Quick overview
- Smooth ride
- Comfy seats
- Build quality
- Entry model sparsely equipped
- Tight rear legroom
- Mediocre to drive
Where other car makers are adopting razor sharp edges for their styling cues, Citroen has gone its own way with the C3 and others in its range. Of course, the French firm has plenty of form with zigging when everyone else is zagging, and the C3 is all the better for the original thinking that has gone its styling and design. It not only makes this car stand out in a busy part of the car market, it also gives drivers a distinct option when choosing which supermini they want.
Citroen has focused much of its attention on making the C3 as comfortable as possible in the way it drives and for the two people in the front seats. Rear seat space is more restricted, though it works for children so it’s not a major problem for many of those who opt for this model. Even so, space up front is good and the Citroen C3’s 300-litre boot is good for this size of car.
If you avoid the entry-level model of Citroen C3, you’ll also find this car comes with a good amount of standard equipment. It can even be had with an integrated dash camera, which is a useful feature if you spend a lot of time driving in town or on congested roads where a collision is more likely. Citroen has also greatly improved the build quality of its supermini with this generation of C3, which is very welcome.
There are three engines to choose from with the C1. A pair of 1.2-litre turbo petrols are on offer with 83- or 110hp, while the 1.5-litre turbodiesel comes with 100hp. The more powerful petrol motor is also offered with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes, while the other engines make do with five-speed manual transmissions.
Infotainment, comfort and practicality
Citroen has a clear idea of what it wants to offer in the Citroen C3, and that is comfort. Where other superminis try to be sporty or high tech, the C3 is the one to choose if you value seats that provide plenty of support and a well-cushioned feel. The large, flat panels of the front seats might not look it at first glance, but they do hold you well and keep you from aches and pains. It’s a shame you have to look further up the trim levels to get standard lumbar adjustment, but moving the seats for height, back angle and legroom is all very straightforward and gives a decent driving position. The steering wheel adjusts for height and reach. However, the limited space to the left of the clutch pedal in cars with a manual gearbox that forces your left foot into a slightly awkward position.
The main dash instruments directly in front of the driver are all easy to read and clearly presented. There’s also a decent amount of storage in the door pockets, though they are long and narrow, while more storage is offered in a tray in front of the gear lever and the small glovebox.
Funky air vents in the dash add to the stylish feel of the Citroen C3’s cabin, and there’s a 7.0-inch touchscreen to operate the infotainment in all but the base model, which makes do with a basic 5.0-inch black-and-white screen rather than the large colour version used in other C3s. This basic monitor does what’s asked of it, but the larger one is a far better choice. It works with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and it comes with DAB radio and six speakers. The top of the line Shine Plus trim comes with sat-nav includes, as well as the option of that integrated ConnectedCam dash camera.
For those who find themselves travelling in the rear of the Citroen C3, adults will be relieved if those in the front seats are not above average height. If they are and the front seats are pushed further back, it has a knock-on effect on the amount of rear legroom available and it’s a tight squeeze for most grown-ups. Kids, on the other hand, won’t have a problem and there are Isofix mounts on the two outer seats. Carrying three abreast in the C3 is possible, but it’s squash even with a trio of kids.
The boot of the C3 is a reasonable size for the supermini sector at 300-litres with the back seats in use. You can split the rear seats 60-40, though they don’t fold completely flat. With the seats tumbled down, there’s a maximum of 992-litres of cargo capacity.
2017 Citroen C3 engines: how does it drive?
With its focus firmly on comfort over outright handling ability, you might think the Citroen C3 is going to roll and flop about in corners. However, it deals with bends with a good degree of control and enthusiasm, though it’s not in the same league as the Ford Fiesta in this respect. You will notice some body lean if you press on through a corner with determination, but the compensation for this is the French car soaks up ragged road surfaces with a composure that few rivals get close to. In town or on the open road, the Citroen C3 has a very well resolved ride that makes it a car that grows on you the more you drive it.
It's a shame Citroen hasn’t spent a bit more time tuning out wind and, especially, road noise at higher speeds as the C3’s smooth ride lends itself to covering long distances. Around the city, the Citroen C3 is nimble and has a tight turning circle to make nipping through tightly packed urban routes a simple affair. All of the controls are light and easy to operate, though some might find the manual gearbox’s shift is a little notchy when compared to the likes of the Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo.
There’s a little vibration from the three-cylinder petrol engines, but nothing to put you off using the full spread of revs to make the most of the engines’ performance. The 83hp 1.2-litre engine is the entry-point to the range and comes with a five-speed manual gearbox as its only transmission choice. This works at lower speeds in town, but you feel it could do with a bit more oomph when you get on a dual carriageway or the motorway. To give the driver a helping hand, all C3s come with lane departure warning, as well as cruise control with speed limiter.
