Real Road Test: Citroën ZX Volcane Automatic!

I visit Peak 2CV and manage to get my hands on his rather lovely ZX Volcane Automatic, which may or may not be for sale. peak2cv.co.uk
This ZX is unusual in being a hot hatch with automatic transmission and leather seats. Poshness! It would have had air conditioning at some point, but now doesn't.
HubNut store and support options located at hubnut.org - I thank you.

[@jt-bg6ey]

single wiper no triangle of doom just corners of disappointment. HubNut 2019

[@colinp2238]

@Ted Or a wiper blade.

[@jt-bg6ey]

what about a wiper arm

[@misterchippie]

I thought "Corners of Disappointment" was a long-lost Pink Floyd album

[@martinda7446]

@Ted He was a windscreen.

[@leehauxwell1149]

Just pretend you're a touring car driver.

[@Sionnach1601]

Thank you for this review. I too had a Volcane, the 1.9TD manual, and man could that thing go! Buckets of torque, always pulling away no bother, yet was racey in 2nd gear like a petrol GTi class. It'd easily wheel spin in 2nd gear! What a blast it was. Then there was the beautifully cosseted ride, the confident feeling of being so well-planted around every bend. I could even drift it nicely with enough momentum into a bend and it would hold and balance so nicely. This made it a very safe car too, as you ARE going to be going fast in it. The ride was fantastic: not quite the supreme magic carpet of the Xantia, but still incredibly smooth, wayyyyy beyond most other cars on the road. This was a very, nay, an extremely rare combination of smoothness and extremely sure footing which set it out on its own. The reviewer here I felt was unnecessarily negative in his bias against this car, as it was far ahead of most other French cars ever made up to that point in terms of durability and reliability. Mechanically it was sound as a pound and I never had a day where it was off the road except for maintenance. The styling was so beautiful, and angular that when I got out of the car, I would have to keep walking backwards to continue looking at it. Those 4 spoke alloys were INCREDIBLY pleasing to the eye, and with my maroon beauty polished up to the 9s, the gorgeous reflective grey of the alloys would contrast so nicely with the darker colour of the body. It was only 1 of 3 cars ever which used to make me swoon as I'd look at it. The interior: awwh....the interior....I still have dreams about it. Such high quality faux leather and plastic, which because it was so solid and beautifully crafted, felt more like granite bedrock to me, and so pleasing to the eye. The minute you sat in the driver's seat, you felt you were in something VERY special: something even more German than the Germans, hearkening back to the Francish ancestry. 20 years on and I still have dreams about driving and owning this car. Should have just kept it and stuck a 2.0HDi into it and chipped it up a bit, maybe 130, would have made it even nicer, probably mind-blowing with its power to weight. Extremely fond, grateful, dazzling memories of it. Really really admired the French engineering potential after this. Vive là France! Vive la groupe PSA! 🇨🇵

[@legambaz]

Awesome! I'm blown away you actually made this video. The ZX is one the best handling cars even to today's standards. When I'm driving it, it becomes an extension of my body. Excellent predictability, tons of feedback. Handles like a dream. My other 2 Door 16V version has a lot more power and the 2 Door does give it a very different feel inside. A pure driver's car. Doors are solid and heavy, making it an unusual pleasure everytime I slam them close. Whenever I climb back into a ZX after driving a BMW E46 325i, I get the same spark at the back of my mind - how did Citroen make this handles even better than the E46 without 50/50 weight distribution, rear wheel drive, engine behind the front wheels etc. This cheap little beautiful car will live on, a Citroen legacy they could not replicate so far.

[@99ron30]

That's how I feel about my mother in laws 2002 1.6 zetec ford focus automatic, it becomes an extension of my body and everything is so direct. Just proves that rwd does not equal a great drive.

