Citroen C3 Road Test Report

Performance

The second generation Citroen C3 offers buyers a choice of four petrol and three turbodiesel engines to begin with. The petrols start with the 61bhp 1.1-litre, which is really only for those desperate not to spend any more than they have to. A pair of 1.4-litre petrols in 8v or 16v forms with 75- and 95bhp respectively are much better bets. The 95bhp 1.4 is likely to make up a lot of C3 sales and we wouldn’t argue with that as the engine delivers its power with gusto and revs happily to feel every bit as spritely as the 120bhp 1.6-litre petrol in give and take traffic. This is despite the 1.6’s greater power and 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds compared to the 1.4’s 10.6 seconds. For those who want an automatic gearbox, the 1.6 is available with a four-speed auto in place of the five-speed manual used in the other petrol-powered models. On the diesel side of the C3 range, there’s a 70bhp 1.4 turbodiesel that will be the best seller of the diesels, and 90- and 110bhp versions of Citroen’s 1.6-litre HDi motor. The more powerful 1.6 diesel has a six-speed manual gearbox where the other engines have five-speeders. There’s also a low emissions version of the 90bhp 1.6 turbodiesel for the Airdream+ model that gives 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds – 0.2 seconds slower than the standard version – but cuts emissions to a tax-free 99g/km and boosts economy to 74.3mpg combined.

Ride & Handling

Anyone expecting a dynamic rival for the Ford Fiesta or Mazda 2 is going to be disappointed on first acquaintance with the Citroen C3. However, spend a few miles behind the wheel and the French car’s charms shine through. It’s not as immediate in its responses as the Fiesta, particularly in the feel of the C3’s steering, but the Citroen has a very composed ride that lets it glide over ruts and bumps with a grace belying its supermini status. This provides excellent cabin comfort, backed up by impressive refinement from the engines, plus little road and wind noise. On the motorway and around town, the C3 is easy to rub along with and feels stable at the legal limit.

Build Quality & Reliability

Citroen has long since left behind the mediocre build of the previous C3 and this latest generation is up there with the best in class for its fit and finish. All of the plastics, fabrics and materials are high grade and joined together with care and attention. It makes for a very pleasant cabin to spend time in and has a reassuringly solid feel to it. All of the engines and gearboxes in the C3 are well proven units from the previous C3 or other cars from the Citroen model range, so no worries there. Only a slightly vague, overlong action for the gear lever lets the side down inside the C3, while reliability scores in the usual surveys have been improving steadily for Citroen.

Safety & Security

It’s a shame, and something of a major omission nowadays, for the Citroen C3 not to have standard ESP traction and stability control on all models. With the C3, ESP is not even an option on the VT and VTR+ models and is a cost option for the Exclusive. This holds back the C3’s score from a five-star rating as most models, with the exception of the basic VT, come with twin front, side and curtain airbags as standard – curtain ’bags are an option for the VT. During an emergency stop, the hazard warning lights flash to warn other drivers in all C3 variants and every model has two Isofix child seat mounts in the rear seats. Anti-lock brakes are standard, as is an immobiliser and deadlocks, but an alarm is only included with the Exclusive model and not an option for the rest of the range.

Space & Practicality

Despite being one of the shorter cars in the supermini class, the C3 comes with the largest boot of all, offering 300-litres of cargo carrying capacity. This generous space can be added to by tipping the 60/40 split and fold rear seats, though they don’t fold completely flat. Part of the reason for the boot’s commodious proportions is rear seat knee room is more restricted than in many rivals’ and two adults will find the back seat of the C3 a snug place to while away a journey if the front seat occupants are of average height. However, the rear seats are fine for kids or short hops, and there are two Isofix child seat mounts to securely hold the little ’uns in place. In the front, the driver has a good spread of adjustment in the steering wheel and seat positions to get comfort. The front of the cabin is also where the C3 gets to show off its unique selling point: the Zenith windscreen. This extra long windscreen that reaches up and over the front seat occupants is standard on all VTR+, Exclusive and Airdream+ models, giving a light, open and airy feel to the cabin. There’s a blind that can be pulled forward to protect from the sun’s glare that also has sun visors mounted to it, while the glass itself has a graduated tint on it upper section to afford some shade.

Ownership & Value

Owning and running a Citroen C3 is not going to unduly stress your wallet. Prices are very competitive across the range compared with the C3’s major rivals and with the much improved quality it should be a much better bet for prolonged ownership. However, don’t expect the C3 to quite match a Volkswagen Polo when it comes to residual values a year or two down the line. On the other hand, Citroen dealers are among those more happy to negotiate a decent discount, which negates much of the effects of depreciation next to other supermini competitors. Economy is strong suit for all C3s, with the 95bhp 1.4-litre petrol delivering 47.9mpg average consumption, while the 1.4 turbodiesel offers 65.7mpg and low-ate road tax emissions of 113g/km. Insurance won’t break the bank either as the C3 range falls between groups 2 and 5 depending on the model. The entry level VT comes with front electric windows and a CD stereo, while the VTR+ gains alloy wheels, air conditioning, front fog lights and the Zenith panoramic windscreen. On top of this, the Exclusive adds rear privacy glass, larger alloy wheels, electric rear windows and some extra chrome trim.