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New Citroen C3 – A New Driving Experience
I some times wonder if it’s wise for a car maker to call a new car exactly the same name as a previous model. That’s not because the old model might be a bad car, but more because the new car is usually so much better and whilst I guess it keeps previous customers used to the old model on board, its also got to have a downside in as much as people who tried the old model and for what ever reason, didn’t like it, are pretty reluctant to give the new model a go, even if it is an all new car, which they might now adore.
That’s very much the case for the car we’ve been testing here, because whilst the old car was a solid performer, never causing much hassle for its users and paying them back for their loyalty with reliability, economy and decent second hand values, it pales into insignificance compared to its successor, which also wears the same name.
So excited by what we were going to test, we headed north to ‘pork pie country’ near Melton Mowbray where all would be revealed.
OK, I can’t tease you any further, the new car is the latest offering from French car makers Citroen and it’s a replacement for the old C3 and inspirationally, it’s called C3 also.
I would love you to keep reading this, as I have a lot to say about the C3, but equally importantly, a lot to say about the Citroen brand, which whilst a household name in the UK, is a brand that perhaps many of us have never owned and I want to change that by getting you to look at a Citroen the next time you change your car.
I guess the first thing I want to say is that since C1 was released back in 2005, we haven’t driven a Citroen that we didn’t like and that includes, C4, C5, C6, the Picasso’s and most recently the new Berlingo and Nemo vans.
In the last 5 years, Citroen have simply raised the bar with every new model they have launched and they are definitely one of today’s most innovative and forward thinking car manufacturers, and are at the forefront of developing green technology that not only gives the planet a bit of a breather, but also pays me and you back in terms of lower fuel costs.
Strangely, however one thing Citroen haven’t shouted enough about is their success in the World Rally Championship, where 2009 saw them win the overall championship as manufacturer for a staggering fifth time in just 7 years and that’s even more impressive when you think they took a year out to develop the C4 into a rally car.
OK, lets get back to the job in hand a take a look at the delightful new C3 and please remember, its an all new car, not a facelift.
The C3 is what’s referred to as a super-mini, its available only in 5dr version and it sits in the very competitive B segment of the market place alongside competition such as Corsa, Clio, 207, Fiesta & Polo so it will have to be good to survive amongst that company and I have to tell you, based upon the work we’ve done with the car already, we are mighty impressed and we think this new car is going to appeal to a whole new audience, as frankly, it’s a pretty desirable little thing.
If you know what an old C3 looks like, and you should, because Citroen sold over 2 Million of them world wide, you are going to recognise the roots of this new car, as Citroen haven’t just dumped the core values of the old C3, they’ve built on them and because of that, there is a resemblance to the old car, even if the new one is smarter, sportier and more edgy and of course, much much prettier than its predecessor. The new look is underpinned by the gaping front grill, the incisive boomerang-shaped headlights and emphatically drawn wings, which help to give new C3 its purposeful, low-slung stance, but most importantly, the new C3 looks well built, it has a look of quality about it, as if corners haven’t been cut to save a few quid.
The first thing that your going to notice about the new C3 is the windscreen, for unlike normal cars, it extends way into the roofline (Citroen call it the “Zenith” windscreen) and sitting in the front of the car is initially a weird experience as the screen goes way above your head, then add to that the C3’s slim side pillars you really do feel a bit like you are on display or in a goldfish bowl, but don’t worry, that lasts only a few minutes, as after driving a few miles in the car, you start asking yourself why every car isn’t like this, because it really is a nice feature.
Citroen like to call this new driving experience “Visiodrive” and do you know, I think they are probably right, it is an experience, for there’s always been a low windscreen line on cars and even an open top convertible gets a bar across the top of the screen, whereas the new C3, its clear right from bonnet height to way over your head. So what does that do? It means you are not looking through a letterbox anymore, but looking ahead almost as if there isn’t a screen at all and do you know what, you notice it most is when you get back into a conventional car as you immediately feel restricted, confined, and even claustrophobic. To highlight the difference, on the average small 5dr car, the angle from the driver’s eye line to the top of the screen is around 28 degrees, in the C3 it’s a massive 108 degrees. I really think this is a fabulous selling point for the new C3 as once potential customers have driven the car and experienced just how nice the big windscreen is, I can understand them ordering the new C3 based on that feature only.
