Citroen C6 Road Test Review, from Pulling Power August 2006.
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Another great review for the Citroen C6, looks wonderful, and most motoring journalists seem to love her! Unfortunately I am starting to hear stories of woe, on faults, & general running & repair costs; some of which make the XM look angelic in comparison. Still lovely though, and I hope to have one at some point.
Biggest turn off for me though is that it's a saloon, the worst of all worlds, I much prefer a hatch back like the XM, or an estate. All top of the range Citroens for the last 50 years, DS, CX, XM, have had an estate (station wagon/ break) version. I know Citroen want the C6 to be a luxury cruiser, but I can't see why an estate version couldn't be made as well, the C5 tourer is just not the same. Hydro-pneumatic estates are brilliant; so much so that Audi, Mercedes and others have copied Citroens technology into their estates; a C6 estate would be wonderful competition for a top of the range E Class!
Only 23.384 C6 were build. I love to ride my "flying carpet" every day here in Germany. This car is "fine arts" and it is so smooth to drive. It´s very relaxing sitting in "my livingroom", listen nice, calm music and keep the buissy world outside. I love it!
Grace? Bloody Nora! - I rented one of these cars for a couple of weeks when visiting the UK several years ago. Forget abut BMW or even Mercedes Benz - the comfort and ride quality of the C6 was ab-so-lutely unbelievably good.
I had, Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes.. Just bought one C6 , 2,7L, 60.000 KM, drove 7.000 KM in a month, one word: FANTASTIC!
Marc Wajnsztok How has it hold up here 2 years later? I'm thinking about getting one, they are really at a low point on the market right now.
@@Rottensteam Did you get it? How is it?
Those who buy well-cared-for examples of the C6 at their currently depreciated prices will almost certainly reap a huge windfall when people finally embrace this future classic. Even if the market doesn't develop, who cares - you still have a C6!
Funnily enough I'd just been on Ebay a few minutes before your comment, seeing what was available on the C6 front, the answer being not much; and if you're gonna buy one, it's got to be an Exclusive, even then you have to check that she had all the options installed; plenty of Lignages going though!! I will have a C6 one day, but I'm not really a saloon man, very impractical, such a shame they didn't make an estate, the first top of the range Citroen in 60 years not to have that option, it would have looked amazing. But I've got my 24v XM to keep me company until then, a CX estate being fully restored and a Subaru Outback is my daily driver ;-)
i just bought mine for euro5000 in Bulgaria. I'm staggered by it, I've never driven anything that comes close, even my friends current s class which cost over 90,000 euro. mine is a 2006 2.7 hdi biturbo with 154000 km on the clock one owner car from France. anyone who doesn't buy one is a fool imho.
calling people 'a fool' for not following your car buying lead is ridiculous.
Now that you had it for a year how does it work? Repairs, faults etc.? Are you still happy with it?
How is it now after 2 years ?
How is it after 3 years?
This car is for sure the last great Citroën, the last prestigious of a great "lignée" formed by the 15 Six, DS, SM, CX and XM. She will be searched and buyed by all who loved the comfort of the best suspension system in the world. A future classic of this century!
I've got a CX an XM & I just bought a C6, so I must be doing well on your list ;-)
bonjour je suis entièrement d'accord avec vous ! Car mon humble avis il s'agit de la dernière grande Hydraulique de la marque Citroën je viens d'en acheter une très jolie
@ron marninks Indeed, a massive shame Activa wasn't rolled out further up the range, or to a V6, I hear they're amazing ;-)
I've had my C6 since 2012 and its a keeper.
You only miss the xantia and the c5 phase 2 both with a 2.0l hdif on your list😉😏
I saw this car some day, it was a blue color... ...and when I saw inside that c6, I was impressed by this beautiful and classic car, and I love that!
Still one of the most beautiful cars ever. I loved it when it came out in 2006 and next year I will finally buy one. I can't get this thing out of my mind.
