Body style: Hatchback
Segment: Medium
Production years: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
Citroen started working on the BX model in the '70s, but its bankruptcy put the project on hold until Peugeot bought the carmaker and financed it.
The car was designed to replace the GS model, which was on the market since 1970. Still, there was a disagreement regarding the exterior design, which calmed down after the carmaker bought the Volvo Tundra project from Bertone Studios. Volvo rejected it because it was considered too bold but fitted Citroen's needs like a glove. Despite its angular shapes, the hatchback featured a lower drag coefficient than the GS's, and its size matched the carmaker's needs. Moreover, its platform was cheaper than the one used for the GS. It featured McPherson struts at the front instead of double-wishbones. Still, it worked well together with the already famous hydropneumatic, self-leveling suspension system.
On the outside, it looked like the designers used only rulers and straight-angles to design the car. Its squared headlights with small, corner-mounted turn signals flanked the front of the hood, which was angled down. Citroen cooled the engine through a grille-mounted in the lower side of the wrapped-around plastic bumper. On the sides, the flush door handles and the flat body panels were completely different than the rounded shapes used by Citroen before. The raked-forward C-pillars and tailgate formed a Kammback styling at the back, while the taillights were also squared.
Inside, the French carmaker installed a squared-looking dashboard with flat panels. The instrument cluster featured most of the buttons mounted on the sides, including the turn-signal rocker-switcher, which had to be turned off by the driver. A one-spoke steering wheel was unusual for other carmakers, but not for Citroen, who used that system since the '50s. Thanks to the transverse-mounted engine, the car offered enough room for up to five passengers.
Under the hood, Citroen relied on Peugeot's engines with 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter displacements. Later on, the carmaker added more powerplants to the BX lineup.
ENGINE SPECS - 1.4L 4MT (62 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1360 cm3 |
Power: | 45 KW @ 5500 RPM 61 HP @ 5500 RPM 60 BHP @ 5500 RPM |
Torque: | 78 lb-ft @ 2600 RPM 106 Nm @ 2600 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 1.3 gallons (4.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 96.3 mph (155 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 15.6 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 145SR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 1918 lbs (870 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3042.4 lbs (1380 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 34 mpg US (6.9 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.4L 5MT (72 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1360 cm3 |
Power: | 53 KW @ 5750 RPM 72 HP @ 5750 RPM 71 BHP @ 5750 RPM |
Torque: | 78 lb-ft @ 3000 RPM 106 Nm @ 3000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 13.7 gallons (51.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 101.3 mph (163 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 13.5 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 145SR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 1926.8 lbs (874 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3042.4 lbs (1380 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 33.6 mpg US (7 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.6L 4AT (94 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1580 cm3 |
Power: | 69 KW @ 6000 RPM 94 HP @ 6000 RPM 93 BHP @ 6000 RPM |
Torque: | 100 lb-ft @ 3500 RPM 135 Nm @ 3500 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 13.7 gallons (51.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 106 mph (171 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 13.8 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 165/70R14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2233 lbs (1013 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3175 lbs (1440 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 31.8 mpg US (7.4 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.6L 5MT (94 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1580 cm3 |
Power: | 69 KW @ 6000 RPM 94 HP @ 6000 RPM 93 BHP @ 6000 RPM |
Torque: | 100 lb-ft @ 3500 RPM 135 Nm @ 3500 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 13.7 gallons (51.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 109.4 mph (176 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 11.3 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 165/70R14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2050.3 lbs (930 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3152.6 lbs (1430 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 33.1 mpg US (7.1 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.9L 5MT (105 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1905 cm3 |
Power: | 77 KW @ 5600 RPM 105 HP @ 5600 RPM 103 BHP @ 5600 RPM |
Torque: | 117 lb-ft @ 3000 RPM 158 Nm @ 3000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 1.3 gallons (4.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 115 mph (185 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 10 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | Manual, 5 Speed |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 165/70R14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2187 lbs (992 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3218.7 lbs (1460 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 31.4 mpg US (7.5 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.9L 5MT (126 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1905 cm3 |
Power: | 93 KW @ 5800 RPM 126 HP @ 5800 RPM 125 BHP @ 5800 RPM |
Torque: | 127 lb-ft @ 4200 RPM 172 Nm @ 4200 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 13.7 gallons (51.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 121.2 mph (195 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 8.9 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | Manual, 5 Speed |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 185/60R14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2226.7 lbs (1010 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3329 lbs (1510 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 26.1 mpg US (9 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.9L D 4AT (65 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1905 cm3 |
Power: | 48 KW @ 4600 RPM 65 HP @ 4600 RPM 64 BHP @ 4600 RPM |
Torque: | 87 lb-ft @ 2000 RPM 118 Nm @ 2000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Indirect Injection |
Fuel: | Diesel |
Fuel capacity: | 13.7 gallons (51.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 97 mph (156 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 16.2 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
---|---|
Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
---|---|
Tire Size: | 165/70R14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2242 lbs (1017 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3263 lbs (1480 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 38.6 mpg US (6.1 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 1.9L D 5MT (65 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1905 cm3 |
Power: | 48 KW @ 4600 RPM 65 HP @ 4600 RPM 64 BHP @ 4600 RPM |
Torque: | 87 lb-ft @ 2000 RPM 118 Nm @ 2000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Indirect Injection |
Fuel: | Diesel |
Fuel capacity: | 13.7 gallons (51.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 97.6 mph (157 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 15.5 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
---|---|
Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
---|---|
Tire Size: | 165/70R14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 166.5 in (4229 mm) |
Width: | 65.4 in (1661 mm) |
Height: | 53.5 in (1359 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/53.5 in (1,410/1,359 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.7 in (2659 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 15.6 cuFT (442 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.33 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2304 lbs (1045 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3262.8 lbs (1480 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 40.6 mpg US (5.8 L/100Km) |