1994 Citroen ZX Avantage review from UK and Ireland

Radiator needed replacing at 110,000 miles. The radiator came in about £75 plus fitting.

Power steering pump needed replacing at 120,000 miles. Ouch! I think the final bill for this was about £350 all in. I had the option of a 2nd hand pump from a scrap-yard, but that seemed a potentially false economy.

Gear change push-rod came off in 2001 at rush-hour roundabout. I limped in 2nd gear to the nearby supermarket where the recovery man informed me it was a common issue with the ZX.

Offside rear window mechanism (cable) corroded and snapped in 2002. It had been stiff for a while, it had never been used that much. I "fixed" it to be permanently closed.

I have owned it nearly 5 years. It was a high mileage when I bought it although being a diesel, it was not an issue to me.

The performance for this little car is great. It will accelerate excellently to 80mph on any hill with any load. Always great for the overtaking lane going up hills.

The economy has been great too. I use it primarily as a commuter car in "stop start" traffic. It averages about 45mpg. That, plus its nippiness, makes it a great car. Some of the great economy has been offset by the purchase of the power steering pump though, but I can live with that OK.

Seats are a bit soft for me. Not very comfortable.

Bodywork has no corrosion at all. It does seem easy to dent though with plenty of marks from car parks on the doors. The panels are very flimsy.

I bought it because I wanted a Turbo Diesel hatch, but couldn't afford some of the other popular models, like the Peugeot 306. This is the same chassis as a 306, but without the nice looks.