- Skoda Citigo 5-door, 2013
Škoda presented the new Citigo 5-door subcompact. Following a successful debut in its Czech home market, Škoda will be introducing its seventh and most recent model line in other European markets this spring as both a 3- and a 5-door version. This 3.56 metre long car is Škoda's entry into the fast-growing subcompact segment. The Citigo stands for a perfect price-value ratio and offers a maximum of space, clever features, high safety, perfect handling and an attractive design. The Škoda Citigo is produced in Bratislava.
"Following our record sales result in 2011, we intend to keep on growing in the coming years. The Citigo is of crucial importance to this growth strategy. This new model will open up the fast-growing subcompact segment for our brand," says Škoda CEO Winfried Vahland. "This will provide a lasting boost to our favourable market position in Western and Central Europe and Europe's big cities. The Citigo is the perfect car for the city: compact yet roomy, economical yet agile, attractive, safe and featuring many clever ideas. The Citigo offers all of Škoda's brand values on the smallest possible footprint. This is especially true of the 5-door version," said Vahland.
Compact and roomy
At 3.56 metres long, 1.65 metres wide and 1.48 metres high, the Citigo ranks among the most compact and at the same time among the roomiest cars in its segment. The Citigo is to conquer new customer groups for Škoda especially in Europe. Says CEO Vahland: "The Citigo puts us on the map in a car segment that today represents almost 10 percent of global car sales. Europe accounts for one quarter of these sales. In the years to come, demand for cars with low fuel consumption, an attractive price and low operating costs will grow sharply. This means the Citigo is coming at just the right time and will win over many customers for Škoda, especially in Europe."
A subcompact for all generations
In marketing the Citigo, Škoda is targeting young drivers just as much as families looking for a second car or so-called "best agers." "Our new model is a subcompact that transcends generations and caters to individuals that are highly cost-conscious and have a high demand for quality, practicality, design and safety," Winfried Vahland stresses. It is exactly the combination of these qualities that the Škoda Citigo embodies perfectly. Three trim lines are available: Active, Ambition and Elegance.
Clever all around
True to the "City Clever" motto, the car is an allrounder made for the city. It handles easily and offers superior visibility. At the same time, the car offers Škoda's typical interior values, providing a high level of "Value for Money". No competitor from outside Volkswagen Group has a bigger boot volume (251 litres) and interior width (1.36 metres). Folding down the back seat rest increases luggage volume to 959 litres. Thanks to a 2.42 metre wheelbase, four can sit in comfort even on long trips. In the three-door version, an Easy Entry function facilitates access to the rear seats.
Quite a character
This city runabout's design shows a character typical of the brand. The first look will tell you: her comes a real Škoda. The Citigo is the first model ever to bear the brand's new logo. Škoda's new crest, set into the moulded front edge of the bonnet and onto the car's rear has been reduced to bare essentials and is executed in chrome and black. The winged arrow is contoured more precisely than hitherto and comes in chrome where it used to be green. The round emblem carrying the arrow at its centre is black with an enclosing chrome ring. The laurel wreath and Škoda lettering have been dropped from the new logo.
The chrome-framed slat grille and the precisely moulded headlights combine with the new logo to create the typical Škoda face. The designers also outdid themselves in the lateral body layout, which impresses with its clear contours and large glass surfaces. The brand's typical C-shape in the taillights and the logo make the Citigo as unmistakable from the rear as it is from the front.
Simply Clever
The clean and clear layout of the cabin and the bicolour dashboard in the higher-value trim lines create a sense of wellbeing on board the car. A number of ingenious features make the Citigo a real "simply clever car" à la Škoda. One expression of this are the many storage options, cup and multimedia holders and the storage nets on the sides of the front seats' back rests. Other clever solutions include the bag hook integrated into the glove compartment opening mechanism or the photo holder on the dashboard. A convenient range of nets permits safe transport of objects in the boot.
Safety writ large
The Škoda Citigo's designers placed great emphasis on safety. As a result, the Citigo - together with the Volkswagen up! and the Seat Mii - was awarded the top score of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test. For the first time in a Škoda, head-and-thorax airbags are available for the driver and front seat passenger. This and other features amount to an exemplary passive-safety package. The new "City Safe Drive" braking assistant is an innovation and a safety highlight. This optional city emergency braking function activates itself at speeds below 30 kph. A laser sensor will detect an impending crash. Depending on speed and traffic situation, the subsequent automatic brake actuation can reduce the severity of an impact or even prevent them altogether. This significantly lowers the risk of inner-city rear-end crashes. Together with the VW up! and the Seat Mii, the Škoda Citigo is the only car in the subcompact segment so far to offer this emergency braking function.
Efficient engines
Two new three-cylinder petrol engine in two power variants has been available in the Citigo from its launch: the engine has a displacement of 1.0 litre (999 cu cm) and output 44 kW/60 hp or 55 kW/75 hp. In Green tec, the most efficient variant, average fuel consumption is 4.1 l/100 km. CO2 emissions are 96 g/km. Engines and transmissions have been designed for optimum fuel efficiency in the city and in an urban environment. They will reach their operating temperature quickly even during short trips and will thus operate extremely economically.
Despite their small displacement, the engines achieve a high torque at a low noise level. Based on current plans, a gas-powered engine will be available besides the petrol engines. In this version CO2 emissions will be 79 g/km. In addition, an automated transmission will complement the manual gearbox before year 2012 is out, further improving the Citigo's efficiency.