[@Sionnach1601]

So very very well put friend. I too had a Volcane, the 1.9TD manual, and man could that thing go! Buckets of torque, always pulling away no bother, yet was racey in 2nd gear like a petrol GTi class. It'd easily wheel spin in 2nd gear! What a blast it was. Then there was the beautifully cosseted ride, the confident feeling of being so well-planted around every bend. I could even drift it nicely with enough momentum into a bend and it would hold and balance so nicely. This made it a very safe car too, as you ARE going to be going fast in it. The ride was fantastic: not quite the supreme magic carpet of the Xantia, but still incredibly smooth, wayyyyy beyond most other cars on the road. This was a very, nay, an extremely rare combination of smoothness and extremely sure footing which set it out on its own. The reviewer here I felt was unnecessarily negative in his bias against this car, as it was far ahead of most other French cars ever made up to that point in terms of durability and reliability. Mechanically it was sound as a pound and I never had a day where it was off the road except for maintenance. The styling was so beautiful, and angular that when I got out of the car, I would have to keep walking backwards to continue looking at it. Those 4 spoke alloys were INCREDIBLY pleasing to the eye, and with my maroon beauty polished up to the 9s, the gorgeous reflective grey of the alloys would contrast so nicely with the darker colour of the body. It was only 1 of 3 cars ever which used to make me swoon as I'd look at it. The interior: awwh....the interior....I still have dreams about it. Such high quality faux leather and plastic, which because it was so solid and beautifully crafted, felt more like granite bedrock to me, and so pleasing to the eye. The minute you sat in the driver's seat, you felt you were in something VERY special: something even more German than the Germans, hearkening back to the Francish ancestry. 20 years on and I still have dreams about driving and owning this car. Should have just kept it and stuck a 2.0HDi into it and chipped it up a bit, maybe 130, would have made it even nicer, probably mind-blowing with its power to weight. Extremely fond, grateful, dazzling memories of it. Really really admired the French engineering potential after this. Vive là France! Vive la groupe PSA! 🇨🇵

[@jonharvey3676]

@@Sionnach1601 1.9 Turbo D what a cracker! Stick with the XUD; better than the HDi in the long run.

[@ianrosie4431]

"... no triangle of doom. But you do get corners of disappointment... " - ahh, music to my ears, sir.

[@richardcallison1637]

Awesome! ‘Corners of disappointment’ is my fave ever Hubnut comment😂

[@glynjones2540]

That seems far nicer than I remember them being when new. Advanced Citroen engineering with the driver's mirror replaced by self adhesive patch on the windscreen!

[@taybankvideo]

“Corners of disappointment” - love it. Sounds like a metaphor for our times!

[@devilax03]

Great video. I loved my 2.0i Volcane. You missed the purpose of the panel on the boot floor and parcel shelf extensions. The whole rear bench slides forwards to increase boot space. There's a lever under the bench in the middle. Great feature!

[@MajorKlanga]

I owned a ZX TD for a couple of years and can concur that it was always great fun to drive and completely reliable.

[@suffolksettler5106]

I had a volcane TD in black - really reliable and a car i miss more than I thought I would

[@bentullett6068]

@@suffolksettler5106 my mom had a green one and she loved it. She didn't like the second hand Citroen Xara 1.9 diesel non turbo estate that replaced it though.

[@julienbee3467]

@@bentullett6068 because it's too slow

[@bentullett6068]

@@julienbee3467 how did you know. It was a painfully slow car. Although the berlingo vans were just as bad without a turbo.

[@julienbee3467]

@@bentullett6068 I had a Renault Mégane mk1 1.9D, so I can relate

[@gosportjamie]

Citroen clearly did listen to criticisms of their vehicles. I had a face-lift ZX, a fairly late one which was, inevitably, a special edition based on a fairly poverty model with the 1.4 petrol engine, so also poverty spec, and that had a clutch foot rest. The ZX is an incredibly underrated car, a lot of fun to drive thanks to the rather clever suspension system and also very comfortable, even in poverty form. Even the non-turbo diesel automatic is fun to drive, and the turbo-diesel, manual only in the UK, is positively brisk, though most of them have done star ship miles now...

[@jazvock1366]

I had one and loved it. Quick, plenty of grunt with fabulous handling and ride. This one is in good nick. A classic Citroen, conventional enough to sell well with a few quirky French touches. Superbe Monsieur!

[@sarahbird7171]

Hi, So glad people still love this car it's 2023 and I'm still daily driving my 1996 19td 3dr ZX Volcane. A slice of 90's French quality

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

I am extremely fond of the Citroen ZX. Having had a very rare ZX 16v, I found it a hugely under rated car. Well made, great chassis, good driving position. I actually think it was probably the best in its class having driven the rest of its contemporaries.