Good luck, hope it doesn't disappoint. Get the latest one you can, as there were a few improvements after 2009 & try to get on that's had all the sphere's changed, if not, the ride won't be nice & it's an expensive job.
It's an absolute tragedy that this car wasn't a success! Great French design and class
@chillmax - I just think they look unbelievably good and when you see one, you can't help but stare at it. Nothing else looks like it. Its like a piece of art! I have gone for a 2.7 HDi Exclusive in a beautiful Ganache red (almost black in certain lights) with all optional extras, lounge pack and sunroof. Its had all recall work done and looked after by a real enthusiast. Its a stunning example and it will be hard to keep me out of it! Never been this excited about owning a car!
" Specialized in [...] superminis "
How the hell can someone forget about the DS ?!
...and the CX and SM.. :-)
and the XM
"A company specialized in bargain superminis"
They just bring a random guy from the street and make him a car reviewer.
That does rather forget the incredible legacy of innovation doesn't it.
Criminally underrated car. Too long a gestation period before bringing it to the market, sadly.
Absolutely & indeed, however, I think the reasons for it's extremely limited 'success' are many & varied & not just down to it's delayed arrival, some 6 years after the final XM. When running perfectly, they are indeed a very special drive, I compare it to a cross between a tank & a hovercraft ;-)
I owned one ( 2.7 Lignage) for 25000 miles and approx 15 visits back to the Citroen main dealer. Superb car when running though!
I completely agree, similar to my experience, I did feel that just before I sold her, she was running pretty perfectly & without issue, but I felt like moving on, so let her go. I do think about having another, but worry it would be another long list of faults before I'm happy again; the worst being that the spheres have never been changed, because Citroen said they were meany to be for 'the life of the car', but Citroen only care about cars for 10 years, after that, you;re dead to them & trust me 10 year old spheres need changing!! The problem with this new LDS system, it costs about 5 times more to change them all than old school speheres - CRAZY!!
@@Chillmax Would agree. The suspension of ours failed (went rock hard) when we were in Poland on holiday approx 1000 miles from home!
@@fasthracing
fasthracing OMG, so did mine, I was driving in London with family & the car collapsed, LDS all over the ground & had to be recovered. A pipe had burst & split, if my clever local garage hadn't have been able to replace it with a far higher rated AC pipe, it would have had to go to Citroen & have the entire subframe dropped!! But still a great car despite all this & in many ways more reliable than previous big Cits & I speak as a current XM, CX & BX sufferer ;-)
Indeed, Citroen has always surprised the world with innovation in high-end automobile, startiing by introducing Henry Ford taylorism to Europe. They then designed so many awesome vehichles like the Traction, DS, GS, SM, CX, Xantia, XM and C6. You can even say that the DS5 is in the line of super-confortable cars. Nobody makes a car as conforable as the French do. Citroen proved that you can have a smooth confortable automobile which holds the road very well, something that the Americans never understood. The C6 offers impressive roominess matched only by the Vel Satis. The C6 has returned to the Chinese market but is not as stylish over there. Indeed, Maybach, Bentley, RR or Maserati could learn a lesson of confortable luxury from Citroen.
Rolls-Royce used Citroen hydropneumatic suspension on the 1965 Silver Shadow. The 1974 Maserati Quattroporte II used an extended version of the SM's chassis, complete with hydropneumatic suspension.
@@crashbox7130 I have a friend who had an Audi A8 with the XM activa suspension. The Mercedes 6.9 had the CX suspension.
It has gone out of production, sad. I love this car!
I'd buy one of these tomorrow if I had somewhere off road to park the thing. No way would I park one of these beauties overnight on a public road. They are magic on wheels.
Pretty much all of them are incredibly cheap now, so you could have one for 6 months to a year & just see if you want to keep going. They are wonderful to drive, but unless they've been lavished with money, the jobs will be be building up now, so you have to be lucky with them; if you ever do, make sure she's had new sphere's or you won't get the amazing ride you expect. Citroen said they would last the life of the car, so they've often not been replaced, but they all need doing now! Just go for it, don't worry where you have to park her, unless you live in a warzone that is ;-)
@@Chillmax Thank you
Chillmax. I'd love to have one, but I am far too much of a coward. I'd be paranoid that it would be damaged in some way. I like my cars to be in pristine condition. This car also looks uber complicated. I once drove a Toyota Prius (on loan) and nearly had a coronary what with all the gadgets and wot not. Unless I move to a place where I can have one of these beauties as a second car, then I'll have to continue to admire them from afar. Alas!
@@mark1968 OK, well you know yourself, but it does seem a shame to worry about something that might never happen & also miss out on it, you never know when it'll be your last day driving, so don't regret, just do ;-). On the flip, I spent £50k restoring my CX Safari, it took a good few years & is now like new, better actually. In the first 6 months, 2 people drove into her beautiful new coachwork, but hey, it's just metal & paint & she's all fixed up again. Happy Driving.
@@mark1968 Re complexity, I find for a modern car, she's just perfect, just enough to be entertaining & helpful, but no more than you need, you just turn the key & drive off, simple ;-).
@@Chillmax Thanks. You're making a very good case and you're right about me worrying over things that may never happen. I had a C4 a few years back and even though I believe they have standard suspension it was a dream to drive. If I did get one I'd need to install a reverse camera (unless they already have one) because parking would be an issue on the tight London street I live on. Love the CX Safari. My dad had s DS Safari when I was a kid. Wonderful car. I think that is where my love of Citroen's stem from. Thanks again Chillmax. :)
i am getting one on Saturday! Can't wait, been my dream car for a few years now. A real head turner. As the OP says, there were some teething issues, but they were recalled for this so make sure the work has been done and enjoy pure luxury!
how it is in 2019.....if u still have
The last truly great Citroen. A SM, CX and DS morphed into a stupendously good creation.... Now becoming very collectable.
The C6 does look wonderful still today, like many old Citroën, their design transcends time. Also, the suspension on this model was an incredible jump forward for hydropneumatics. Unfortunately, like many previous top models, so few were made, just 23k & less than a 1k sold in the UK, that almost no one knows how to look after them properly, even the dealerships! The C6, due to the highly advanced & unusual technology, seems to be even more difficult to fix & repair over previous models. I think to be regarded as truly 'Great' a car should be able to be driven & enjoyed daily, but when driving a C6, you're always worried, in the back of your mind, about what might go wrong, can you afford to fix it & can anyone actually fix it - I know, I was there! Having said all that, I would consider having another one, but it would need to have had lots done to be considered. The other Great shame for the C6 was that it came at the height of diesel love, so there's just a handful of petrol cars & none in the later 2009-2012 cars which did have many little improvements. The C6 will no doubt continue, in very few numbers, it's future though, as an everyday car remains unclear, a somewhat sad end, to what at the moment is the last hydropneumatic Citroën.
@@Chillmax Interesting. Here in Australia we have about 100 C6s. There are enough Specialist Citroen mechanics to look after them and are regarded as quite reliable. The 3 litre diesel is the most preferred.
Diesel is not so tainted even though I got a $2,700 VW Diesel gate class action payment for my 2 litre Skoda Yeti TDI.
Final price new of a C6 was $120,000 Aussie or about UK 60,000 pounds. Used prices dropped to $30,000 but are now around $50,000.
The C5 turbo diesel was available with hydropneumatic or petrol with metal suspension at around $70,000 for nitrogen sprung cars with some C6 characteristics but less complexity. . They are now around $30,000. But don't get locals Citroen enthusiasts very excited to date.
The Citroën C6 is very impressive. I used to own a C5 and loved it.
