Citroen C3 1.4i 8v VT 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The 1.4-litre engine produces 75 bhp at 5200 rpm and 87 lb-ft of torque at 3300 rpm. The top speed of 101 mph is more than ideal for family use but the slow acceleration means the car reaches 0-62 mph in 14.2 seconds. This is pretty pedestrian even by family car standards.

Visibility is good all round. The suspension handles imperfections in the road with ease and there is little disturbance to those within the cabin. Handling is smooth and responsive thanks to light and fluid steering.

The C3 is quite a good looking car but inside the cabin, there is a distinct lack of standard equipment. The car’s basic kit includes power steering, central locking, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, an advanced stereo with MP3 connectivity and an immobiliser.

Stability control costs an additional £740 whilst upgrading the exterior to a metallic paint finish will set you back £440.

There is no option to have a built-in sat nav or Bluetooth connectivity and air conditioning, climate control, alloy wheels, cruise control, an alarm and leather seats are also not offered on this model.

The boot offers 300 litres of space when the seats are in place although a large lip on the boot does mean that loading can be troublesome.

There is adequate space within the cabin for passengers although the rear seats are more designed for children than adults. Adults can squeeze in but may be uncomfortable on longer journeys.

Reliability should be fairly average but some of the interior plastics feel very cheap and tacky.

The C3 scored an overall rating of four out of five in the NCAP crash tests and comes fitted with driver, passenger and front side airbags as standard. An immobiliser helps to deter thieves but unfortunately there is no alarm option and the lack of stability control means drivers are offered less safety than they might be used to.

The C3 1.4i 8v VT costs £12,290 and offers reasonable value for money although the lack of interior kit lets the car down.

The car benefits from low insurance premiums (under insurance bracket 6) but unfortunately the engine is not as efficient as it could be and the car achieves a fairly average 47.1 mpg. Whilst this is not low by any standards it does fail to match the 50.4 mpg offered by both the Ford Fiesta Studio 1.25 and the Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 8v 78 bhp Progression.

Green credentials are also poor for this car which emits 139 g/km of carbon dioxide, pushing it into a fairly high road tax band (E) for a small family car.

Servicing is inexpensive and those looking for long term ownership of a decent family car could do a lot worse.