Guide to Citroën in South Africa

French industrialist, André-Gustave Citroën, founded Citroën in 1919, establishing the brand as an innovator with the launch of the Traction Avant. This was the first mass-produced front-wheel drive car and the first to feature a unitary chassis that shares the load for the engine, suspension, and other mechanical parts. Citroën's innovation continued with the introduction of the first hydro pneumatic self-levelling suspension in 1954, a system that keeps the car level no matter the road conditions. Citroën also introduced the first mass-produced car with disc brakes in 1955 and the first cars with swivelling headlights in 1967. One of Citroën's most popular cars was the 2CV. It was designed in 1948 specifically for rural French farmers as an alternative to horses. It features a unique curved-roof design to accommodate the farmer's hat, an engine pushing 8.9kW, and suspension soft enough so as not to disturb a tray of eggs while driving.

The popular C1 was Citroën's answer to the highly competitive budget segment. The nippy little pocket car symbolised everything that made the brand famous – a modern and unique design with French flair. Built on the same platform and in the same factory as the Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 107, the second-generation Citroën C1 debuted in 2014 and was released with 1.0L and 1.2L engine variants, several styling packages, and a trendy cabriolet version. Interested in other South African vehicle manufacturers? Visit our car guide.