Thanks for commenting. I haven't driven a C5, but I have been told the drive is quite different. I think Citroen threw everything that they could at the C6, which makes it very special to drive, I can confirm a well looked after C6 is amazing to drive. I think the biggest difference between the 2 is that the C5 doesn't have AMVAR, which I think is the system that controls how the rear wheels react to what's just happened to the front wheels. This has now been superseded by systems which use cameras to read the road ahead to control wheel reaction. The C6 is still amazing, but they are very difficult & expensive to look after & I have been told by someone at Citroen HQ that all the 2.7 TD models require somewhat of a midlife rebuild to continue in good operation. So if you can get a late model 3L, good luck with that if you're in the UK ;-).
@@Chillmax My driving days are over.
Like the way in the video even the words of the presenter and not in sync. How very Citroen....nearly there but never quite right.
Lol, indeed! I think the under powered software with a mismatched graphics card were more to blame than the car though ;-)
this is the future DS
instant classic car
who have one must never sale it
This car is a real avant-garde goddess. I hope someday Citroën wiill roll out it's successor.
I own a 2011 C6 3.0hdi and after 5 years And 130.000 kms, I'm still amazed about it's reliability And fuel economy. Compared to my 1990 XM V6 however, it lacks the comfort one expects of a large Citroën.
I'm glad to hear your C6 is doing well after so long, it might be that it was a very late car with any final updates & improvements they could think of, also with the larger engine. My 2005, yes that's right, as it was an early press car, was a very well kept low mileage petrol and I eventually learned to love it, but in her first 12 months I spent about £7000, mostly all necessary, she also had a total mechanical failure in London, with family in the car and had to be towed home. A pipe in the LDS system burst and if my mechanic wasn't really clever and couldn't have fixed it in situ, the entire underside of the car would have had to be dropped to get to it!! At the time I also owned a year 2000 V6 24v XM, which was lovely, I'd had many before & yes the C6 seats are a little firmer, but in comparison the C6 was far superior and I drove the XM so little that I had to let her go eventually. Sadly, due to a massive CX restoration I'm doing I also had to let the C6 go, however, were I ever to buy one of the above again, it would be a C6, a truly wonderful, if sometimes expensive car to own.
🇮🇹 (I) Originale e affascinante la Citroën C6! In passato ho posseduto anche una Citroën XM, perché le grandi Citroën mi hanno sempre affascinato! E cosi, dopo una Alfa Romeo e una Jaguar, nel 2011 ho acquistato una C6, che guido tutt'ora con soddisfazione! La C6 è davvero una grande auto.
Now in 2012 it`s not the most fresh model on the market and to be honest with you it could use a facelift and more engine and gearbox choices but despite that for me still the best buy in the class. Unrivaled comfort and styling etc. I could go on for quite some time.
A car of my choice in this class!
wish i could drive in the states.
Such a beautiful car! i can't understand why nobody bought one. I think iv'e only seen 2 on the road
...i can imagine why...a lot of people thought they were much too expensive (for a citroen) ;-)
Sigh....
Just bought a Saab 9-5 today.
Forgot all about the C6.
But anyway no reason to complain.
"The stylishness of an Audi" That's a bit like saying, "The refinement of a Trabant".
Well motoring journalists have to say something to fill in the time ;-)
That's so brilliant, I'm excited for you ;-) I've only had one diesel, a 2.5TD XM, it was great but I prefer a V6 petrol, however, the C6 diesel does seem to be the best option, I think there are very few petrols out there, bit slow to 60, but good economy for it's type. Luckily lots of people have treated themselves to the Exclusive model when new, so that's great for the second hand market; I'm glad to hear you've got all options. I've had 14 XM's & 7 CX's so I'll have a C6 sometime! GoodLuck
"....bit slow to 60" ? if you want a sports car, dont buy a citroën ! :-) except, maybe, the BX sport (limited series of the mid-80ies) - i had one, only 126 hp, but a 1900cc engine with 2 double carburators and only a weight of 1.010 kg !! great sport - AND hydropneumatic suspension as well.. :-) this might give you an idea.. czcams.com/video/TPdg1jscH5Y/video.html
Indeed, no argument from me, prices even for top of the range Exclusives with reasonable miles are down to around £7k now - crazy!! I looked at numbers the other day, and I think totals are around 30,000 cars altogether, the previous Haute de Gamme XM, was 10 times that 333,000, what happened??? A good XM is a great car, I know I've a 2000 year 24v sitting outside my house, a lovely car & more practical with it's hatch, but the C6 is spectacular, I just don't know what happened. C6 - RIP.
