Living with Citroen C3

Earlier this year, Citroen stepped into the budget segment with its newest model – the C3. It’s the brand’s smallest hatchback, but with cutthroat competition, should you consider buying this French hatch? We recently spent some time with the new Citroen C3 and here’s the low-down to give you an idea of how it is to own and live with one.

Given the segment in which the C3 is positioned, the cabin is quite practical with over ten storage and stowage spaces. While the front doors can hold one-litre bottles each, the rear ones have lesser space and can fit 500ml bottles. Then there’s the centre console area which can fit in three coffee cups and has a smartly placed two-deck storage space ahead of the gear lever. Even the small square cut-out, near the manual handbrake, is good to keep knick knacks like a wallet or a phone charger.

While no seats get adjustable headrests, they are comfortable and offer adequate shoulder and under-thigh support. The cushioning is slightly on the softer side, and the black fabric upholstery will be easy to clean. Moving to the back, the rear-row bench seat is best suited for two adults and the occupants also get two Type-A USB ports, backseat pockets, and power windows with a large glass area. However, the buttons of the latter are oddly placed on the front centre console which may take some time to get used to.

The C3’S boot has the capacity to gobble 315 litres of luggage and adding to the practicality are two hooks on either side that can further be used to hang small items of 3kg each. Moreover, the low boot lip makes accessing and loading big suitcases convenient.

Now, it’s no secret that the Citroen C3 misses out on quite a few essential features which are commonly offered in the segment. We would have liked it if the hatchback had basic features such as electrically adjustable ORVMs and a tachometer in the digital instrument cluster. However, there’s one feature where the C3 excels over its competitors, and that’s the large 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

It sits atop the dashboard and along with the usual USB and Bluetooth connectivity, it also supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Moreover, the unit is extremely easy to use and the touch response is quick with great resolution. Another feature that we found useful was the cable organiser on the dashboard. It’s a simple design where once you connect your phone to the USB slot, the cable can be neatly looped around the aircon unit. No more tangled cables!

The C3 is a petrol-only hatchback and is available with a 1.2-litre petrol engine in two states of tune. The 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated version puts out 80bhp and 115Nm of torque and is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox providing a claimed fuel efficiency of 19.8kmpl.

Meanwhile, the one which we sampled was the turbo guise that churns out 109bhp and 190Nm of peak torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. While the company-claimed efficiency is 19.44kmpl, our real-world test cycle reflected 13.33kmpl in the city and 21.53kmpl on the highway loop. It is to be noted that the Citroen C3 is not equipped with idle start/stop technology.

The Citroen C3 is one capable city car and commuting with it in slow-moving traffic and short errands is easy for many reasons. Firstly, the C3 has compact dimensions and the steering and clutch are light, thus driving it in the city is easy and effortless. Secondly, the driver seat can be adjusted for height, hence providing good front visibility. However, we found the large square-ish design of the gear knob slightly big and the gear shifts, too, could have been a bit smoother.

Now, the C3 is offered with rear parking sensors but there is no rear camera. Although the dimensions of the car are easy to judge, parking in tight parallel and perpendicular spots does require peeping out of the window.

Even though the C3 is fitted with 15-inch steel wheels, the ride quality is absorbent and does a commendable job of tackling speed breakers and potholes. At no point at city speeds does the C3 feel unsettled. However, the three-pot nature of the engine is evident and vibrations at idle speeds can be felt at several touchpoints, like the steering wheel and on the door pads.

As we said, the second row is best suited for two passengers. However, fitting in a third occupant who is relatively leaner shouldn’t be uncomfortable for short trips. Having said that, the position of the three-point seatbelt at the back brushes with the neck instead of resting on the shoulder.

Then, the boot can accommodate one small and one medium-sized suitcase along with two duffle bags. A weekend trip means highway commuting and the C3 has decent manners there as well. Getting to three-digit speeds is quick and the hatchback feels composed on the highways. Overtaking is easy too as the C3 has strong mid-range, picks up speed quickly, and there’s hardly any need to downshift before overtaking.

The Citroen C3 comes with a standard warranty of two years or 40,000km, whichever is earlier. Although this is at par with one of its direct rivals, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, the Tata Punch, meanwhile, is available with two years/75,000km warranty. Additionally, owners can also avail of 24x7 roadside assistance with the Citroen hatch.

If you are looking for a spacious hatchback that looks funky and ticks all the basic features, the Citroen C3 is your best bet. The 1.2-litre turbo engine is fun to drive and the manual gearbox along with the pliant ride quality further adds to the viable package. However, what goes against it are a host of missing features and a price tag that is more premium than its prime rivals.

The Citroen C3 is available with a starting price of Rs 5.88 lakh (ex-showroom) and one can pick from two variants, dual-tone colours, and two personalisation packs.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi