Faults:

One of the cooling fans for the radiator fell off which was an easy DIY fix if a bit steep at £70 for the new motor unit.

I have noticed a lot of the reviews on this site have listed a lot of common faults, but I have to confess that mine has been absoloutely bullet-proof with the exception of the problem above.

General Comments:

The car is typically Citroen, Peugeot running gear in a cheap car.

Build quality is good, but could be more solid, the interior feels a bit flimsy and cheap but this has always been a selling point of Citroen.

On road manners are good and not bettered by many others, only the 307, Focus and Golf really outshine it. Handling is excellent thanks to it's Peugeot 306 floor pan and chassis.

When underway engine noise is very noticeable which is disapointing for a car built in the year 2000.

The 1.4 8v unit is simply too small for this car and I can't believe they also stick the same engine in the new 307 which is bigger and probably heavier, the car has lesuirely acceleration, but the gears need to be worked hard to make any kind of forward progress, long journey's with lots of gear changing can be a particularly soul destroying experience, but with that said the tall gearing (3000rpm at 75mph) make it a relaxed motorway cruiser.

Seats are quite comfy bearing in mind this is an entry level car and the child lock indicators on the doors are a good feature I've yet to see on another car.

Whoever bought my car brand new must have opted for the safety pack as mine has twin front airbags and airbags in both seats as well as ABS brakes.

The boot has plenty of room (i know as I've done a few booze cruises in it!)

Why do Citroen's have such light power steering? the downside of this is that you don't get a 'feel' for the road surfaces which can be dangerous particularly in ice.

I think the Xsara is an excellent car which is often overlooked because of it's bland styling and French-origins and if people would give one a chance they will find a great car under the skin, I would love a VTS version one day.

Faults:

Airbag warning light keeps coming on - 4 times since we had the car. Local used car dealer we bought from has been very helpful, but it seems that Citroen main dealer that has been tasked with resolving the problem is not up to the job! Personally I blame the shockingly poor wiring quality, but the dealer thinks the connectors need replacing (at £150 per visit)... luckily for me, the local car dealer is resolving the cost with the warranty company! Also, the air con didn't work - investigation by local specialist revealed that the condensor was "porous" - new unit ordered and fitted, and air con recharged - £304.23! Again, luckily for me, the local car dealer chipped in. Car was serviced yesterday by local independent specialist - £75 for minor service, but car needed brake pads too, also about £75. My bill this time!

General Comments:

Well, we bought it second-hand, at two years old as a second car for my wife. Cheap enough as a used car, but fuel costs have come as a shock after using a 1.1 litre AX for 5 years! Insurance is about £5 a month more than the AX, but obviously the "big-car" benefits are provided in compensation. Lovely ride, and actually quite brisk despite being the 90bhp 8v model. So, mixed fortunes so far, but according to our local indy specialist, the car is basically is sound and should be OK for at least 2 more years! Which is nice...