[@agaskew]

I never knew there was a 16v. We had a big standard 1.4 petrol for years, first me then my wife then son. Everyone loved it.

[@EazySDJ]

I also had a 2.0 16v loved it. Did have some reliability issues but nothing major. It was a real head turner. Very rare indeed. 👍

[@markfinnigan4994]

"Corners of disappointment ", every time you drive Elle........

[@Intz51]

Is there a car that even cleans the whole windscreen?!

[@GG-im1cb]

I worked for Citroen when these were new and they were great cars and massively underrated. I don’t think I ever seen one with leather seats, must be a rare one 👍🏻

[@julienbee3467]

What engine was the best for the ZX?

[@MotoMatini]

1.8i

[@AL-PAKA]

@@MotoMatini 1.9i

[@trevorlack1726]

I briefly had the the use of a 1.9 TDI and it was adorable to drive. It blew it's Ford and Vauxhall rivals out of the park. I did some long journeys in that car. It was a pleasure to drive.

[@tezfestival4009]

Ah, the good old days when rear view mirrors fell off all the time and those little adhesive squares defined a temporary fix :))

[@pudingaomar6341]

Comfort and handling is legendary

[@ashleyjarvis954]

Lol, “Corners of disappointment” in the lack of the “Triangle Of Doom”...

[@rabbishekelstein9477]

Love that steering wheel! Edit: and that stereo cover, cleannnn

[@benday1218]

A 90's icon for me. Peak car in peak District. The diesel engines could do interstellar mileages, because they didn't rust too terribly.

[@RichieRouge206]

Corners Of Disappointment 😂😂👍🏼 love it. I was a huge fan of ZXs when they were current. Remember the 3 door? We had a Volvo meet at Carsington Water - lovely place. Great video!

[@ejpurkis]

I bought a new 1.4 base model in 1988. It was a lovely car that I enjoyed throwing around lanes in Lincolnshire. The passive rear steer consisted of two rectangular rubber blocks that the trailing arms of rear suspension located into. They were very effective in tightening your line as sideways forces built. I almost traded it for Fiero version which was a warm hatch 16i version. I found that car had been hooned in too many times and had a very noisy cam.It made me appreciate mine more. I enjoyed the sun blind which pulled from the rear shelf. Great for keeping sun off our kids. One problem I had was the nylon feeling seat trim. The children’s sandals had buckles which pulled threads on the rear seat. Citroen marketed the car as being built from thicker steel. Certainly the bonnet was heavy. Like the AX, the ZX had a plastic (ABS) tailgate. My previous car had been a mk2 Golf which turned out to be slower, and less reliable. Thanks for the memory!

[@RexWaldron]

I'd forgotten how nice the ZX was - especially in Volcane trim and definitely in black with that red trim.

[@jimph1]

Had a zx 1.9 diesel back in the day, great wee car

[@vwestlife]

They should've had a special edition of the Citroën ZX called the Spectrum. :-)

[@Banom7a]

wasn't expecting to see you here haha

[@HighHoeKermit]

Corners of disappointment! What a legend. I forgot this car ever existed. Hope you're enjoying NZ mate.

[@johnwh1039]

That made me chuckle. 'No triangle of doom but corners of disappointment'. Probably been said before, but if it has I haven't heard it!

[@gradybobs7957]

Worst decision of my life when I sold my perfect condition 4 door td volcane. That turbo whistled like a mini tornado passing through. Fun times in the 90s 😆

[@PaulFellowsGuitarist]

I was once taken to a meeting in Ivrea in Italy in a manual one of these travelling from Milan and driven by a rather elderly Italian company director of a large electronics firm I worked for. Journey time 45 minutes! Luckily I survived! Jolly quick car.

[@AndreiTupolev]

"Automatic ... for the people" did make me quite literally laugh out loud. That is a very nice looking car, lovely shiny paintwork. In a bit of a contrast to the Citroen AX the other day.

[@this_is_a_tiny_town]

Shiny, happy paintwork :)

[@RWBHere]

Thanks Ian. Missed this one somehow, when it was first uploaded. An excellent car to travel in. And yes, they do have a delightful way of 'going all french on you', every so often; it’s part of their charm!