Drove Xantia's for 7 years in a row.
They are the best Citroen produced ever in terms of reliability and endurance..
Then I bought a C5 and it was a DOG.
Because of my profession I have to drive a lot and because of the fact I have 2 artificial legs I need a reliable car. Then switched to Audi A4. Good car, but did not like it (noisy, gas guzzling and a hard ride)
So swopped it in for this Saab, which I DO like. But a C6 would indeed have been very nice as well.
Walter Taljaard buy a mercedes
Very compelling car and a lot better assembled than is the normally expected of Citroen.
I wouldn't say Citroen are well known for poorly assembled cars, but I would say some models have reliability issues, mainly due to poor quality of the parts used.
@@Chillmax agree completely. If you want to find a badly engineered car try a post 2005 VW. I got rid of my Passat and replaced with a second user BMW 5 Series.
We have a 2014 Mazda6 here as well.
I'm too late to the table for a used C6 unfortunately.
@@paulanderson79 Ah, so noted! A well maintained, perfectly running C6 is a joy & a spectacular everyday car; I was sorry I sold mine. You're not too late all, if you'd seriously like one, look for a final year 2012 model, lots of little upgrades making it the best it could be & 240bhp, no petrols, but I'd still have one; if you're in a LHD country you'll easily get one ;-)
@@Chillmax I'm in soon to be bankrupt Britain. Circumstances of mine mean that hobby cars / classics are no longer an option. Shame but that's the way life is at the moment.
The 5 Series is up for sale, keeping the Mazda as I'm now the only driver in this household.
Despite this I have a lot of love and enthusiasm for the quirky but capable cars. Just can't afford to run one.
Great discussion and thanks too for the video.
@@paulanderson79 I completely agree & I understand, sometimes cars are for fun & sometimes they're just for getting you there; C6's are very fussy & not good for frugal times, Mazda's definitely are though ;-). I'll be joining Britain in bankruptcy shortly with my CX, XM, BX, C6 (i forgot about at the garage, it's not running), Audi 200 & Opel Tigra - I need to walk more!!!
@unrepentant42 - Very Exciting!! What made you take the plunge? Model, Colour, Engine, do tell? Have you had hydro-pneumatics before? Bon Chance!
I would so love this rare luxury!
I think this is a modern take on the ds which means it's brilliant I'm looking into citroens what should I get a c6 or a ds I also love classic and modern cars so the age factor doesnt really apply
c6 boot volume : 420 L !! trying to get a good old XM V6, they had a boot volume of 455 L :-) and i liked the design of the XM better, anyway (had 3 of them) ..but of course, the ride in a C6 was a lot more sophisticated - you couldnt even tell, if you were running on petrol or on diesel ! it's really like riding on a cloud..
I agree, I had an XM & a C6 at the same time & although I still liked the XM the C6 (after I installed new spheres) did walk all over the XM, it was amazing. I just got out of my XM 24v, & I like you love how the XM looks, but if a good one came along, I would have another C6, shame it's not a hatchback 😁👍.
The most beautifull thing on four wheels.
wonderful car and place
@adam1othman Hi, very complicated & interesting dilemma. I think most Citroenists find its looks very CX & SM, as do I, I've had lots of CX's, and it looks like a modern CX to me. But the C6 does seemed to have stepped in to the DS's shoes with it's timeless looks, and seems generally well liked by public & press. They would be very different to own though, I don't know how you would choose between the 2, in an ideal world, if you love both, buy both, if you don't have pockets that deep......
