2023 Citroen C3 – REVIEW
A no nonsense car for a no-nonsense consumer
SUVs are taking over the world left right and center –there’s no escaping them, earlier hardcore enthusiasts had some very strong arguments against SUVs –but modern SUVs or crossovers have advanced so far that there’s rarely any criticism that can be subjected to them.
Modern SUVs are highly capable pieces of automotive engineering – that can offer the dynamic prowess of a sedan and the practicality of a hatchback-something that wasn’t true a few years back – and naturally, the highly practical proposition of SUVs is ruling the hearts of the average buyer and the sales chart.
But not all is good when it comes to SUVs-this SUV phenomenon also resulted in manufacturers turning every possible car in their portfolio into an SUV – although at first instance it seems like a good idea, but more often than not the results are lackluster best, and the traditional SUV trait comprises often ruins the inherent characteristics of the base car underneath.
Following this philosophy, many manufacturers have turned their hatchbacks into Pseudo SUVs by raising their height and adding some SUV-like body elements to sell them off as an SUV – they often tend to do well for the brand’s accounts department and there doesn’t seem to be an End to this.
Especially, in India where a lot of customers are gaga over the term SUV and manufacturers can get away with selling a basic hatchback as an SUV written next to its name – on Indian roads they tend to make all the sense in the world – with their raised ground clearance over its normal version- besides they tend to assist in scratching the itch of an SUV for a price of a Hatchback.
So, why did I go on about SUVs and Hatchbacks for 200-odd words?
So, the fuss is all about a hatchback from the newest entry in the Indian market –The Citroen C3. Citroen a prominent French automaker made its debut in the Indian market with a crossover SUV The C5 which was placed towards the higher end of the price spectrum – consider it a halo product for its brand on Indian soil.
The C3 is Citroen’s more affordable offering directed towards the masses – an entry-level hatchback with a starting price of 5.71 lakh rupees is here to compete with the already established models such as The Renault Kiger, Suzuki Ignis, Tata Punch and the all-new Hyundai Exter.
And I got to drive this French Hatchback to find out how it fares on the Indian road.
Engine Performance
The Citroen C3 comes with two engine options – NA 1.2 litre three cylinders that produces 80hp and a Turbo Charged 1.2 litre three-cylinder motor that produces 108hp with the former producing 115nm of torque and the latter producing 190nm of torque that arrives as early as 1750 rpm both of them comes with only one fuel option-petrol.
The one I got to drive was a naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine – which produces around 80hp, which is a standard for the segment and more than adequate for the C3, the engine felt peppy and very quick to pick up the pace –which shouldn’t come as a surprise since the car barely tips the weighing scales – coming in around 950kg in dry weight.
Reaching triple digits is an uncomplicated affair and maintaining those speeds is just as easy –although it starts to lose steam after 130kph – but it is the low end where the engine stays happy and very tractable even with the car loaded up with four passengers, barely shows signs of struggle in city traffic and can be cruised around the city limits in higher gears without needing to downshift often.
In all honesty, there’s nothing much to be excited about with this engine, but at the same time, there’s nothing to criticize– it’s just adequate for most of the tasks that’ll be asked of it and it can deliver it without making any fuss.
Ride Quality and Driving Dynamics
There’s one thing that Citroen, as a brand is pretty well known for is its ride quality, I was secretly optimistic that it be the same for the C3 – and I am happy to report that Citroen C3 has impeccable ride quality, probably the class-leading in its segment by a considerable margin.
The suspension is very well tuned for comfort- it absorbs almost anything and everything that Indian roads can throw at it – Suspension filters out every pothole and rough patch, and it does it all while staying very quiet – there’s no suspension noise when the suspension is at work, which creates an allure of premium Ness and refinement inside the cabin.
Despite Its 180mm Of Ground Clearance Combined With a Soft Suspension Setup Car Has Very Impressive Body Control Over Speed Bumps And Outrageous Rumble Strips, Displays Very Negligible Lateral Movement While Going Over them – Which Is Quite Impressive And I Often Find Cars From Other Established Brands Fail At– They Can Either Offer Supple Ride Quality Or Good Body Control – Citroen Engineered this in a car that is on the Lower End Of the Spectrum is quite impressive.
Naturally – a car that is set up for comfort and tackles bad roads tends to come short in the handling department – which sort of is the case with the Citroen C3 but not to an extent where you could categorize it as a bad-handling car, it is adequate for majority of cases – for average customers it will go relatively unnoticed.
