The Citroen C6 was a relatively unsuccessful attempt by Citroen to make a disturbance in the luxury mid-size sedan market. The car was first introduced in 2006 and it was in production for six consecutive years. For a spot of context, Mercedes sells tens of thousands of E-Class models each year without a hitch.
On the other hand, the entire production of the Citroen C6 reached a lackluster number of just shy of 24,000 units. This simply proves that non-luxury car brands can’t stroll into the luxury car market with a weak badge appeal and believe that they can truly rival brands that have been around the luxury car table for decades.
So, is Citroen C6 a good car? The Citroen C6 isn’t a bad car per se as it looks stunning and really does feel like a competitive luxury car. On the other hand, engine choices were limited, the car wasn’t truly on par with the German trio, and the fact that the C6 reliability was from acceptable.
This means that 2nd hand Citroen C6 models can now be had for peanuts as they have depreciated quite a bit. For the price they cost now, they do feel upmarket, but running costs have stayed the same. Practicality is also good as the car offers a bunch of space, even though visibility is slightly impaired.
Citroen C6 – The powerplant
The Citroen comes with just a single gasoline-powered engine, a 3.0L V6 engine that pushes out 211hp and 213lb-ft of torque. Maximum speed is rated at 146mph while 0-60mph takes more than 10 seconds. The car returns up to 22MPG combined and comes with FWD and an automatic 6-speed torque converter gearbox.
The C6 does however offer three different diesel engine options. The lineup starts with the 2.2L 4-cylinder with 170hp and 295lb-ft of torque while the mid-spec 2.7L 6-cylinder diesel offers 204hp and 324lb-ft of torque. The coolest C6 model comes with a 3.0L diesel V6 with 245hp and 331lb-ft of torque which enables the C6 to reach 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds.
These numbers do feel fairly potent but are far from the German trio. MPG results are 35MPG at best while all models also come with a FWD configuration and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. All in all, the C6 powertrain is not weak, but it also isn’t anything special.
Citroen C6 – Design and chassis
The way the Citroen C6 looks from the outside is likely one of the most attractive things about the C6 in general. The car comes with amazing curvy lines that compliment a luxury car really well. The interior of the C6 is also very well-appointed, but it still shares many of its parts and design touches with considerably cheaper Citroen cars.
Suspension and chassis tunning are solely focused on comfort, ease of use, and isolation from the road. This means that the car tends to roll into corners quite a bit, but that does help it tackle road imperfections really well.
Citroen C6 – Reliability and common issues
Cone of the worst aspects of the Citroen C6 has to be the reliability as the car tends to suffer from a bunch of issues really often. The most common engine-related issues are tied to the EGR valve, the glow plugs, how loud the engine is, and the turbochargers which are prone to failure.
Other issues include equipment-related problems such as water ingress, questionable panel gaps, sunroof issues, and most importantly, rust. Electrical issues are a common occurrence on the C6 and so are suspension and gearbox-related issues.
Citroen C6 – Value and practicality
The Citroen C6 depreciated like crazy since it came out because the car was never nearly as popular as the car it tries to compete with. After all these years, the C6 seems to finally be getting some recognition as many people look back fondly on the C6, especially because the car looks interesting and different.
Practicality is really good as far as the seating space is concerned, but we do need to mention that rear headspace is slightly hampered by the car’s sloping roofline. The trunk space on the C6 is really accommodating as is the case with most cars from this segment. Finally, the car’s visibility also isn’t the best.
FAQ Section
Is the Citroen C6 better than the Audi A6, the BMW 5-Series, or the Mercedes E-Class?
No, the Citroen C6 isn’t as good as the Audi A6, the BMW 5-Series, or the Mercedes E-Class from that era. All three of these have a long history of making mid-size luxury cars while Citroen does not. That is apparent the moment you compare these across the board as you can immediately tell that the German offerings are simply better.
The C6 does rival the Germans in certain aspects, particularly exterior design as all three German brands didn’t make the best-looking mid-size sedans at that point in time.
Will Citroen ever bring back the C6?
Currently, there are no indications that Citroen is going to offer the C6 anytime soon. The reason why is simple. Trying to join the luxury car market if you are not a luxury brand is extremely difficult as most luxury brands have a long-lasting history that speaks to people about quality, craftsmanship, style, and luxury.
Moreover, we live in an era where SUVs and crossovers dominate the world’s markets, and it’s really difficult to join the luxury car market in general.
Is the Citroen C6 a family car?
The Citroen C6 seems to be somewhat of a mixture between a luxury chauffer long-distance car and a true large family sedan. This means that the C6 feels at home doing either of these things. However, if you want to use it as a family car, you sure can as the C6 is quiet, comfortable, and fairly practical as well.
The only thing that could potentially hold you back is the reliability as that is the biggest question mark of the C6 in general. As such, buying a used C6 is a gamble as you never know what you can get.