Citroen C3 Review

Reading through the specification sheet for the new Citroen C3 is roughly as rewarding as watching a bouquet gradually wilt on the grave of a much-loved family pet. I can say that with authority, having just done precisely that. Here are the details. At its core, the new C3 is a compact Citroen hatchback offered with several four-cylinder engines: a food-mixer-like 61bhp 1.1-litre petrol, two 1.4-litre units producing either 75 or 95hp, and a livelier 120bhp 1.6 VTi borrowed from the Mini. Diesel choices are a 1.4-litre or 1.6-litre, with outputs of 70, 90 or 110bhp.

Pricing begins at £10,800 for the entry-level 1.1 VT petrol and rises to £16,200 for an Exclusive-trim model fitted with the 110bhp 1.6HDi. There: the informational duty is complete, so off you go and find something more stimulating to do, such as shutting your fingers in a door.

Citroen C3 design and exterior

Wait, though. It may lack a technological Big Idea, and its chassis has not been developed for a touch of oppo as you crest an apex at the local track day, but stand in front of the new C3 and it is actually rather lovely. Honestly.

At first glance, Citroen has come very close to getting the exterior right. The latest C3 is more artistic than its predecessor, wearing more C3 Picasso-inspired drapery and shedding some of that dispiriting flabbiness. It is not the sort of car that makes you look twice, yet it is crisp and full of character. Next to it, the Polo appears rather drab, while the Fiesta looks slightly like a scaled-down Focus. Predictably, the C3 is at its best in a vivid paint colour and on 17-inch wheels. Choose powder blue or bright green, then it has presence; opt for black or grey paint with smaller wheels, and it becomes understated to the point of disappearing.

Citroen has also judged the fine line between individual and quirky, and merely arbitrary and silly, rather well. The front end is smartly shaped, while the strakes on either side of the front bumper offer a hint of both the DS3 and GT. Its headlamps feature the now-standard little jingle-jangle LED daytime running lights, and the rear lamps are tidy boomerang shapes that suit the bodywork's curves. The overall effect is cohesive, neat and very clean. It makes the previous model seem dated and, if we are being unkind, cheap.

There are pleasing touches elsewhere, not least the impression that the C3 is going bald. Its new panoramic windscreen extends far back into a substantial section of the roof, creating the impression of a receding hairline. Available on every model apart from the absolute entry-level versions, it gives the C3 a distinctly odd head-on appearance. In profile it is a little peculiar too, because the A-pillar sweeps down to meet the front section of the car just behind the bonnet, making it appear faintly fractured. Even so, it is largely very agreeable: rounded, unthreatening and, to some eyes, gently quirky.

Citroen C3 interior and space

Inside, the mood is less playful than it is outside, but at least the C3 gives the impression that its creators assembled it attentively and soberly. This matters because, at the previous C3's launch, its glovebox dropped into the footwell when I opened it; later, while negotiating two roundabouts, the central instrument binnacle sprang from the top of the dashboard in a doomed attempt to escape.

Citroen builds decent cars nowadays, however, and this C3 has a T-shaped dashboard, an uncluttered centre console and plenty of thoughtful detailing. The tacky digital elements have disappeared, replaced by considerably classier-looking analogue instruments. Better still, the different materials transition naturally from one area to the next. From the matt dashboard top to the graphite-coloured dashboard plastic and the door cards, nothing seems like an afterthought. The colour scheme is restrained, enlivened by small flashes of chrome.

The seats are broad, comfortable and straightforward to adjust, while the windscreen is a delight. Daylight genuinely improves an interior, particularly when the weather is grey, and the C3 is awash with it. The only feature that slightly undermines the convertible-like sensation is the rear-view mirror, which appears isolated and misplaced within such a vast area of glass. In a supermini, however, that feeling of room is especially welcome. Rear-seat accommodation is less generous, despite claimed rear legroom being 30mm greater than before, although the expansive windscreen ensures that rear passengers feel less hemmed in than they do in most superminis.

Driving the Citroen C3 1.6HDi

On the move, the story continues in much the same vein: it is quietly capable, substantially improved and thoughtfully engineered. Our car is the popular 90bhp 1.6HDi with a five-speed manual gearbox, and there is little to criticise. It is strong in the mid-range, delivers its 158lb ft of torque early, stays remarkably quiet and is easy to use. It may not be an especially eager-revving engine, but it never feels underpowered, even though its 0-62mph time of 11 seconds and 111mph maximum speed do not make it quick.

Both clutch and gearbox are light, relaxed and effortless, if slightly vague, but that is unlikely to concern the sort of driver who would deliberately choose a diesel C3. The steering is precise and the ride is good as well. The roads around Rome, where we drove the cars, are far from smooth, yet the C3 remained quiet and controlled even over the roughest stretches, where the road edges looked as if they had been bitten away, chewed up and glued back into place.

It will come as no shock that razor-sharp handling is not really part of the deal; if you become overenthusiastic, progressive understeer is all you are likely to summon. In almost every circumstance, though, it is perfectly capable. Is it fun? Not especially. Yet it turns accurately, brakes effectively and absorbs rough surfaces. It is fine. Taken as a whole, then, this is an attractive little Citroen that looks good, performs nearly everything well and requires no excuses or elaborate justification. It is a good car, vastly better than the old C3 and exactly the car Citroen requires.

That may sound like faint praise, admittedly. It is difficult to imagine Citroen's marketing department enjoying a slogan that says "Citroen: not as shit as it used to be." Still, the C3 must appeal to more conservative buyers, for whom the forthcoming DS3 could prove a little too avant garde. Ford's Fiesta is unquestionably the more rewarding car to drive, while the VW Polo has perfected its stern, austere demeanour, but there is room for the C3 in the quiet blind spot beyond the reach of those two. In spite of having no major USP, the C3 seems to have made a tidy niche for itself. It is not a driver's car, but anyone seeking something that covers the essentials while offering a touch of character will find the C3 leaves them with a small, contented smile.