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With two dominant vehicles in the class, does the revised Citroën C2 Enterprise have what it takes to break into an exclusive club? CM goes for a spin.
Certain CV categories are dominated by specific manufacturers and their wheeled wares, with history or ability - or both - playing a vital role in this.
And despite the fact that there may be plenty of contenders within a group, all vying for attention, including many with strong credentials, it would take a serious drop in standards to upset the position of the dominant vehicle(s).
In the small car-derived arena, Ford is sitting pretty at the pinnacle with its soon-to-be-replaced Fiesta Van. And why not? It's pretty damn good, and comes from a firm you know and trust - a no-brainer, really.
However, to end the story there would be unfair on all the blood, sweat, toil, and cash expended by rival firms striving to shift units in what is largely an uphill struggle.
If we uttered the words Citroën and C2 Enterprise, there'd be a few quizzical faces in the commercial crowd, and rightly so. This is not a van that tends to top sales charts.
However, to clear up the picture, it's a small car-derived van competing with the likes of Ford and Vauxhall's decent Corsavan. But unlike these, the Citroën is often left on the shelf because the buying public prefers to 'go with what they know'.
Coming with the rear seat removed, which allows for a load area of 0.84m^sup 3^, the little hatchback, which made its debut all the way back in 2005, received a bit of a makeover last year.
Although the 70hp 1.4-litre HDI engine, complete with five-speed manual gearbox remains unchanged, the C2's external appearance has been tweaked. It now boasts a redesigned bonnet, front bumper and new grille design.
Inside the little van, there's an uprated CD/radio with MP3 compatibility, and an optional air-conditioning pack (£500), which, says Citroën, now includes electric windows and door mirrors.
Other options include central locking with deadlocks, an immobiliser, and steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Metallic paint is another extra. The standard model will cost you £7,995, compared with £8,850 for the outgoing Hesta van and £9,545 for Vauxhall's Corsa van.
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