No such worries with the 110hp 1.2-litre petrol engine, which whirrs away happily at higher speeds and has a noticeably brisker turn of pace in town. It has a six-speed manual gearbox as its standard fitment, or you can choose the six-speed EAT automatic ’box. We’d err towards the manual as the auto doesn’t make the smoothest of shifts. Which leaves the 1.5-litre diesel engine as the other option to pick. It has 100hp on offer and plenty of low-down shove to make it only a second slower over the 0-62mph dash than the 110hp petrol motor with manual gearbox. The diesel makes do with a five-speeder manual, but thanks to its spread of power it doesn’t really ever miss not having a sixth gear.
Value for money: how much does a 2017 Citroen C3 cost to buy and run?
The Citroen C3 range starts with the YOU! trim that costs from £12,995, making it one of the most affordable new superminis on the market. It’s followed by the Sense trim that starts at £16,780, so it’s quite a jump to upgrade to this higher spec model. Then there’s the C-Series Edition for £17,480 and the Elle that begins at £18,630. Next is the Shine model with prices from £16,995, and the line-up it capped by the Shine Plus starting at £19,430. If you shop around, you should be able to save up to £2000 on the price of a new C3. An alternative option is to look for a nearly new model, which should save you about the same for a car with less than 5000 miles on the clock. A three-year old C3 with average mileage will cost from around £9000 depending on trim and engine.
The entry-point C3 YOU! comes with 15-inch steel wheels and LED lights front and back. It has cruise control with speed limiter, and lane departure warning. You also get electric front windows, air conditioning, and a 5.0-inch black-and-white infotainment screen. Move to the Sense trim and you gain 16-inch wheels, automatic air conditioning, and the 7.0-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system. The C-Series Edition has a unique roof sticker and 16-inch alloy wheels, while the Elle comes with 17-inch alloys. Front foglights are part of the Shine trim, as well as 16-inch alloy rims. Move to the Shine Plus and you get sat-nav, leather steering wheel, and the Safety Pack 2 with collision alert, autonomous braking, and driver fatigue warning. The Shine Plus also has the Citroen Connect Box Emergency and Assistance system to call the rescue services automatically in the event of a collision.
Running a C3 should not be too onerous thanks to 54.3mpg combined economy and 123g/km carbon dioxide emissions for the 83hp 1.2 petrol engine. The more powerful 110hp petrol serves up 54.5mpg and identical emissions with its six-speed manual gearbox, while the automatic gearbox model comes with 50.8mpg combined consumption and 133g/km emissions. The diesel averages 70.6mpg and 113g/km CO2 output.
Verdict: Should I buy a 2017 Citroen C3?
Drivers who spend a lot of their time on poorly surfaced roads in town, on faster roads, or out in the sticks will appreciate the comfort focus of the Citroen C3. It soaks up anything that badly pitted surfaces can throw at, and the Citroen’s seats are also very well padded and supportive. It’s a pity the car isn’t a little more refined at higher speeds as it makes a very useful long-distance machine in most respects, particularly with the excellent fuel economy of the diesel engine for those who cover above average mileages.
The flipside of the C3’s comfort bias is the handling is only average for the class, though that’s still decent in a sector where there are so many talented machines. What you do need to pay close attention to is which engine and gearbox combination works best for you, and which trim level you opt for as there’s quite an array. However, avoid the entry-point model and you get a decent level of standard equipment.
What could I buy instead of a 2017 Citroen C3?
Ford Fiesta
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It’s hard to find fault with the Ford Fiesta as it’s a car that seems to rise to meet every challenge thrown at it. From the perfect car to learn to drive in to a feisty hot hatch, there’s a model to suit every need and budget. It’s also a car that’s deeply satisfying to drive, whether you just need straightforward transport or desire something with good handling. It’s also very comfortable and refined, has a broad range of engine options including a hybrid, and the cabin is one of the roomier in the class. There’s also lots of choice with trim levels, so there’s a Fiesta for almost everyone.
MG3
The MG3 may be firmly rooted in the affordable end of the supermini market, but it doesn’t show it in the way it looks or is put together. While many will underrate the MG, it pays to have a closer look as it comes with a long warranty as standard, plenty of equipment in each trim level, and a reasonably engaging drive. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has decent pep, but it’s unrefined. The same can be said of the ride quality, and the MG also trails the class best by some margin when it comes to safety equipment and its performance in Euro NCAP crash tests.
Peugeot 208
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The Peugeot 208 is one of the style leaders in the supermini sector thanks to its sharp looks that are in stark contrast to the Citroen C3’s rounded appearance. Peugeot buyers will find the French machine backs up its looks with a similarly keen drive and there’s an all-electric model for those who want to switch to battery power. The other engines are related to the ones in the C3, although Peugeot offers the petrol motors in a broader selection of power outputs. A comfortable, roomy cabin shows the 208 is a newer generation of supermini than the C3.
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