[@LiamskiLFC]

Zx volcane always was a lovely looking car. I was always a BIG fan. Thumbs up from me 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@rheinerftvideo2647]

Sorry, I prefer the Charleston 2 CV on the right at 19:40 :-) This was my 1986 car as a student for 4 years. This one is going up to 10.000 Euro and more right now over here. Crazy. Cheers from Germany, Bernd

[@richardharibo]

My Dad had one turbo diesel manual. Was a good car. Great video as always. Hope you're having a good time im NZ 😊

[@minolio]

It has A/C, a rare extra in that time. Congrats for the owner of such a wonderful car !!!

[@pauldoherty8432]

I’m more concerned about the rear view mirror of disappearance

[@PhilOsGarage]

That looks so right, very clean styling. Big thumbs up from me.

[@darrenwilson8042]

Just had a week away in Christchurch where we used to live. Great area for old cars - ageing population, drive low miles and benign climate. Stayed at Meadowbank on Stour Way and as usual I nodded in acknowledgement of the lovely NRG ZX on a K plate that I see year after year on River Way. Last Weds I drove to the Fairmile Co-op and pulling out of the Grove in front of me was a white ZX on a K plate. Got back to the caravan site with my goodies and pulling out of the site was a red K plate ZX Volcane !! I was soooo excited and pleased......sadly my good lady wife doesn't get the obsession lol. Next day went to Salisbury and going through a New Forest village there was a silver ZX on an M parked by the side of the road !! What a holiday !!! Driving home we passed a Metro 1.1C and later a lovely beige Metro 1.3 City X on the A34. That holiday has been the antidote to almost 6 months of bloody awful lockdown !! I love old cars.

[@andrewmoorhouse687]

“No triangle of doom, just corners of disappointment.” Brilliant! Looks a decent motor in good condition. Interesting car and pretty rare I would think in auto form.

[@tomicarr90]

Corners of disappointment, love it! I'm sure I saw them live a little while ago...

[@RichieRouge206]

Loving the indicator shots

[@michaelstamper5875]

I had a ZX Aura diesel auto for a while in the late 90s. I loved it. Sounded like a tractor, but as a comfortable way to get self, wife and daughter from a to b, it was a very pleasant way to travel.

[@RangeRoverL322idiot]

Ahh , had two of these in my younger years , both were amazing and so much fun to drive . Great review !! Magic memories . You forgot to mention the rear blindage built into the parcel shelf , it was sooo trick 🤙

[@tammyjc15]

A very rare version indeed! I had 3 Volcane 1.9TDs and loved them. They all had glove boxes and I seem to remember them having a strange non-slip felt inside

[@klwthe3rd]

I think the optional Leather interior is very very luxurious! I honestly think it makes the whole interior. Love those funky power window switches too. Super kewl!

[@ralfhenke677]

You need to use them with your thumb and all of a sudden their placement makes perfect sense! ;-)

[@mikebrown7194]

Just rewatched this cos I'm trying to buy a classic hot hatch as a project. Best quote 'drives better than my previous ZX which cost me 4 quid and a wheel bearing'... classic Hubnut quote.. Underated but rare now Ian. You're lucky to have driven this..

[@fraserp2377]

The memories! I had a base model 1.4 as my first car. Loved it!

[@DalekBuilder]

I always preferred the ZX to the 306. Always fancied a ZX but another that I never got around to. Most that were for sale when I was looking were the diesels. Nothing wrong with the XUD engine but the 1.9 petrol is the engine I prefer. A volcane automatic is something I haven't seen before. Nice video.

[@ZafMio]

My father had one, exactly looking like this. Although, it was an 1.4i, with rear spoiler and instead of alloy wheels, it had hubcaps. Loved it!!

[@Jordanskiy]

Yes! HOT 90s PSA action! Any ZX is a great design, but a Volcane, especially in black, is absolutely bloody gorgeous. A low-mileage manual 2.0i Volcane popped up for sale around the same time I had my eye on a Xantia HDi, at a very reasonable price too - I ended up buying the Xantia. Still questioning whether that was the right choice...

[@jonathanholmes6616]

I own a 2.0 Xantia HDi as well as this Volcane...and I really love the Xantia as well! Ian was also very impressed with the Xant (but didn't have time to do a video on it).