But for the sake of this review, I’d like to dissect its dynamic prowess for those who are interested – the first thing I tend to look out for in a new car I get is its driving capabilities – especially its ability to maintain its composure around a corner while sustaining some serious speed- personally, this is what excites me in a car.
Citroen C3 can handle – to put it in simple terms, but that’s not the complete picture, C3 can take a corner at some decent speed, say – under 80kph it’s fine but transcending above that makes the car nervous, especially around corners where roads are not well paved – car tends to experience some vertical movements – which doesn’t help in inspiring confidence.
Electrically assisted steering is one of the finest pieces of engineering components – for driving around in city traffic and parking in tight spaces. But that very element tends to hinder the car’s ability to communicate with its beholder – the same is the case with the Citroen C3, modern EPAS systems are slowly catching up to the traditional hydraulic systems but the one in the C3 is completely void of feedback.
There is just no communication between the driver and the front axle – steering is completely void of feedback – I find it to be quite nerve-racking, especially at high speeds where there is possibly no way to figure out what the front wheel is up to and where exactly they are pointing towards – made making final and minute adjustments at the wheel.
Although there is enough sense of mechanical grip through the chassis – for someone who doesn’t drive at the ten-tenths, it is enough to make judgment calls and get an overall idea of what the car is up to.
Straight Line & Braking
Featherlight cars usually tend to not perform well at highway speeds and struggle to maintain composure- I am happy to report that the Citroen C3 stays planted at early triple-digits – slight vertical moments creep in after 120kph – but for the majority of the speeds that are usually maintained on the Indian roads, it is quite sufficient.
The braking is good – the brakes provide a good sense of confidence at high speeds and the car halts to a stop with good composure and tact – not much to report here.
Exterior & interior
This is the one topic, I detest when talking about cars – I am not good at being objective when it comes to design, and on the other hand, I believe design is a subjective matter – but here I thought when car designs are either getting berg polarizing or bland with no perfect blend between them – Citroen C3 looks Funky and subtle – funky with its dual tone options and subtlety with its well-rounded design, and all the design elements comes together pretty well.
Interior
As lackluster as the car is with its overall performance – this is where it makes up for it – Arguably has one of the best-looking interiors with a sense of freshness in the pool of bland or looking interiors from other brands. Check out the pictures below and form your own opinion.
Another aspect I appreciate about the C3 is the space – the cabin feels airy and spacious with enough space for 4 large adults and spare for a child.
But the quality of the interior is left to be desired I haven’t seen any car that uses hard plastic with such liberty even for the price bracket it sits in – dual-tone interior and unique interior design are quite misleading – giving an impression of premium quality.
Features & Comfort
The one I got to drive was a top-trim, but it still lacked basic features such as electrical ORVMs – rear mirror Defoggers etc., which explains the lack of sales in a country that is obsessed with feature-rich brochures – But with some research (a simple Google search) I found out Citroen offered more than 70 options to accessorize your Citroën.
Quite innovative and unique – you can personalize your Citroen in 70 different ways and a Citroën that will be unique to you- These options can be added on any of the three trim levels Citroen offers – which means there’s a Citroën C3 for everyone.
Some basic features are Climate control, USB ports, and the biggest of them all a 10-inch infotainment system that comes with Android Auto- rear view camera with adaptive guidelines.
Comfort
Sadly, its great ride quality doesn’t match its seating comfort- seats lack lumbar and overall comfort in general – seats are hard and while being in the rear, I got uncomfortable pretty quickly.
Verdict
Citroen itself is an exciting brand in India, whereas Citroën C3 although looks fascinating – in its non-turbo model is not exactly a car that one would call enthusiastic friendly with soft suspension that excels in ride quality but fails to provide excitement around corners it immediately alienates enthusiast buyers.
But it does everything well – it rides like no other car in its segment, I would go on to say it is very comparable to the cars from the segment above – and offers enough refinement (not the best in class) one could ask from a car at this price point.
But, some aspects are hit-and-miss with the car – such as its features or lack thereof, seem like repelling the potential buyer, but if one can look over it and can find a good balance with accessories options that are being offered – Citroen C3 is a car that is quite perfect for you – especially for those who tend to commute a lot and can make do with some features.
It could be a car for someone for whom ride quality is the utmost priority and a unique-looking car that sets apart in the overcrowded market of Suzuki’s and Hyundais.
Overall, a No-nonsense car for a No-nonsense consumer!
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