WITH a touch, a feel and some typical French flair Citroen has a new version of its C1 city car.

The new model is right up to date and designed to bring some fun to the small car market.

The trim names - which are Touch, Feel and Flair - are indicative of the younger audience at which the car is aimed.

Being trendy is what's required and the C1 - just like its sister models from Toyota and Peugeot - is bang on the money.

It's priced from £8,245 for a 1.0-litre three door hatch which comes complete with LED daytime running lights, a full set of electronic stability controls, remote control central locking and a digital radio.

Moreover, it looks cute with a friendly face thanks to double lamp arrangements flanking the grille. At the other end there are 3D effect rear lamp clusters to set it off at night.

Like Peugeot, but not Toyota, Citroen is offering the C1 with the option of a bigger 1.2-litre engine priced from £10,535 and models with a full length canvas roof. Those are called Airscape and start off at £10,345.

The C1 range tops out at £11,735 for a five door 1.2-litre Airscape or £11,935 for a 1.0-litre with a semi-automatic electronic gearbox.

The mainstream models have five speed manual boxes and both engines are pleasantly lively with a distinctive sound thanks to their three cylinder layout.

Citroen is claiming official fuel figures of 68.9mpg with emissions of 95g/km for the 68bhp 1.0-litre and 65.7 to the gallon for the 1.2 which has a CO2 figure 99g/km, making both free from road tax.

We managed to average 62mpg with the smaller engine and 57 from the 1.2 which is a respectable fuel return. The 1.0-litre is also available with a stop/start system making it even more economical with a claimed 74.3mpg and emissions as low as 88g/km.

Performance figures are 14.3 seconds 0 to 60 for the 1.0-litre with a top speed of 99mph and 11 seconds and 106mph for the 1.2 and both are nice and easy to drive.

The new C1 is slightly larger than the first generation model which sees luggage space increase to a more useful 196 litres extending to 780 litres with the back seats down.

As little cars go that's around par for the course and with alternatives such as the Fiat 500, the VW up!, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo and the Hyundai i10 the C1 scores with a bright and breezy interior.

It will seat four and five door versions make for easy access to the rear with the doors opening wide.

Smart fabrics, including some striped designs make it modern and different while the facia - on all but the entry level Touch - is centred on a seven-inch touchscreen which allows smartphone connectivity to display of a number of apps including sat nav and stored music files.

The screen, along with features such as air conditioning are standard on Feel trim and above costing from £9,495 while the top range Flair models are priced from £10,185 and come with 15-inch alloys, a reversing camera and a rev counter - a graphic bar flanking the speedo and not a dial sitting in a pod as on the previous model.

The new C1 also has a glovebox instead of an open storage rack while cup holders and other trays are sited below the touchscreen. You also get door pocket and vanity mirrors behind both sun visors - another must for the target audience.

The car can also be specified with a coloured section around the touchscreen making the cabin even more vibrant.

All in all it's a thoroughly modern take on the small car scene - nice to drive, stylish and low on running costs which make it ideal as a first car for younger drivers are a grade A runabout for all.