[@keithwelton]

I bought a new 1.9d 3 door Avantage in January 1993 and owned it for 14 years and did 248,000 miles with no problems outside of wear and tear items. Fantastic ride/handling, not fast but then you did not need to slow much for bends.

[@ssilvaxxx22]

most beautiful citreon ever

[@khew1]

Great video. I was a kid when these cars were popular. I always used to confuse these cars with the MK3 astra

[@Perkelenaattori]

2000£ for a car that would make everyone in a Citroën meet drool is cheap. That's a cult car.

[@sg8539]

Nice review of a kind of sporty auto. Thanks Ian.

[@rydermike33]

Very nice and what a well thought out auto-box. Love the Highway Code refs as well.

[@jarthurs]

I miss my ZX. First car I ever owned. Mine was black, automatic and a 1.9.... diesel without a turbo. Still a really comfortable car to drive just a bit sluggish.

[@ShedTV]

25 years ago I bought my first 'decent' car, it was a K-reg ZX Volcane; TDi manual in black with red trim. Two years later I traded it in for a 306, which I hated for it's uncomfortable seats and cramped driving position; three weeks later it was gone and replaced by another identical M-reg Volcane, same colour and spec as the first one. I kept this one for about 10 years and eventually sold it to a bloke who came over from France for it!

[@sefikempowermentcoachvilla7843]

Loved my P reg 3dr Volcane in silver Turbo D great interior and mpg handled superbly , much missed by 😪

[@rollingtroll]

I miss my ZX. It was an Aura 1.6 with a 5 speed manual. No power steering which was absolutely ridiculous, but what a lovely car to drive as long as you didn't have to park.

[@davidkeeling7468]

Nice ZX great video nice to see your not far from where I live

[@m__r1100]

My father had exactly that model and colour - apart from manual transmission. I borrowed it for a couple of weeks honeymoon 24 years ago. I liked that car...

[@ruk2023--]

Blast from the past! My mum had one of these when I was a kid.

[@WouterBregman]

I just love this car! Great video, once again.

[@benzinapaul7416]

I passed my driving test back in 1991 in my driving instructors ZX 1.4 Active, remember it being much easier to drive than my mum's Alfa 33 1.7ie that I also learnt in.

[@nnnormski2208]

Had one for 7 yrs , R reg ZX 1.9 D SX trim.... Great car , never failed to start .

[@-DC-]

Aged well these always drove very well the ZX, can't remember the last time I saw one !

[@deancary6676]

Thanks again Ian. Watching the video, I was reminiscing about the dark red ZX 1,9 Aura I once owned in the early naughties while living in Hamilton NZ. It remains the sweetest handling and most hassle free car I've had, eclipsing even the Japanese cars that have come and gone. Having also experienced a Peugeot 306 of similar vintage and condition in the day, I felt the ZX was just that bit more solid surprisingly enough. Selling that ZX was one of my few automotive regrets deep down....

[@jdnrotterdam2150]

My mother had this car in 2004. And I remember the cables hanging out from the trunk!

[@JimBob_1975]

I had a non turbo 1.9 diesel that wasn't fast but was still fun to drive spiritedly. More so than some modern cars.

[@caste405]

I feel so fun and conect with mi zx no turbo 1.9 diésel. ... never I. M tired with this car.... many cars in my life but zx is special for many things. .. Best than modern cars I thing .... precisión and confort ...

[@simonredfern2584]

I had no idea new zealand looked so much like britain! Loveley in black very swish. Cant wait for first upside down road test!

[@Graham_Langley]

Not as many sheep as I was expecting.

[@pauldoherty8432]

Simon Redfern Derbyshire!

[@MrTopgearnerd]

Had one of those in break/estate form, a later 1.816V. Went well and very roomy. I love the single wipers!

[@zzhughesd]

Always used to love the ZX on my car washing round as a boy. 8000 cars sold in motor trade had BXs cannot think of a single ZX.

[@kieran1844]

Thanks for another interesting review. It's amazing to think how popular these were just a few years ago and now they are a very rare sight. I agree with the Yugo Sana comparison. Another interesting car for which I still have some sales brochures, and even rarer than the ZX, although I saw loads in Serbia a couple of years back.

