The Citroën C3 for 2023 is won the World Urban Car of The Year Award for 2023 and it makes its way to South Africa to compete in the cutthroat entry level hatchback market. We had the chance to sample the new C3 at its launch.
The new C3 is the latest from the French manufacturer Citroën in the department of trendy city cars with a unique design. My colleague Chad Luckhöff had the previous C3 on test and you can read his thoughts here.
The latest Citroën C3 is ready to rumble in the cutthroat entry-level hatchback market. Overseas, the new C3 won World Urban Car Award for 2023. We had the chance to try out the Feel variant which is the only type available in South Africa at the moment.
Styling
The C3 has always been a trendy-looking car. For 2023, the front grille has been redesigned, featuring a sleeker and more streamlined profile. Flanking the grille are revamped headlights that command attention with their sharp and distinctive LED daytime running lights.
Although the new C3 is a B-segment hatchback, it mimics more of an SUV appearance with its bigger size, plastic cladding and 180mm of ground clearance. The side profile is unmistakably SUV-like in its look.
On the topic of wheels, 15-inch steelies with dark grey quad-fork hub caps are presented. The rear is quite minimalist with the rectangular taillights being the interesting part. Tying this all together would be the slew of colour combos and choices available to express a bit of individuality. Two-tone paint jobs would be the best pick in our eyes to compliment the head-turning front end. Plus, you can get accessory packs to doll up your C3 too.
Interior and Technology
The interior of the Citroën C3 is quite attractive with a blend of abstract and symmetrical shapes. The dash trim stands out with its cross-dissolving polka-dot pattern and you can have it in either satin grey or a bright metallic orange.
Space is key inside the new Citroën C3, there’s a decent amount of head and legroom in both the front and rear and the seating is comfortable which is to be expected in a Citroën. The rear seating headrests could be raised a bit but the seating as a whole is quite good with the front driver’s seat even having height adjustability too. The only thing that’s a bit lacklustre in the interior is the instrument cluster with its high school scientific calculator-look to it. The steering wheel is tilt adjustable and just the right size for swinging the C3 around town. You also get a slew of cup and bottle holders and you have 315 litres of boot space for all your stuff. The boot area can be extended by folding the rear bench seat.
Speaking of technology, the biggest thing to note would be the 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but you can also connect via USB-A in the centre stack. It’s interesting to see a screen this size in this segment and from what we’ve tried so far it works quite well. Convenience-wise, you get keyless entry, intermittent windshield wipers, electric windows all around and even drive-away central locking. As far as this vehicle goes in the entry-level space, the C3 is decently kitted.
Drive and Handling
At the moment, the Citroën C3 is powered by a 1.2 litre 3-cylinder petrol non-turbo engine producing 61 kW of power and 115 Nm of torque. This is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. This is the only powertrain available. While power delivery is linear and the gearing errs more to the taller end, the C3 feels a bit underpowered. Moving about in town is sufficient enough and cruising on the highway is fine but you find yourself wanting a turbocharger. However, this combo will return a claimed 5.6l /100km fuel consumption which is frugal. The manual gearbox operation is fine and the clutch is very light making it easy for first-time drivers to get a grip of quickly. An automatic gearbox would be a welcome addition to the range.
Now we need to chat about ride quality. The Citroën C3 could potentially be the entry-level hatchback that has the best ride quality and handling. It’s no surprise considering that this is Citroën we’re talking about with what they dub, “The Flying Carpet Effect”. The C3 doesn’t wallow, it’s surefooted, takes bumpy roads in stride and laps up open roads. It’s quite comfortable indeed. The suspension setup is simple even with MacPherson struts with coil springs in the front and a rear twist beam with coil springs in the rear.
Safety
Safety-wise, you’ll get the following in the Citroën C3:
- Anti-Theft Alarm via Sound, Cluster & Cabin Lamp
- Immobilizer
- Driver and Passenger Airbags
- 4-Door Central Locking
- Bootlid with Inner-Handle Switch
- Keyless Entry
- Child-Lock Lever on Rear Doors
- Drive Away Auto Door Lock
- ABS and EBD
- Driver & Passenger Seatbelt Reminder (Visual & Audio Indicators)
- Park Distance Control
Verdict
The Citroën C3 for the 2023 model year has a decent amount of specification, style, design and handling for its segment. The C3 presents itself as a more expensive vehicle but its pricing is quite humble. The engine could use a turbocharger or perhaps a bit more displacement but the ride quality and handling on this car can be considered as unrivalled in its segment. Overall, this vehicle proves that you don’t need to spend serious cash to have some chic style.
Pricing
| Citroën C3 1.2 Feel | from R229 900 |
The Citroën C3 purchase price comes with a 2-year /30000km Service Plan and a 5-year / 100000km warranty plan.
Pricing was correct at the time of publishing and is subject to change without prior notice.
Keyword: Citroën C3 (2023) - First Drive Review