24 Aug 04
The VTS's nearest rival is, ironically, manufactured elsewhere in the PSA group: the Peugeot 206 1.6 XSi. Though it's the same insurance group and £200 cheaper, the Peugeot's also slower, and while its chassis is very good, the driving position's just too rubbish for us to recommend it.
Elsewhere, the MG ZR 120 is fast and attractive but cramped; the Toyota Yaris T-Sport is boring, as is the Vauxhall Corsa SRi; while Skoda's hot diesel Fabia isn't really all that hot. Which leaves the Mini Cooper. Good fun, but slower, more expensive (£12,100), cramped and, by the time you've added air conditioning, traction control, alarm and CD player, you've added yet another grand to the price, and that's without considering that the C2 comes with a year's free insurance, too.
So, the C2 may not be the best driver's car in the class, but you can't argue with the package. Burberry hats-off to Citroen: they know their Craigs.
