. The driver's footrest - standard throughout the range - brings an additional touch of comfort to the vehicle.

Easy seat adjustment simplifies life on board and increases the well-being of the occupants.

Acoustics were a major priority in specifications. All possible steps have been taken to maximise comfort. Specific studies were conducted on vehicle vibration, suspension damping and vibration at idle speed.

The computer designed acoustically engineered floor pan optimises the damping of the low frequency noise.

The mats are foam backed in order to limit the transmission of outside noises to the vehicle interior.

The driving environment

With its height and reach adjustable steering wheel and height adjustable driver's seat, the Citroën Xsara easily adapts to different driver requirements. The central rearview mirror is fitted with two ball joints to that it can be adjusted for tilt and, above all, for height. Designed to adapt to all heights, this feature brings a real improvement in safety.

To make sure that the driver does not have to fumble for the controls, the dashboard layout is rational and logical. Designers sought to make the positioning of controls and functions intuitive.

The controls around the steering wheel group homogeneous functions. Lighting and horn on the left, windscreen wiping and washing on the right.

The colour red, the universal symbol for danger or emergency, is used for safety functions such as the hazard warning lights button, the tell-tale indicator on the child locks fitted on the rear doors (visible from the front), the lever opening the bonnet, the door locks and the locking of the rear bench.

Controls and information are accessible not only to the driver but also to passengers. The window lift controls are placed in the centre of the dashboard. The clock display is visible to all the occupants of the vehicle.

The electric function controlling the external rearview mirrors is a model of simplicity, since it uses a joystick-type button.

The door check straps have three positions to make it easy to get in and out of the Xsara. The first notch opens the door slightly without knocking it against neighbouring vehicles in car parks. The Xsara thereby shows its ability to adapt to the constraints of city life.

The question of easy maintenance was also a primary concern during the development of the Citroën Xsara. When the ignition is switched on, an indicator on the instrument cluster shows the distance to be covered before the next service operation. If the figure is less than 500 km, the display will start to flash.

The bonnet opens easily, with the assistance of gas struts. This equipment is usually only found further up the market.

Under the bonnet, the main points of inspection are clearly identified through the use of explicit colours and symbols. This makes routine maintenance operations simple to carry out.

Comfort Features

The Xsara boasts a host of features and functions to make life on board simpler and easier.

• Height and reach adjustable steering wheel.
• Height adjustable driver's seat.
• Driver's footrest across range to optimize comfort.
• Automatic climate control air conditioning with pollen and particle filter.
• The digital clock is fitted with a data display. With the ignition off, the time cannot be changed accidentally while the car is being cleaned.
• The fuel filler door is fitted with a holder for the fuel cap.
• Door check straps have three intermediate positions compared with the usual two. This prevents the car doors from hitting neighbouring vehicles when the vehicle is parked in a narrow space.
• The boot and bonnet is fitted with gas struts to make it easier to open.

Stowage Space

• The glove box is lighted and lockable. The lid has two recesses for cups, a pen holder and a card clip.
• A storage compartment on the control console.
• The armrests on the front doors are fitted with two storage bins of a sufficient size to hold street directory.
• Each front door has a stowage bin big enough to hold A4 format documents.
• At the rear of the console, a storage bin is provided for CDs and cassettes.
• Map pockets are fitted to the backs of the front seats.
• The rear parcel shelf may be stored vertically, along the back of the rear seat in the boot.
• Elastic straps are provided to keep objects, such as oil cans, in an upright position in the boot.
• When the rear seat is folded down, the rear headrests can be fitted into two practical recesses in the top part of the rear seat cushions.

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