The Citroën Berlingo and Peugeot Partner were also built on the front half of the same platform, the rear coming from the 405, an arrangement shared underneath the Xsara Picasso.

Development work began on a new C segment hatchback, which was originally expected to be launched as the Citroën FX at the beginning of the 1990s.

[7] It went on sale in New Zealand in the beginning of 1993, as a five door in 1.6 Aura or Turbodiesel trim, with the naturally aspirated diesel and Volcane GTi (1.9) models joining a few weeks later.

New Zealand's unleaded petrol was of a low octane rating, meaning that initially only uncatalyzed cars were on offer.

[9] The launch of the ZX marked the return of Citroën into the C sector of the car market; it had discontinued the GSA in 1986 with no immediate replacement, largely due to the success of the larger BX.

The familiar range of PSA powertrains drove the front wheels of a seemingly conventionally designed chassis.

However, PSA's chassis engineers employed some unusual features, including passive rear-wheel steering to induce compliance understeer by means of specially designed bushes in the rear suspension.

The car won the Paris-Dakar Rally four times — in 1991 with Ari Vatanen and in 1994, 1995, 1996 with Pierre Lartigue, claiming a total 59 stage wins.

It also won five FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies titles, four by Pierre Lartigue between 1993-1996 and one by Ari Vatanen in 1997.