Citroen C3

Citroen’s new hatch for India shares its name with a global best-seller. But that’s pretty much all there is in common between the two. The new made-in-India, made-for-India product had us raising eyebrows at first, but spending some time with it quickly changed that. The package is fundamentally sorted.

But in a market that exceedingly values features and feel-good, does the C3 have enough to woo you? 

Design and Build Quality

There’s an obvious question here — why’s the car not called a ‘C3 AirCross’? In the 180mm of ground clearance, confident SUV-like styling and a smattering of cladding on the bumpers it does enough to warrant that badge. Citroen insists it’s a premium hatchback with an SUV twist, possibly in a bid to separate it from the whole host of sub-4-metre SUVs already on sale. 

In terms of size, it looks like a powerlifter compared to hatchbacks like the Celerio, WagonR and Tiago. It can go shoulder to shoulder with the likes of the Magnite and Kiger too. There’s obvious C5 inspiration in the design. The high bonnet, the flared wheel arches and rounded bumpers make the C3 seem cute, yet powerful. 

The front borrows Citroen’s global signature of a sleek chrome grille flowing into daytime running lamps. You now also get LED projector headlamps, borrowed straight from the more expensive AirCross and Basalt. The turn-indicators, and fog lamps are of the basic halogen variety. 

There are some more signs of the C3’s simplicity in the antenna, the flap style door handles and the indicators on the fenders instead of the mirrors. Citroen recently added 15-inch dual tone alloy wheels to the C3’s top model. Lower models continue to get 14-inch steel wheels. 

From the rear, the C3 looks simple. There’s a raised SUV-like stance and the car looks wide too. However, save for the large halogen tail lamps, there’s not much here to speak of. 

Colour options on the C3 include Polar White, Platinum Grey, Steel Grey, and Cosmo Blue. There’s a Pearl Nera Black shade available exclusively in the C3 Dark Edition.  The white and blue body colours can be had with a grey and white roof respectively, giving it a dual-tone effect.

Design and Quality

With its upright stance and wide-opening doors, it’s easy to get in and out of the baby Citroen. Seating is high-set, which means elders in the family will appreciate this too. 

For what’s intended to be a budget-car, plastics used in the C3’s cabin are a pleasant surprise. It’s expectedly hard, but you’d like the textures Citroen has used — whether it’s on the top half of the dashboard, the door pads and even the bottle holders in the doors. 

The grey central element that splits the dashboard has an interesting pattern too. You’d also see some thought in the way the central AC vents have a damped action and the wiper/light stalks have a satisfying click. 

Front Seats

For the driver, getting in a comfortable position is fairly straightforward. The seat adjusts for height, and there’s tilt-adjust for the steering as well. New drivers will appreciate the high seating position and the view it affords. With narrow pillars and large windows, it’s easy to get used to the size of the car and feel comfortable with its dimensions. It’s here where you begin to realise how cleverly packaged the C3 really is. The dashboard is narrow and upright, liberating more room for the front occupants. 

You wouldn’t feel cramped in the front seats even if you’re a six-footer. We particularly like the amount of width on offer — it’s unlikely you’ll be brushing shoulders with your co-driver. The seats by themselves are comfortable, even for those with larger frames. That said, Citroen should not have skipped out on adjustable headrests, even though the fixed headrests offer good support and are cushioned well. 

Rear Seats

Adjustable headrests would’ve been great at the rear too. Taller occupants will have to move further ahead in their seats to make use of the fixed ones Citroen provides. This aside, the rear of the C3 is a comfortable place to be. There’s ample kneeroom, a raised front seat ensures foot room and the scooped out headliner means there’s more than enough headroom for a six-footer here. Citroen is also quick to point out that the rear seat is set 27mm higher compared to the front to ensure that occupants get a better view out and not keep staring at the front seat backs all the while. 

