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Citroen Saxosmall
Citroën Saxo
Citroën
aka Citroen Chanson
Production 1996-2003
Class B Hatchback
Body Style how many doors+how many seats+what type of body
Length length - type here
Width Width - type here
Height Height - type here
Wheelbase wheelbase - type here
Weight Weight - you get the point
Transmission transmission + drive
Engine engine
Power N/A hp @ N/A rpm
N/A lb-ft of torque @ N/A rpm
Similar Peugeot 106
Designer Designer (lead designer if it was a team effort)

The Citroën Saxo is a supermini produced by the French manufacturer Citroën (PSA) from 1996 to 2003. It was also sold in Japan as the Citroën Chanson, as the “Saxo” name had been registered by Honda in that market. It shares many engine and body parts with the Peugeot 106, the major difference being interiors and body panels. It was replaced by the Citroën C2 in the autumn of 2003.

Citroën Saxo

Recent Changes[]

The Saxo received a style makeover at the start of the year 2000, commonly branded as a MK2, with the major differences being more modern styled headlights, bonnets and grilles to replace the ageing square style on the MK1 and Multipoint injection replacing the single point on the 1.1L engines.

PAS became standard on all but the very basic models. More subtle changes were alterations to the rear lights (the indicator sections are more "white") and the engine control unit moved from a single plug to 3 plugs. The old 3 stud wheel layout was also dropped.

There was also a minor facelift during the MK1 phase of the cars production in line with the then current releases by Citroen, moving towards a rounder look.

Styles and Major Options[]

Certain vehicles come in different trim levels or body styles. Features and major options should be mentioned here.

Pricing[]

Add more fields as necessary.

MODEL Trims
Trim1 Trim2 Trim3 Trim4
MSRP
$Price1 $Price2 $Price3 $Price4
Invoice
$Price1 $Price2 $Price3 $Price4

Gas Mileage[]

One area in which the Saxo excelled was fuel efficiency. Even the sports models could manage nearly 50 mpg-imp (5.6 L/100 km; 42 mpg-US) at cruising speeds, whilst the 1.1 could manage nearer to 60 mpg-imp (4.7 L/100 km; 50 mpg-US).

This came as no surprise, since its predecessor the Citroën AX in diesel form held the record for the best fuel economy achieved in a production car, 103 miles per imperial gallon (2.74 L/100 km; 86 mpg-US) - a record that stands many years, until 2008 (beaten by Peugeot 308 1.6 HDi with 2.23 litres per 100 kilometres (126.67 mpg-imp; 105.48 mpg-US) - official Guinness record)

As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:

Trim
Trim1 Trim2 Trim3 Trim4
MPG
c/h c/h c/h c/h

Engine and Transmission[]

Specifications, details, graphs, pictures and other information regarding the powertrain is placed in this section.

1.0 petrol 50 bhp

1.1 petrol 60 bhp

1.4 petrol 75 bhp

1.5 diesel 58 bhp

1.6 VTR petrol 90 bhp (1999 and later 100 bhp)

1.6 VTS (16 valve) petrol 120 bhp

Performance[]

Please make sure to write information of the vehicle's performance in a third-person point of view. This section should include information about the car's acceleration figures, handling, braking, etc.

If using information gathered from Road Test articles from a reputable automotive source, then please make sure to cite the quote.

Reliability[]

Warranty options and scheduled maintenance information should be mentioned here.

Safety[]

The Saxo's crash test results from Euro NCAP was only 2 stars, which was a poor effort in year 2000, but comparable to most small cars at the time of the Saxo's release.

Photos[]

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Main Competitors[]

Hybrid Models[]

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Unique Attributes[]

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Interior[]

The equipment list was generally sparse, with budget models having drivers air bag, seat belt pre-tensioners, cassette player, heated rear screen and tinted windows, and early mk1's with keypad immobilisers and a clock in place of a tachometer and 3 stud wheels, much like the AX. Further up the list sunroofs, PAS, Electric windows, ultrasonic alarm, passenger airbag, CD player, tachometer, front fog lights, bodykits, colour coded mirror caps and alloy wheels were added, to name a few.

The 1.6L VTR and VTS Saxo's were the best equipped, with both gaining rear disc brakes as opposed to drum brakes, and ABS as an optional extra on the VTR and standard on the VTS.

