There is a strong case for concluding that the 1.6 HDi engine is the only powerplant you’ll ever need in a C4. This is an engine with numerous qualities, and an ideal unit for driving in the UK today. Its outright performance is impressive for a diesel engine, too, the 60mph sprint dismissed in just 10.3 seconds. Only the more lethargic 0-100mph time of 36.4sec betrays its fuel type.
This HDi is typical of common-rail engines in that it delivers its power in a consistent, linear fashion until quite close to the modest red line. As usual, it’s the in-gear times that best demonstrate the strength of the engine’s thrust: 30-50mph in third takes just 4.6sec (compare that with a petrol alternative like the 1.8-litre Vauxhall Astra, which requires 5.9sec) while 60-80mph in fifth takes only 10.4sec (12.5 for the Astra), a good indication of the C4’s punch on the motorway.
The C4 has a pliant, well-controlled ride down a typical English road, without excessive bodyroll, squat or dive. But over ridges and poorly surfaced roads the relative crudity of the suspension betrays itself, with too much thump being transmitted into the cabin. Hitting a bump mid-corner introduces some unwanted kick-back through the steering, too, and the suspension is noisy over substantial bumps, though we suspect much of the patter and kickback is caused by the reduced cushioning of the lower-profile tyres.
The result is a compromise that doesn’t really favour this version of the C4. The VTR Plus’s appeal as an entertaining drive is diminished by these flaws, steering that is a somewhat mute communicator and the fact that there isn’t a great deal of throttle adjustability to the chassis. That said, the electro-hydraulically assisted steering is a vast improvement on the artificial-feeling systems in the C2 and C3. The VTR steers with pleasing precision, too, and grip levels are high.