Storage and Practicality

In terms of practicality, the C3 leaves little to want for. All doors have 1-litre bottle holders, the centre stack gets a shelf, a cubby hole and a couple of cupholders. There’s some more storage space under and behind the handbrake too. You’d appreciate the little details too — such as grooves to route your phone cable around the air-con controls, and a recess in the rear mobile holder to ensure your cable doesn’t get pinched while charging. 

Features

The C3 will feel disappointing if you like your cars with the latest features. Other than the infotainment that we’ll speak about in just a bit, there’s barely anything to speak of. Basics of four power windows, fabric upholstery aside, there really isn’t anything else. 

Considering feedback from journalists and buyers, Citroen has added power adjustable/folding mirrors, day/night IRVM, leather-wrapped steering wheel and front adjustable headrests which were suspiciously skipped initially. 

There’s also automatic climate control on offer now, which is stellar to say the least. At full blast, it’s sure to leave you wanting for a sweater. In hot and muggy Goa, we never needed to keep the fan speed above 2 — that’s how good the air-con is! 

The instrument cluster is a tiny digital display that shows nothing more than the odometer, speed, average efficiency and distance to empty. Citroen could’ve considered adding climate control, better instrumentation, powered mirrors and rear wiper/defogger at the least and maybe a reversing camera too. 

Citroen is offering a 10.2-inch touchscreen in the top-spec C3. The screen is big on real estate, has a fluid and simple interface and is quick to respond. It also supports Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

This screen is paired with a 4-speaker audio system. Thankfully, audio quality is acceptable and doesn’t feel tinny. You also get controls on the steering-wheel for audio and calls.

Standard safety features on the C3 include dual airbags, ABS, reverse parking sensors and seat belt reminders. 

The top-spec variants get side and curtain airbags, taking the tally to 6. With the more powerful engine, a tyre pressure monitoring system, hill hold and electronic stability control is also offered. 

Currently, the India-spec C3 has not been crash-tested by an independent authority such as the Global NCAP. However, the made-in-Brazil was tested by LatinNCAP, where it scored zero stars.

Finishing things off is a 315-litre boot, enough for a weekend getaway’s luggage. There’s no 60:40 split seats here, but you can fold the rear seat down for added room. 

On offer are two 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engines. One with a turbo, and one without. With both engines, first impressions remain quite solid. Other than a light thrum on start up, vibrations are controlled well. Let’s first discuss the naturally aspirated motor: 

Citroen C3 Puretech82

City Performance

This motor has 82PS and 115Nm on offer. But the numbers don’t tell the entire story. Citroen has tuned the engine well to offer great drivability, especially inside the city. You can amble about peacefully in second or third gear all day. Speed breakers and low speed crawls can be dealt in second gear, without the need to feather the throttle — impressive! 

Highway Performance

Surprisingly, this motor does not struggle or feel inadequate on the highway either. Sure, it isn’t blazing quick to reach triple digit speeds, but once it’s there, it’s quite comfortable to chug along. Do not expect quick overtakes at this point, however. You will need to downshift to third to make any move on traffic ahead. 

If you see yourself driving primarily within the city and usually have a relaxed driving style on the highway, this engine should suit you just fine. 

Citroen C3 Puretech110

City Performance

Compared to the non-turbo engine, you’re likely to notice a slightly heavier clutch and throw on the Puretech110’s 6-speed gearbox. It’s impressive how effortlessly this engine builds pace. Citroen claims the C3 Turbo will hit 100kmph in just about 10 seconds and we’ve got enough reason to believe that.

Driving inside the city is hassle-free too given the motor doesn’t feel bogged down even at low revs. You can pick gaps in traffic easily and literally point and shoot, making it a fun small runabout for the city.

The automatic is a proper 6-speed torque convertor. This might not be the quickest gearbox there is, but offers smooth, jerk free shifts. It responds to part throttle inputs well, and doesn’t feel confused either. It’s a welcome change compared to the AMTs we’re used to seeing in this segment. 

Highway Performance

However, the added performance is a bonus on the highway where overtaking is far easier. This motor is easily the more versatile of the two. Pick this motor if you enjoy driving hard or just want some more horsepower for those frequent highway trips. 

