BIGGER, bolder and cheaper to run - what’s not to like about the cheeky new C3 from Citroen?
The original C3 didn’t exactly have a mountain to climb to improve on its predecessor, the lacklustre Saxo, but more than three million sales later, its replacement has some pretty big boots to fill.
The C3 is still a supermini - at 3,941mm in length it is still a touch shorter than a Fiesta - but it’s longer, wider and taller than its antecedent. The wheelbase has grown by half an inch, releasing more leg and knee room in the back, and it’s more than two inches wider.
Available only as a five-door, if you want a three-door Citroen will happily upsell you into a DS3, the C3 has a smart new look that brings it into line with other models in the range. There are larger, more elaborate, headlamp units, a full-width chrome double chevron grille, and, on some models, neatly integrated front fog lamps.
The profile harks back to the original C3 but the slab-sided doors have gone, replaced by more complex pressings with a deep swage line above the sills and a signature line running through the chromed door handles (a big improvement on the old black plastic jobs). The curvacious roof line and the signature kick in the rear window panel are styling cues seen on the original car.

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Inside, hard scratchy plastics have given way for a soft-touch dashboard with chrome highlights and colour co-ordinated glossy plastics which owe a debt to the posher DS 3 model. TThe old C3’s instruments looked cheap, the new model’s analogue/digital combo are fuss-free and classy-looking. They place the emphasis on a big speedo - directly in front of the driver - with a rev counter to the left and a digital fuel/warning lights display on the right.
The 300 litre boot is par for the supermini class and the rear seats split 60:40 to create a maximum carrying capacity of 1,121 litres.
There are more equipment choices, too, including an MP3 hi-fi, Bluetooth hands-free telephone connection and eMyWay satellite navigation.
Citroen’s panoramic windscreen, which carries on over your head and into the roof, floods the cabin with natural daylight. It improves forward visibility, too. British drivers love their sunroofs, and the C3’s ‘zenith’ windscreen takes the idea to the next level. It’s a killer feature that comes as standard on Exclusive and Selection models.

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The range has three trim levels: VT, VTR+ and Exclusive, plus a special edition, the Selection, which slots just below the poshest model. As well as the panoramic windscreen, the Selection (which starts at £13,500) receives front fogs and body colour bumpers front and back to make it the value highlight of the C3 line-up.
Citroen is particularly proud of its new 1.0 and 1.2 litre three-cylinder PureTech petrol engines. The new powerplants - which are subject to 52 different patents - are said to offer the flexibility and refinement of a petrol engine with the parsimony of a diesel. The VTI 68 produces 99g/km of CO2 which means it qualifies for free road tax and returns up to 65mpg in mixed day-to-day running. The more powerful E-VTI 82 model is usefully quicker but manages to match the VTI 68 for fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
If you want a diesel then Citroen offers four: from the HDI 70 to the E-HDI 115. All of them dodge below the 100g/km CO2 threshold at which you pay vehicle excise duty. Maximum speed of the E-HDI 115 is 118mph and it can reach 62mph in 9.2 seconds. The 1.6 VTi 120 petrol model is also available with a four-speed automatic transmission if you can’t be bothered to change gear.
The C3’s soft suspension, comfortable seats, easy steering and compact dimensions make it a great car for town work - but it’s equally at home on longer runs thanks to the roomy cabin and greater refinement.
If you need more space, there’s always the C3 Picasso MPV, and thrill-seekers will gravitate towards a DS3, but, for most of us, the new C3 is well-suited to everyday family life.
If Citroen could sell three million of its predecessor it should have no difficulty shifting several million more.