CITROEN has facelifted the Xantia, enhanced its specification and slashed up to £2,000 off some models in a major realignment of the ageing range. The 33-model range of hatchbacks and estates still comes in five forms - Base, LX, SX, Exclusive and Activa - with on-road prices starting at £13,050 and reaching £21,550 for the V6 Exclusive Auto.

The biggest saving comes on the 2.0 Turbo Activa which now costs £18,250, a reduction of £2,150, while the price of the 2-litre Turbo Exclusive Estate has been cut by £910 to £19,200. The price of the volume-selling 1.8i LX petrol hatchback has risen by £70 to £14,810, and the popular 1.9 turbodiesel LX hatchback now costs £15,880, an increase of £185.

Externally the Xantia gains Citroen's new corporate look with a triple-fluted bonnet and streamlined headlamps, along with new wheel trims, fog lamps and rear light clusters. Bumpers, side mouldings and door mirrors are now colour-coded, and like its new Xsara stablemate, the Xantia now features triple-section bumpers with corner sections - which cost about £16 - promising to cut the cost of repairing minor knocks or 'scuff' damage.