You can very comfortably cruise between 100-120kmph, which is above average for a vehicle in this segment. Overtaking requires some planning and effort, but the overall drive experience continues to remain fun and engaging.

The flagship C5 AirCross set expectations for comfort high. Expecting the same from a vehicle that costs a third might seem a bit much, but Citroen has magically managed to deliver here too. Let’s say the suspension setup on the C3 is India-ready in its truest sense. Nothing seems to faze it. From speed breakers to rumble strips, from broken roads to gigantic potholes — we went hunting for irregular surfaces to catch the C3 off-guard. None did. Unless of course we were being a bit too silly with the car. 

Over really bad surfaces with sharp edges, you’d hear the impact more than you’d feel it. Bump absorption is great and the suspension is quick to settle too. Thankfully, this hasn’t come at the expense of a floaty and nervous ride quality at higher speeds. The C3 feels confident here too, and can very happily be your mini mile-muncher if need be. 

Some more good news on the handling front. The steering is quick, light and responsive. For using day-in, day-out, taking those u-turns and squeezing into parkings, you’d have nothing to complain about. If you find yourself wanting to have some fun around twisties, the C3 is happy to play along as well. Given its proportions, there’s some amount of roll, but it never gets unnerving.

The Citroen C3 is offered in five broad variants: Live, Feel, Feel (O), Shine and Dark Edition

Citroen C3 Live Variant

• This engine is available only with the non-turbo engine. A CNG kit can be fitted at the dealer level. 

• The car looks basic with no chrome, halogen headlamps, steel wheels and unpainted mirrors.

• Inside, it features an all-black theme with some satin coloured accents. Features include manual AC, front power windows and a digital instrument cluster. 

• Safety features include dual airbags, ABS with EBD, and reverse parking sensors.

Citroen C3 Feel Variant

• Only visual change is the addition of daytime running lights (DRLs)

• Other feature additions include powered mirrors, rear power windows, engine auto start/stop, and a foldable key. 

Citroen C3 Feel (O) Variant

• This variant gets chrome emblems, full wheel covers, wheel arch cladding and roof rails. 

• Additions to the interior include adjustable front headrests, and contrast-colour trim on the dashboard.

• Lots of features added here: 10.2-inch touchscreen, 4-speakers, steering-mounted audio controls, driver seat height adjustment, tilt-steering, day/night IRVM, and USB chargers are available. 

• Safety is improved with side and curtain airbags. 

Citroen C3 Shine Variant

• This variant is available with both engine options. An automatic is available with the turbo engine. 

• This variant looks premium with LED projector headlamps, turn indicators on ORVMs and 15-inch alloy wheels. It also gets front and rear skid plates and front fog lamps. 

• Inside, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-folding mirrors and automatic climate control are major additions. 

• ESP, Hill Hold and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System are available with the Turbo engine. 

Citroen C3 Dark Edition

• Identical to the Shine variant other than the black exterior colour, dark chrome and badges. 

CarDekho Recommends:

• The base two variants are too basic for today’s day and age. Best to avoid. 

• The Feel (O) variant offers all that you’d want from a daily driver. Can consider. 

• Top-spec Shine variant now feels like a better package than before.

The Citroen C3 has the basics nailed down. It’s spacious, comfortable, practical and easy to drive too. Citroen has also corrected the glaring feature misses it once had. That said, it still misses quite a few niceties that other cars in its segment offer. The real question mark is Citroen’s skeletal sales and service network. 

Other Cars To Consider

Hyundai Exter

Reasons to consider

• Gets six airbags as standard.

• Offers dual dashcam, proper tyre pressure monitoring system and hill hold assist in the higher variants.

• Offers paddle shifters with the automatic transmission.

Reasons to ignore

• Smaller infotainment system with wired phone projection only.

• No crash test rating from any NCAP agency.

• Misses out on front and rear central armrest.

Tata Punch

Reasons to consider

• Better infotainment experience. 

• Better ride comfort

Reasons to ignore

• Engine refinement isn’t as good

• Fit and finish is inconsistent