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The third-generation Citroën C3 aims to set itself apart from the competition with a new framework, a number of colourful graphical elements, a level of comfort that anyone would
appreciate and various innovative connected technologies.
There has been a breath of fresh air at Citroën with the complete overhaul of its C3 city car. The pleasant and somewhat eccentric new look will certainly turn heads with its bodywork, available in multiple colour combinations, its muscular design and its significantly lower roof line. That said, it is still unmistakably a Citroën thanks to the Airbumps on the sides of the vehicle - a true graphical signature and form of protection for the bodywork that serves to prevent the car from getting scratched.
Comfort and features
This five-door model is now 3.99m in length, with more space for the rear passengers. The passenger compartment is generally inviting and spacious with a choice of several specific combinations of materials and colours to create different looks. The seats are soft and comfortable, and if you’re thinking along more practical lines, the door pockets are wide and the boot has a volume of nearly 300 litres.
The new C3 is fitted with a 7-inch touch-screen tablet that’s easy for both the driver and passenger to use to control the air-conditioning, radio, navigation system, multimedia functions and on-board computer, among other things, making it a real control centre that replaces a lot of different buttons, although it is a shame not to have direct push-button access to the air-conditioning. Gadget fans will no doubt be pleased to hear that the C3 can also be fitted with an on-board connected camera, though it should be noted that the legal requirements regarding on-board cameras vary from country to country. In Luxembourg, for example, sharing videos recorded using this type of device in a public space violates the data protection act. Other new features of the C3 include a series of driving aids. such as the reversing camera, the lane departure warning system and the blind spot monitoring system.
3-cylinder engines
With regards to what you’ll find beneath the bonnet, Citroën has fitted its new city car with efficient, high-performance petrol (68, 82 or 110hp) and diesel (75 or 100hp) engines. We trialled the 1.2-litre three-cylinder PureTech petrol engine with 110hp (81kW) ans a manual gearbox. Responsive and agile in urban environments and perfectly pleasant on long journeys, this version is also pretty fuel-efficient, with advertised consumption levels of 4.6 litres on a mixed journey (a little more under real-life conditions).
In conclusion, then, not only is the new C3 very easy on the eye but it also offers a lot of technological benefits. The base price starts at €12,761, increasing to €18,069 for the Shine 110hp version.