The PSA french group made a joint-venture with Toyota to build a small city-car.
The result was a trio: the Citroen C1-Peugeot 108-Toyota Aygo. All three vehicles were built on the same factory, but with some aesthetic differences. That was a cross-brand badge-engineering.

For the 2014 triplets, the PSA and Toyota agreed to make a different styling so that the buyers will feel like they had a choice. The C1 was allowed to have the “angry” face, with headlights narrower on the inside, the bigger trapezoidal grille and somehow more aggressive lines on the hood. In the rear, the taillights were conventional.

Inside the cabin, there is enough room for the front seats and somehow limited for the rear passengers. The very short wheelbase, of just 2.3 m (92.1”) didn’t allow too much room. But for short in-city trips, is fine. The C1 can also receive a soft roof, that will transform the car into a top-cabriolet. The dashboard is plain and simple, with a 7” infotainment unit placed on the center console. It has a screen-mirroring with the smartphone. The same screen is used for the rearview camera.

For the powertrains, the offer is not that much. It had engines ranging between 68 and 82 hp mated either with a 5-speed manual transmission or with an automated gearbox with the same number of gears.

The first generation Citroen C1 got its last facelift in 2012 when it received new design features as well as improved engines.
The exterior came with new bumpers, rims, LED daytime running lights and new color options. The interior got a redesigned gear stick, new leather steering wheel on upper grade models as well as new upholstery styles. On the tech side, the 2012 C1 came with steering-mounted paddle shifters on the automatic version, new radio, new power steering and shocks to improve ride. The engine has been tuned again for less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Citroen introduced a facelifted version for its smallest vehicle in the lineup, the C1.
Starting with January 2009, Europe switched to the Euro 5 emission standards, and the carmakers had to comply with the new regulations. The French carmaker introduced the C1 precisely in January 2009, with improved engines and different styling.

The C1 was available in a five- or three-door configuration, but most of their parts were similar. At the front, the facelifted version sported bigger, tear-shaped headlights. The new bumper incorporated a different, mouth-like grille, crossed by a horizontal bar for the license plate. From its sides, the five-door version featured body-colored door handles.

The carmaker tried to upgrade the interior with better materials. There was no instrument cluster apart from the steering-column mounted speedometer. Citroen offered, as an option, an additional dial for the tachometer mounted on top of the speedometer. It was an original, yet unusual, arrangement. In the back, the rear doors sported pop-out, front-hinged windows for the rear passengers. Like its non-facelifted version, the C1 featured a split-folding rear bench, good for two passengers.

Under the hood, Citroen and Toyota developed a new engine management unit that lowered the emissions to fit into the Euro 5 levels. The carmaker offered the vehicle with a manual or a 5-speed automated gearbox. It even offers the car a 1.4-diesel.

The Peugeot-Citroen-Toyota’s love child, the Citroen C1 was unveiled to the public in 2004 at the Geneva Motor Show

The joint venture’s attention was turned towards the mini segment and it was a great deal for everyone involved, sharing knowledge and costs to develop three of the most loved city cars: Citroen C1, Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 107.
For Citroen, the C1 was considered to have replaced the Citroen Saxo which was discontinued in 2004 after a lifetime of 8 years.

Citroen adopted a style with rounded headlights, extended on the sides with the turn-signals. The double-chevron chromed badge adorned its short hood, and the grille was moved to the lower side of the bumper. A black, plastic mold protected the car from small parking bumps. It was notorious how the French drivers used to make room in the parking lots by pushing other vehicles.

Inside, depending on the trim-level, the C1 featured a tachometer mounted on top of the speedometer. Citroen installed both of them on the steering column assembly. The center stack’s simple layout allowed easy use of the HVAC controls—the C1 featured power windows at the front and fixed windows in the rear.

Under the hood, Toyota provided the 1.0-liter gasoline engine and PSA (Peugeot-Citroen Group) the 1.4-diesel version. Both versions were paired as standard to a 5-speed manual, while a 5-speed automated version was available as an option. The latter consisted of a manual gearbox and a computer-controlled clutch-actuator system.