Distinctive front end
Innovative and fresh, the Citigo immediately conveys the message: I'm with the Škoda family! The car's appearance displays all the elements of Škoda's new design.
Škoda's redesigned logo rests prominently in the bonnet's moulded front edge. Clear and precise, the winged arrow is now executed in chrome on a black-matte base. The Škoda logo rests atop the distinctive grille, whose 19 slats are enclosed by a finely drawn chrome frame. Expressive headlights flanking the grille create the unmistakable face of the car, which endows the front of the Škoda Citigo with additional optical width.
The new Škoda Citigo's headlights give the car a pleasant appearance. Chamfers in the cover glass create optical vibrancy and a precise grinding of the glass. The reflectors in the main headlights, blinkers and daytime running lights all contrast with their shiny black cover plates, thus creating three-dimensionality and optical depth. The front bumper displays a clear and orderly layout. The air intake with its vertical slats and integrated horizontal bar complete the new Citigo's distinctive appearance, as do the circular foglights with their black frames.
Designers went all out in creating the car's side section. The car's lateral contour shows a 1 ½ box design with a short engine area and generous passenger space, one of Škoda's basic brand values. The Citigo impresses with its cleanly modelled surfaces, precisely drawn lines, clear contours and ample side windows. A slightly rising beltline conveys dynamism without obstructing rear seat passengers' visibility. The wheelhouses' vigorous arching and ample lateral surfaces makes the wheels appear larger and underlines the car's solid appearance.
A long wheelbase and minimal overhangs at the front and at the rear make for good proportions and perfect handling in the city. The Škoda Citigo may be ordered as a 3-door or as a 5-door model. In the three-door version, the doors will open to circa 130 cm at an angle of about 80 degrees, permitting easy entry and exit.
The Citigo's rear section displays an equally clear and distinctive layout. The new Škoda logo is positioned centrally on the ample tailgate's raised area. The tailgate's contours run on into the taillights, whose brilliant and three-dimensional execution is typical of Škoda, as is the C-design with a finely drawn reflector band creating unmistakable recognisability both by day and by night. Slender and vertical, the taillights make room for the wide tailgate, which is handsomely framed by the pillars on either side and by the bumper. A clearly designed bumper unit with an integrated numberplate holder underscores the optical width of the car's rear thanks to its horizontal lines, rounding off the Škoda Citigo's solid and high-quality appearance.
Just as compelling is the new subcompact's interior. The first impression on boarding is a surprise at a space that is generous and airy for its class. The cockpit shows a horizontal layout, clearly conveying optical width. Depending on the trimline chosen - Active, Ambition or Elegance - the cockpit is available in interesting colour combination. At the centre of the driver's attention is a steering wheel with lots of grip displaying the new Škoda logo and a combination instrument in a compact design. For good ergonomics, the control unit for the air conditioning, radio and other functions has been placed in the middle of the dashboard. Atop it sits a wide flat-jet nozzle providing draft-free ventilation inside the car. Round jets that can be completely shut have been positioned near the pillars.
The seats with their integrated headrests have been ergonomically designed and provide optimum lateral hold. A large number of combinations of colours and materials convey quality and lots of wellbeing. Numerous storage compartments in the centre console, the glove box and the doors offer enormous storage space and deliver on the Citigo's functional promise. A multitude of Škoda-typical "Simply clever" solutions such as the bag hook on the glove compartments opening handle, the photo holder on the dashboard or the optional "Move&Fun" navigation system will turn every trip in this car into a special experience.
The Škoda Citigo proves its enormous space offering not just to the driver and the front seat passenger, but also to rear seat occupants. Comfortable seating elements can be tilted to permit an enormous increase in boot capacity.
The new Škoda Citigo is a completely new car with a clear and attractive design, perfect functionality and an excellent price-to-value ratio which is bound to set new benchmarks. Here is a car with extremely compact dimension representing a milestone in the ultracompact segment regarding precision and space economy.
Generous space, perfect comfort on board
One of the longest wheelbases in its segment - engines positioned far out front - newly designed axles: the Škoda Citigo's engineers pulled out all the stops to make optimum use of space in the car down to the last millimetre. It's a success: occupants ride with space to spare, in comfort with no hint of tightness. The new Citigo demonstrates that even a subcompact can be roomy on the inside.
The car's interior width is another best in segment. At 1.36 metres, it is way above what most competitors have to offer and makes for good freedom of movement. Headroom numbers in the back also leave nothing to be desired.
The three-door version's "Easy Entry" function enables effortless access to the rear seat. This involves pushing front seats forward and simultaneously folding down its backrest with just one motion of the hand so that rear-seat occupants can sit down easily.
Ergonomic aspects impress with their excellent design, as does seating comfort. Seating position is not too low, and sufficient thigh support in conjunction with knee room creates a comfort level not generally associated with a subcompact. In this connection, designers paid special attention to the positioning of the steering wheel column including the steering wheel itself
At 251 litres, the Citigo's boot space is the largest in its class. The boot also impresses with its height: it will hold objects up to 58 cm high. The boot lid will open to 185 cm. On folding down the rear seat backrest, boot volume increases to 959 litres (Škoda Citigo 5-door). In addition, the resulting loading surface is almost level, permitting to transport objects up to 2 metres long in the Citigo. Other practical items include four hooks in the boot for bags or other objects. In addition, a double storage net attachment suitable for holding objects up to 3 kg in weight in space is available for the boot.