Few special models were released throughout the Saxo's life, most notably the "Open Scandal", a Saxo with a full length sliding canvas roof. Other special editions added certain extra's to the lower end model, such as sunroofs or PAS. Notable models are the Westcoast up to 1999 and the furio to 2003, as they incorporated the standard Saxo bodykit found on the VTR and VTS with a more insurance friendly 1.4L engine.

Air-conditioning was never an option on right-hand-drive Saxo's because the blower motor was mounted in the bulk-head on the drivers side. As a result, there was insufficient space available to accommodate the evaporator, except by first ducting the air flow to the passenger side and then at the expense of the glove-box. Although an after-market kit was available that did exactly this, the resultant pressure loss made the system noisy and ineffective. The blower motor could also not be easily relocated, since the windscreen wiper motor was mounted in the passenger side space.

As with many other small cars of the time, the standard stereo system included 5.25" drivers mounted low in the front doors and 4" drivers mounted in the rear quarter panels. This set-up could be easily improved upon by mounting separate tweeters in the A-panel trims, similar to many VW models of the time. The very thin door cards and metalwork did however leave the system very 'thin' sounding, with very poor output in the upper-bass ranges.

Resale Values[]

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<MODEL> Year
Year X Year X-2 Year X-3 Year X-4
Resale Value
$ $ $ $

Criticisms[]

Please make sure to keep critiques in a third-person point of view. If using criticisms from a reputable automotive source, then please make sure to cite the quote.

Generations[]

The Saxo only had one generation. It was pretty much a badge engineered Peugeot 106, released in 1996 to take over from the dated Citroen AX which had been around for a decade at that point. In 1998, the saxo got a mild facelift, changing the grille. Just one year later though in 1999, the Saxo was given a major facelift, with the major differences being more modern styled headlights, bonnets and grilles to replace the square style on the MK1 and multipoint injection replacing the single point on the 1.1-liter engines

First Generation/Origins (1996–2004)[]

Worldwide[]

In Japan, due to Honda owning the trademark for the 'Saxo' name. The Saxo was called the Citroen Chanson.

Design quirks and oddities[]

One quirk of the Saxo are the pedals, they are quite close together and can often interfere with what pedal you want to press.

A second quirk would have to be the central air vents, they, for some unknown reason are able to be risen out of the dash to point up or straight ahead, the purpose is unknown.

Awards[]

List out notable awards that the model has received while in production. Boldface the company or organization that gives out the award, and Italicize the name of the award.

See Also[]

Eiffelcitro
CITROËN

PSA Peugeot Citroën


Peugeot | Citroën | Gefco | Motaquip


Current (Worldwide): C1 · C3 · C3 Pluriel · C3 Picasso · DS3 · DS3 R3 · C4 · C4 Picasso · C4 Grand Picasso · DS4 · C5 · C6 · C8 · C-Crosser · Berlingo · Jumpy · Jumper · C-Zero EV · AirCross . DS5

Current (China, DPCA): C2 · C-Quatre · C-Elysée · Fukang · Xsara Picasso · Nemo LCV

Historic: Type A · Type C · C2 . 7U · Traction Avant · TUB · TUC · 2CV · Acadiane · Ami 6 / Ami 8 / Ami Super · Axel · AX · BX · CX · C15 · C25 · C35 · Dyane · DS · ID · Evasion · FAF · GS · GSA · H Van · LN · LNA · M35 · Méhari · Saxo · SM · Visa · XM · Xantia · Xsara Picasso · ZX · DS Safari · Bijou · C-Triomphe · Xsara . Berlingo Electrique

Racing: U23 · Belphegor · Xsara WRC · C4 WRC · DS3 WRC

Concept: C-Metisse Concept · G Van Concept · Prototype C Concept · Prototype Y Concept · 2CV Pop Concept · GS Camargue Concept · C44 Concept · Karin Concept · Zabrus Concept · Activa Concept · C6 Lignage Concept · C-Airplay Concept · C-Buggy · C-Airdream · C-Airlounge · C-Sportlounge Concept · Renaissance 2054 Concept · C-Airscape Concept · Cactus-C Concept · NEMO Concept · Hypnos Hybrid Crossover Concept · GTbyCITROËN Concept · C4 WRC HYmotion4 Concept · DS3 Concept · DS Revolte Concept · DS High Rider Concept · Survolt Concept · GQbyCITROËN Concept · Metropolis Hybrid Sedan Concept

One-Off: U55 Cityrama Currus


Iran Khodro · Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile · Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile · Sevel


André Citroën Corporate website A division of Peugeot-Citroen PSA


External Links[]

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