Citroen has the honour of introducing so many small cars that no other has done so far, but when it comes to the Citroen C3 supermini, it is a wonder indeed. The original C3 was launched in the 2002, Saxo and AX where the predecessor models. The C3 is the biggest selling supermini in its class, and has a huge significance for the Citroen. It is the hottest supermini among its fellow C1, C3 Picasso and DS3s. The DS3 is very elegant and doing good business in 3-door class. The C3 is only coming in 5-door body. The Citroen C3 has a range of engines that starts with a 1.1-litre 59bhp, then to 1.4-litre 72bhp and 1.4-litre 94bhp, and the last one is 1.6-litre 118bhp. The Citroen C3 diesel engines consist of a 1.4-litre 67bhp, plus a 1.6-litre 89bhp and 1.6-litre 108bhp.
Citroen has done many experiments in the small car market, however the C3, has remained the manufacturer’s regular supermini. Before the 2010 model the last model was released in 2002.Earlier the French car maker had Saxo and AX and we still remember them, specially the Saxo. However, apart from the Visa in 1978, no other supermini by Citroen has offered the spaciousness offered by Citroen C3. Although, the C3 has sold over two million units globally – and its styling was very much praised at its launch – yet it was not the car which would be remembered with fondness. The C3 chief designer Mark Lloyd said that they usually do make some changes but in C3’s case, they realised, they do not have to make a big deal of changes.
As a result, the new C3 has a short and sharply rising bonnet, a large front glass, bulbous roof line, side windows that goes way down than the bonnet line, letting a lot of light to enter the cabin. All the minor details – that have been paid attention to, while producing the C3 – have lifted the C3 to a level of neatness; its predecessors could never match. C3’s cabin is very capacious, the boot is of 300-litre, giving a handsome leg room and head room is enough to sit comfortably. Driving position is not as good as that of Volkswagen Polo but its decent anyway. The knee room is good for the front passenger. Petrol models are the biggest selling minis in the UK and most of them are 1.4-litre.
The Citroen C3 petrol engine 1.1-litre 61bhp takes 16.5 seconds for a sprint to 62mph, combined economy of 47.9mpg and CO2 emissions 137g/km, is also referred to as a pedestrian. Whereas, the 1.4-litre 70bhp that takes 16.2 seconds, with combined economy of 83.1mpg and CO2 emission only 87g/km, is not much better either. The Citroen C3 diesel engine 1.6-litre 110bhp, gives combined economy of 74.4mpg and CO2 emissions only 99g/km with sprint to 62mph in just 9.7 seconds, is offers economy and performance. The road and wind noises are not very well suppressed which is a great disappointment. The steering is accurate and weighed pleasantly, but if the lock is wound off too fast; it self-centres itself too quickly that outright the smoothness.
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Paul Smith
