2009 Citroen C3 Reviews

It may be a tiny blip on the Australian new car sales radar, but Citroen has a dedicated following here. Could the C3 be just what you're looking for in a city-sized hatch that doesn't follow the path of least resistance?

The 2021 Citroen C3 keeps everything that's good about the tiny French hatch while adding a few useful bits and pieces in an effort to justify its ambitious pricing. Fans of the brand will still love it, but I can't help thinking its high price is holding back this excellent small hatch.

Little cars in a big city can all seem to camouflage into the landscape, but not the Citroen C3 - just don't choose the Pigeon Grey colour.

Really small cars aren't what they used to be, and there are a number of reasons for that. The first is that, compared to five years ago, nobody buys them. The world of small hatchbacks is a shadow of its former self, mostly because there's so much money sloshing around in Australia that we buy a class up and often an SUV rather hatch.As usual, Citroen is taking the path less travelled. There's no getting away from the fact that the C3 hatch has always been an a brave choice - there are still a few of the original, arch-roofed version kicking around, a car I was very fond of, despite it not being very good.For 2019 Citroen has addressed a couple of glaring issues with the C3, namely a lack of safety gear that contributed to a four-star ANCAP safety rating and a couple of little dramas that marred an otherwise impressive package.

Citroen is embarking on yet another relaunch in Australia, with the C3 Aircross to be the brand's focus until the larger C5 Aircross arrives later in the year. Does the C3 Aircross take the brand closer to the mainstream?

Citroen has always Done Things Differently. For most of the time, Citroens have also looked like it when they were doing things differently - either unconventionally pretty (the DS) or boldly individual (virtually everything else). A few years ago, after a series of dull cars like the Xantia and the C4, the French

What presented as possibly a really boring drive turned out to be just the opposite.

Small, chic and very French…the Citroen C3 has been an absentee from the small car market in Australia, but will make a valiant return next year.

It has a small diesel engine, so you assume the performance will be snail-like as well.Wrong on both counts when it comes to the nifty Citroen C3 HDi, $23,990 of diesel-propelled French chic on little alloy wheels.This petite five-door hatchback's rounded body, evoking memories of Citroen's iconic 2CV, turns out to be practical as well as cute.Large windows give the cabin an airy feel, and you find loads of space inside. There's headroom aplenty, and the boot is surprisingly generous for a car that's well under 4m long.Though small, it feels sturdy, and there is a refreshing charm about the whole package.So while the C3 obviously carries on Citroen's proud tradition of vive la difference, in this case there is substance to go with the quirky style.So often, “quirky” is a polite way of saying that something is awkward to use, but here it is endearing, with apparently no drawbacks.Well, almost none: I never did grow to like the seats. They look OK, but give the impression you're perched on top. Perhaps this is Citroen's way of making you drive cautiously, lest you fall off your perch. Care is advisable, because the major notable absentee from the C3's lengthy equipment list is a stability control system. Sorry, but that's reserved for its larger C4 sibling.There have been C3 hatches around for more than five years, but the HDi version is the latest arrival, added as Citroen spreads diesel engines to all corners of its range. At just 1.6 litres, it is only a small engine, but no matter because the C3 is only a small car. Anyway, a turbocharger helps give it a decent punch. To make the most of power, performance and fuel economy, there is no automatic transmission option.At first acquaintance the C3 HDi can seem rather sleepy, but it can deliver brisk acceleration. Diesels are all the rage, and this is one of the cheapest: Among the pint-sized diesel brigade, the Hyundai i30 and VW Polo cost less than the Citroen, the Fiat Punto costs the same, the Fiat 500 and Peugeot 207 cost more.Its official fuel consumption figure of 4.4 litres per 100km is the same as the Toyota Prius Hybrid. Not that that's comparing apples with apples: the costlier Toyota achieves its result on petrol.In the real world, a combination of easy-going highway running and trickle-along traffic snarls, the C3 I was driving gave excellent economy, averaging 4.7 litres per 100km.Since it has a 47-litre fuel tank, count on going almost 1000km between refills. Hopefully that's far enough to find a servo with diesel at a price that won't break the budget.CITROEN C3 HDi: Five-door hatchback powered by 1.6 litre turbodiesel with five-speed gearbox. Power 66kW. Torque 215Nm. FEATURES: Front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, alloy wheels, airconditioning, power windows, trip computer, six-speaker sound system, cargo cover, remote central locking, split-fold rear seat. PRICE: $23,990. RIVALS: Peugeot 207, Fiat Punto and 500, VW Polo, Hyundai i30. FOR: Personality and economy. AGAINST: Those seats. SUMMING UP: Little French charmer

Resale and battery issues aside, there has always been much conjecture about the virtues, environmental or otherwise about petrol/electric hybrids, particularly as there are some small diesel cars around these days that weaken the case for buying a hybrid for reasons of fuel economy.Prime case is Citroen's C3 HDi. There is now a nifty 1.6-litre diesel sitting pretty in the nose of the cute C3 — and it delivers quite a bit of punch once the revs rise beyond 2000rpm.It is armed with 66kW of power and a significant 215Nm of torque. Around town it is quite tractable, as more torque at lower revs means fewer gear changes in the cut-and-thrust of the peak-hour commute.On a 700km test run trudging to and from the Gold Coast into Brisbane's CBD, the little French hatch was sipping a little over 4.6 litres per 100km (factory claim is 4.4 litres per 100km on a combined run, so we weren't far off). It means you can stretch your travel a long, long way on one 47-litre tank.As with the petrol versions, the diesel has a long list of equipment starting with the full package of front airbags as well as lateral airbags for the front occupants.There are digital read-outs for the speedo and odometer and trip computer but in contrast there is an analogue strip-style rev counter. There is some degree of fuss with the trip controls. Typically the French like these incorporated into the steering wheel-mounted stalks and there remains a degree of guesswork in the location of volume controls for the stereo system, which are at the rear of the right-hand windscreen wiper stalk.Apart from fiddly ergonomics the interior is a fashionable place, and funky and light.There is good comfort from the front seats and a large glasshouse offering superb all-round vision. This is worth a look if you are interested in French flair mixed with some substance and a broad, user-friendly appeal as a city commuter. It also has a good options list that includes five-stack CD and leather.