Now that the hot weather has arrived how well does the air conditioning in the Citigo perform?.

Works very well on ours and not much difference in MPG.

I would say it's adeqate for the car without being too cold on the lowest setting. Driving back from Wiltshire this week in very warm weather it was pleasant to be in the car with the temp set on coldest and the fan on the first setting.

I find it to be very good. Setting 3 and 4 (on the 'blower fans') are very noisy but that's probably normal in any car. It cools down the car fast and I haven't been able to see a huge difference in fuel economy.

The only issue is that it's manual. I turn it on for 2-3 minutes and then turn it off again. On very warm days, I turn it back on every 10 to 20 minutes (for 2-3 minutes at a time).

I'd love to be able to just set a fixed temperature but in general I'm loving the amount of 'quality feeling' I get from this fairly cheap car.

I hate having the windows down when driving anything other than in the city (and the 'hat shelf' seems to vibrate a lot when windows are down at higher speeds which makes too much noise), so having aircon that works better than OK at the 2 'fan setting' is a very nice thing.

I couldn't imagine not having aircon.

So it seems to be a good system then.You have the 2 vents,one either end of the dash and the vents where the PID sits and you still get a good flow of cold air?.

I like the cold blast that you can get to your feet.

Ours works fine. Yes, the middle vent is not adjustable and only gives a draght of air but the side vents are very effective. :sun: :sun:

I can't feel anything coming from the center vents by the PID. Seems to be just for show.

But the two side vents, the vents for the feet and the one by the front window all do a good job.

Don't know about the rear seats but it's such a small'ish cabin that the cool air should get back there just fine.

Check you have the correct setting on the left hand dial as you get no centre vent output when set to demist or floor setting.

I only use the up and left setting (windscreen and windscreen plus feet).

Is it the right (in your face) setting that uses the centre vent?

Down is feet only.

Yes turn the right knob to the face vent position and you should get air to the centre vent too.

As above. (Doh got me left and right mixed up)

It's actually pretty good.

Mine makes a bit of a "chirping" noise though.

The 'in your face' indicator might be a little off, since the centre vent blows air upwards - but it works OK now that I've tested it - with the airflow 'bouncing' off the windscreen and into your hair and circulating the hot air that accumulates under the ceiling.

I prefer the centre vent diffusing air rather than blowing it straight into your face. The same 'diffused' rather than 'blown' air principle has been used on VWs flagship Phaeton for many years.

Another link to posher cars: The designer of the Citigo is the same guy who penned the Bugatti Veyron!

Another link to posher cars: The designer of the Citigo is the same guy who penned the Bugatti Veyron!

He designed the Skodarey bits of it, yes. He's the new Skoda chief designer!

So by Bugatti standards the Citigo cost is the Bugatti key?

... I turn it on for 2-3 minutes and then turn it off again. On very warm days, I turn it back on every 10 to 20 minutes (for 2-3 minutes at a time).

Why wouldn't you keep aircon always on, and mix some heat if it's too cold? Just like in winter, if it's too hot, you turn heat knob to lower position. This way you can get steadier temperature.

Why wouldn't you keep aircon always on, and mix some heat if it's too cold? Just like in winter, if it's too hot, you turn heat knob to lower position. This way you can get steadier temperature.

That would still require some adjusting every now and then but I did consider that option.

I'm not sure how the AC works at full power vs. with a little heat on - whether or not it is actually running at 100% all the time (even with some heat on) and how having it on all the time affects the engine/fuel economy.

The manual states not to have it running all the time. It doesn't say if it is just about fuel economy or also due to the engine overheating on very warm days...

That's just how automatic aircon works, it mix some heat on. With these manual aircons you have to do it by your own. Better keep it always on. This way it can reduce moisture too, which give you more pleasant ride.

Not to mention it's better for the compressor if you use it regular.