Strange - I haven't looked at this video in over a year, but just watched it yesterday, and your comment pops up! Well indeed, a terrible oversight ;-) There are some very nice examples on Ebay at the moment for just £7k, OK miles & in Exclusive trim, not much point going for lower. If you do ever reconsider, go for as late as you can find around 2010, Exclusive, and the 2.7 Diesel, don't go for the smaller engine option, you won't sell it. I like Saabs though, has a nice 9000 Griffin once ;-)
I once tried a Saab 9.3 and I did not find it very good, not rigid compared to my old Audi 80, barely better then an Opel which I suspect it was based on.
.....you have to decide what's more important to you. They both need specialist mechanics, and they both need money to keep going,but in different ways. If you like being warm in winter & cool in the summer, don't want to worry about rust, like going very fast, and like lots of gadgets, then the C6 is for you. If you can find an already restored DS, with no problems, and you have some good general mechanic skills, and love being asked about your car in car parks constantly, then buy a DS ;-)
I would also fancy a CX in its turbo-diesel which used to be the fastest diesel of its time. I knew a top Italian business man in Milan who drove me around with his nice CX.
@chillmax I think Citroen is trying to get another ds type line going
Hi Again, Xantia's are a good car, especially a 24v or the Activa, an amazing ride, shame it wasn't rolled out on other cars, never heard anything bad about it!! Unfortunately I always find the Xantia to be an unresolved XM, it's just a little too middle of the road for me. C5 & A4 - no argument here ;-) Had the old 100's though, lovely car. I think any big Cit fan really should have a C6, if even for just a year, shame they never did an estate, I hate saloons, that's why XM's are so good.
c6 here in Portugal are rare but not too expensive (10-16k euros range). The thing is, with these cars they usually have a long history of KM, never less than 200k and that's why I'm always reluctant into investing at an used one.
Trop la classe la C6 !!
What-a-Machine
Amazing car, very original...eccentric.
Although it's a fabulous looking car, I agree it is due a 'freshen up'; at this point though I think Citroen will keep the C6 going for a few more years, then it will stop production; I think they try to keep their Haute de Gamme going for at least 10 years, then move on. They have offered smaller engines, I think around 2.2,but on such a big, luxury car, I don;t see this as a good thing; under powered XM's are always miserable to drive ;-)
..."humongous boot !!?? ;-) that would be the boot of my skoda superb sedan (625-1760 L) , but certainly not the one of the C6, unfortunately..otherwise, i would have probably bought one , in those times !
Esse carro é extraterrestre tecnologia de ponta a ponta
👍
A European video with european views. Not for NA.
eltsen nestle oh, and a European car, bizarre comment.
Chill...not really. I was watching videos about European cars actually available in North America. and THIS popped up. NOT available.
I am Canadian and I have been into Citroen a few times even the small ones and I really will put my hands on one of those CX or C6 since no NA cars can match their luxury and confort. And they hold the road better then a Mustang or a Celica. The French make incredible cars for pure driving pleasure. I wish we had more of them in Canada. I have seen a Finnish professor driving his DS5 over 300 km on snow and he said that the car was so stable and dependable that her arrived relaxed at destination.
Peugeot is planning a come back to NA for 2020. This would help kick out the poor Korean cars.
@@lucrolland7489 ...better than a MUSTANG !? ..that's eeeeaaasyyyyy ;-)
efsane a.q
That is one of the most ridiculous and messy looking cars I've seen
Better than any cars you have ever owned
And what's are your arguments? This car is a marvel don't try to deny it!
Drax65 I don't like it is all I just don't see anything nice about it
What a pity. But that's your taste and you've the right to dislike this magnificent car, the last of a prestigious line.
Testzorz PDT it really isn't