[@unexceptionalcars914]

i’m so in love with this car

[@Helsingfors]

I remember going to Helter Skelter at The Sanctuary in one of these, it just wrapped up the night!

[@juliestonelake7606]

I went there in 1996 in my d reg fiat Uno 45

[@andrewwilkin1923]

Hi Ian, still got a p plate 1.9 tdi zx estate as a daily runner. 180k, indestructible. Looking forward to your NZ videos.

[@richards4817]

Wasn’t aware of the ZX, thanks for the review 👍

[@Graham_Langley]

In the UK at least the ZX was launched before the 306, possibly to let any problems get shaken out. IIRC they did it with other cars around that time.

[@Joshwolfwoskett]

Always liked these, my old sister had a company manual one that got thrashed, one of the first hot hatch diesel s.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

Love your honesty with the price Ian. Pretty car though and I like the new lights endings 😁👍

[@O1Richard]

I loved the zx cars and think they still look good today, although not many around now. In my opinion they looked better than the Escort and Astra of the same time.

[@almicarodrigues]

@HubNut, The flap in the baggage compartment is because the back seat slides back and forth together with seat-backs. This was a feature in the higher specs of the ZX, the Aura and Volcane.

[@JohnnyPaton]

Lovely. Had the use of a 94 M reg for a while. The 1.9 was quick.

[@benjaminmarriott6742]

The loop dangling above the rear lamp cluster and why it happened to be there only on some examples drove me mad as a child. Forever enlightened.

[@TK42138]

That black paint with red trim is definitely of its time. My '92 Rover R8 GTi is exactly the same.

[@70053morayfirth]

Also available as a turbo diesel. Good car - we had a ZX Aura and it gave no trouble over 66,000 miles.

[@Biggles]

I love a single wiper. A great look on the old Citroens, and on some of the old Jag XJ models they look downright caddish!

[@trevorlack1726]

I drove a zx TDI on a 600 mile round trip and absolutely loved 580 of the miles due to getting used to what was left of Citroen quirkiness by this time. It rivalled comfort by any of the big German Brand's, which is a given. The engine was torquey enough and was better than anything that I'd driven from Britain's traditional Ford, Vauxhall fair. This is why those brands failed so miserably in the 90s when there was stuff like this and the 306. I bought a Xantia much, much later just because of my experience in that zx.

[@adamlockett2744]

All over China - “My Fukang car has broken down again...”

[@jonreid7957]

tone167. Comment of the day 😁

[@GazzaView123]

Quality!

[@craigmclean8260]

...between the "Fukang" car, and all those Fokkers flying around...

[@maxgreece1]

Had a ZX way back when. A 1.4 Hubnut model. Never really got to find out how good it was as it was parked in an underground parking and there was a flood. When we got the insurance I went for an Alfa 33 instead which was lovely and shockingly reliable.

[@alphatrion100]

REM reference You confirmed it later in the video

[@ewaf88]

I loved Citroen cars of the 80s and 90s. I owned an AX - Saxo and Xsara.

[@lmm]

Lovely Citroen, on Trev's dream garage list - although in manual!

[@Mouse2113]

Lovely car. I've never been loyal to any country but French cars are fast becoming my favourite, maybe partial because I own one haha

[@derek-press]

another car I have never heard of ,thanks HN

[@dmodeboy]

I love that one! If only i had the spare cash. And it was for sale... I'd have a whole fleet of citroens if I could!

[@CubeCyclone]

That interior is, dare I say it, better quality than the early 306. I had an XRDT.

[@andrewswope8735]

My dad had the 1.9D Reflex estate no optional extras but it did have a glove box. Great car took us to the south of France every summer the only problems where the locks didn't work all the time and once the power steering pump fell off a few hundred miles from home.

[@neilwalsh4058]

While the Escort and Astra boys were slogging it out in the early 90's with their British hot hatches, a very interesting but rarely mentioned rivalry was going on with the ZX Volcane and the Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole. Both slightly left of field, but both offering something a bit different. The Tipo never got leather or a slush box option whilst the Citroën didn't have a twin-cam, so a few variations but they both shared 5 doors and a bit of European flair. I'd love to see a head to head between those 2 less known but highly entertaining cars.

[@HubNut]

Actually, there was a twin-cam ZX - the 16v was twin-cam I believe.