Long-term test review: Citroen C3 ~ station of gear

Citroen C3 long term test first report - header

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3 Aug, 2017 1:00pm Martin Saarinen

First report: Citroen C3 supermini is the talk of the town as it joins our fleet

Mileage: 5,703
Economy: 40.8mpg

The word ‘funky’ perfectly describes the new Citroen C3. From the overall design right down to the smallest touches, this car does things differently. The styling is far from derivative, which means the Citroen looks at home in trendy city centres and urban areas – exactly the places this latest addition to the Auto Express fleet has spent most of its time since we got the keys.

I’ve used the car mainly in and around London, which has given me an idea of how well the supermini works as a city runabout.

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The C3 certainly stands out from the crowd; the £260 optional Polar White paint, red roof and black Airbumps ensure there’s no losing our Flair-spec example in a car park full of more dull and dreary models. But that’s not all that’s impressed me.

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Citroen C3 long term test first report - front cornering

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Citroen enlarged the C3 with this third-generation version, which means it’s really practical. Climb inside and there’s plenty of room, and I reckon I could just about fit my mountain bike in the 922-litre load bay with the seats folded down. More on that in later reports, but I’ve been really surprised by how spacious the new C3 is.

The 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol is ideal for urban driving, too. With the 1.2 PureTech 110 engine’s maximum torque of 205Nm produced low down, it’s peppy and good fun as well.

The emphasis is on comfort rather than performance, though, according to Citroen. The seats are soft and snug and the suspension set-up is ideal for London’s badly surfaced roads. Although bigger potholes or speed bumps can still thud into the cabin, the C3 feels softer than most of its supermini rivals. How the car will cope with a set of faster and twistier roads will be something for later in the summer, but for now the set-up is impressing around town.

One thing I have been less wowed by is the five-speed manual box. Second gear is a bit too long, and initially I found myself shifting up into third too soon, only for the revs to drop too low, which required another change back down to second.

On top of that, the shift action is decidedly spongy and vague, which means I’ve struggled to engage the gear I need on a few occasions. I’ve had to give the gearlever a few good pushes before it shifts from neutral into first, which can quickly become frustrating when you’re under pressure at traffic lights in London.

However, this is a minor criticism of the Flair model I’m running. This gets Citroen’s new seven-inch touchscreen, which is a highlight, especially with the £500 optional sat-nav in our car. As our Driver Power 2017 satisfaction survey showed, cars that otherwise did well were often let down by a poor infotainment system.

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Citroen C3 long term test first report - Martin Saarinen

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The C3 was too new to feature in our latest survey, but I suspect 2018’s study will show owners to be more than impressed with the set-up, thanks to standard features such as Apple CarPlay and a reversing camera. I’ve also found the system responsive, which is great in the cut and thrust of city traffic if you need to make a detour. The sharp graphics ensure it’s easy to follow your route when you do.

A feature I’ve yet to explore is the built-in dash cam. Citroen is the first manufacturer to offer this technology as standard and given their growing popularity, it’s unlikely to be the last. We rate plenty of dash cams throughout the year at Auto Express, and I’m keen to see how the Citroen’s own device stands up.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

The spacious interior and relatively soothing ride have reinforced why we like the C3 so much. It’s easy and fun to drive around town and has seamlessly slipped into my life. I’ve only experienced a few minor niggles so far, so I’m keen to see how the C3 progresses.

Model: Citroen C3 PureTech 110 S&S Flair
On fleet since: April 2017
Price new: £16,685
Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl petrol, 108bhp
CO2/tax: 103g/km/£140

Options: Polar white paint (£260), Sport red roof (£0), Urban red ambiance interior (£150), blind spot monitoring (£100), Citroen Connect Nav (£500), Keyless entry and start (£250), 17-inch alloys (£200)
Insurance*: Group: 16/Quote: £690
Mileage: 5,703
Economy: 40.8mpg
Any problems?: None so far

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