The latest generation Citroën C4 is a sound alternative to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, but doesn’t do enough to beat them.

On the plus side, it’s a stylish car inside and out. The distinctive looks are matched by a distinctive drive, with a comfortable ride that smoothes over all but the roughest surfaces.

However, the Citroën’s softer suspension means the C4 isn’t as composed as the Golf when towing. It was fine through the lane-change test at low speeds, but on quicker runs the caravan made its presence felt and the C4 lost composure. It was happier towing in a straight line, but some drivers still found the car too ‘floaty’, and felt the vague steering didn’t help make minor corrections accurately.

We’re also disappointed that the Citroën took 11.7 metres to stop from 30mph, even on a dry track. The handbrake wouldn’t hold car and caravan steady on a 1-in-6 slope, although good low-down pull from the engine helped tow uphill cleanly, both going forwards and in reverse.

Citroën dealers usually give healthy discounts, and the What Car? Target Price suggests there’s plenty of fat to trim from the list price. Choosing the C4 means saving at the pumps, too – you can expect 67.3mpg, according to official figures.