Citroen ID21 Break test-drive

1967 Citroen ID21 Break (Estate Wagon). Owner: John Lobre. Similar to the DS, this 1967 Citroen ID21 Break station wagon has the same basic styling, hydraulic suspension and driveline. It makes an ideal family wagon; too bad it didn’t catch on here in the U.S. Built from 1960 until the mid-’70s, the ID wagons had a cargo area of 6.5 feet, and with the rear seats lowered, had a total capacity of 24 square feet.

The Citroen’s patented active suspension system will compensate for any load by adjusting the rear suspension accordingly. While its size makes it appear to be a heavy car, it has a fiberglass roof and aluminum hood — features also found on the DS — which helped keep its weight below 3,000 pounds. And with a 196.5-inch overall length, it was 6 inches longer than the DS. Four-speed manuals were the norm, but a Citromatic hydraulically shifted automatic was available.

David Towle

The wagon was never quite as well done as the sedan, although many of the details are impressive. With lots of room, the character of the wagon is its practicality. It absorbs bumps nicely out on secondary roads. Although it has the same brakes used on my DS21 Pallas, these work much better. However, it has a tendency to dive on braking and squat upon accelerating. Steering is very precise, but designed with little to no feel. It’s very easy to drive. The 2,175cc engine has good torque that suits this wagon just fine. Clutch is easy and smooth. Nice, upright seats with cushy bottoms. A tachometer would be nice but not really required. I find it to be desirable more for its practicality than for more conventional wants. It also seats nine passengers, which I find to be useful as well.

Eric Holveg

My personal favorite. This wagon offers seamless blending of luxury and utility. It’s bold and big. Looks to take on any job and then take you to the theatre. Typical Citroen floating-ride quality, but surprisingly firm at the extremes for good overall control over bumps. Steering is a touch sensitive, but very intuitive. Brakes are powerful and very controllable. Car leans during direction changes, as all DS/IDs do, but sticks to the road like glue. Overall, it’s very stable at speed, with good predictability. Engine is surprisingly torquey and pulls well in all four gears. After brief familiarization, all the controls fall to hand and are easy to operate. Cavernous interior lets you concentrate on driving with supreme comfort. For me, this car is very desirable as a multi-purpose transporter. It seems to be the original SUV concept.

Chris Ottman

Excellent car. Nice, rounded contours. For a station wagon, it has lots of character. It looks like it’s ready for any long- haul safari. It offers a very good ride and takes the bumps very well. Brakes are firm and give a good sense of confidence when stopping from any speed. Suspension is excellent. Through turns, even some I took a little too fast, the suspension did its job perfectly The car felt much lighter than it looked. Compared to my 2CV, the four-cylinder is very peppy. The dash layout is very good, and visibility is excellent, though the curved glass took some getting used to. Brake pedal is a little different; it’s just a big circular pedal on the floor. For a family car, the ID21 wagon is very desirable. Dogs and kids can fit easily, with extra room to spare.

Michael Cannon

A beautiful assembly of shapes. It just looks so practical: its long size, the roof rack and the way the rear door opens and tailgate folds down are just a few more unique features to an already special car. Its long wheelbase adds to its distinctive-ness. When I look at it I think right away, “another one of those odd French cars.” I really like the look of the wide front-wheel-drive with the long wheelbase and narrow rear track. I found the ride quality to be particularly good. The long wheelbase helps smooth out the bumps. Brakes work well and the foamy seats help give a very smooth ride. Steering is a bit stiff, and a little body lean was noticed, but it feels like it will stay firmly planted on the road. The column-mounted shifter is convenient and easy to operate. Bigger mirrors would be nice, and the foot room is a bit tight because of engine protrusion. I sometimes think of getting one as a work vehicle, but its slow acceleration is a little cumbersome.