Citroen has struggled here in recent times
for myriad reasons, but let's not dwell on those. To the future, and the new
Citroen distributor is hoping a refreshed, realigned C3 range will put some
runs on the board for it locally. The smallest Citroen lands in the popular
light car segment where Swift, Rio, Fiesta, and Mazda2 duke it out for
customers who like value. The new C3 range starts at just $23,490, but that
model is manual only. People buy autos, and that means you'll have to pay at
least $25,990 for the Seduction model, or $28,990 for the Exclusive variant.
The $3,000 premium for the latter nets you full auto air, 17-inch alloys, a
higher grade interior finish, and auto wipers and lights. There's even a
reversing camera and integrated sat nav, while the connectivity and safety
features are up to standard too. And the sat nav is even intuitive in
operation, though inputting the destination takes time thanks to a fiddly wee
knob.
The
Citroen C3 Exclusive lags behind the city-car class leaders, its cute French
styling and modern cabin offset by a dated drivetrain
Freshened bits consist mainly of front and
rear end styling updates, complete with LED DRLs. It's a cheeky looking little
machine, a little snail-like in profile, but it's French and they love their
gastropods. Thankfully, this one doesn't need lashings of garlic to make it
palatable. The interior is a bit fancy too, with piano black highlights, a
squared-off steering wheel which has a touch of DS style about it, and the
Zenith windscreen, which extends up into the roof, imparting a most airy
feeling. Nice on a sunny day, its rather like a convertible, only it won't mess
up your perm.
Step
inside and the spacious, high quality interior of the C3 still impresses
The rear seat space isn't huge but nor is
it claustrophobic, and there's a big boot, deep and wide measuring 300L. Like
all good small cars, it's a snip to park with light steering and a tight
turning circle while the reversing camera and parking sensors make manoeuvres
even easier. Typically French, it does comfort well with a supportive, well
foamed driver's seat and the ride is pretty cushy for a short wheelbase
city-slicker; only the odd jolt is felt through the rear torsion beam set up.
C3’s
boot is well shaped and reasonably deep, once you’re over the rear lip
And so we come to the powertrain. The
1.6-litre engine gives C3 some clout with 88kW and 160Nm of torque, and even
though it's lumbered with a four-speed auto (with typically weird French shift
protocols), there is enough motivation from low to middling revs to see the C3
haul happily around town. However, as the pace increases, the big gaps in gear
ratios are revealed. Cruising at 100km/h has the engine buzzing at 3,000rpm and
attempts at passing should be made with a degree of caution.
While feats of speed and derring-do are low
on the shopping list of light car buyers, economy is fairly important, and the
C3 likes its spirits, with urban consumption climbing as high as 9L/ 100km, not
flash for the class.
The C3 will always be an alternative
choice, but it is not without its certain charms. You must decide whether a
high degree of specification outweighs the average nature of its powertrain.