Citroen have taken some care over the cars interior as well, benchmarking the new C3 to the cars from the segment above and fitting a higher quality interior in the new C3 than might be expected in a car of this class and I have to say, I think it works as inside the car, has a real quality feel about it with the use of chrome and piano black trim and very nice fabrics, and soft touch plastic where possible. During our tests, we checked out all of the four trim levels and there was nothing we were unhappy about, and nothing we didn’t like.
A cars dashboard is important for both drivers and passengers who spend most of any journey staring at it, so its important that its interesting and attractive and Citroen deliver the goods here as well with a real blend of chic styling and high-tech appeal. The C3’s two analogue dials and LED display are easy to read and easy to live with and the dash is finished off with either a brushed steel, or chrome strip which runs the full width of the car. Even at night, the new C3 impresses with the use of interior mood lighting creating a warm and welcoming night time driving atmosphere.
Another thing you notice inside the new C3, or perhaps I should say, you don’t notice, is noise, as the new C3 comes with some of the best soundproofing in its class, dramatically reducing mechanical and road noise and it makes the C3’s interior a calm and peaceful place to be and to put that into some perspective, the old C3 had interior noise levels of 155 dm², whilst the new car produces only 48dm².
In terms of space, Citroen brag that the new C3 has one of the most generous cabins in its class in terms of occupant space and load volume and they achieve that by clever design giving both front and rear passengers more legroom and it is really impressive even for an over weight 6 footer like me. Another thing that I found very attractive is the provision of places to put things, as so many cars seem to neglect this now days, but not in the new C3 as its got bits all over the place ranging from the front and rear door pockets, compartments in both the central fascia and central armrest, along with a handy sliding drawer beneath the front passenger seat (handy for hiding things away from the wife).
Boot space isn’t sacrificed to achieve the cars roomy interior either, as it’s the biggest in its class, with a 300-litre capacity, a low loading height and nice touches such as lashing rings to tie your load down. Of course, you can increase the load area significantly by folding the 60:40 split rear seats down and with the new C3 its an easy one hand job and can be done from either within the car, or in the boot. Once the seats are down, you can load boxes up to 1029 x 1189 x 689mm in size.
So far, we know the view from the C3’s windscreen is fantastic, we know the car has plenty of room and we know it’s comfortable and we know that even in the day, or in the night, the ambience of the cabin makes it a nice place to be, oh and don’t forget, its pretty quiet as well. So you think Citroen had done enough pandering to your senses, well no. They missed one and that’s smell and to put that right the car comes with an integrated air-freshener which allows you to choose from a range of perfumes and a system which will continually diffuse a light fragrance into the passenger compartment via the air vents and maintain a fresh and pleasant aroma, which you have to admit, is a little touch of luxury.
Before we leave the cars interior, let’s take a quick look at the techy bits. The new C3 is available with Citroën’s integrated MyWay widescreen colour satellite navigation system, as well as Bluetooth® and USB connectivity for portable media players. The new C3 also benefits from a six-speaker audio system, with the availability of a new eight-speaker Hi-Fi system for concert theatre-like sound quality.
As with every new Citroen and to be honest, most every other car, safety isn’t ignored and the new C3 comes with all that’s expected on a modern car such as a reinforced body structure and all models are fitted as standard with front ventilated disc brakes and ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and EBA (Emergency Braking Assistance). Providing even more assured handling in low-grip conditions, ESP is also available on certain models. From the VTR+ trim level, all models are specified as standard with six airbags (driver, front passenger, front lateral and curtain), and for the secure fitment of child seats, all models are equipped with two Isofix mountings on the rear side seats.
The new C3 offers a choice of four petrol power-plants - two of which were co-developed with BMW - plus three of Citroen’s critically acclaimed HDi diesels. With combined cycle fuel economy of up to 48.7mpg for petrol models, and up to 74.3mpg on diesel versions and there will also be a special edition Airdream+ 1.6HDi 90hp, which emits just 99g/km of CO2.
The new C3 will be offered in Citroën’s three core trim levels - VT, VTR+ and Exclusive - along with the Special Edition Airdream+
On the road, the combination of comfortable seating position, nice trims and fabrics, a very quiet interior and the stunning windscreen make the C3 a nice place to be. We tried 3 of the engines and frankly, it’s all down to choice, as they all do the job really well. The cars ride was smooth no matter what the road surface, the handling was crisp and precise and the steering was responsive and being honest, I can’t really think of anything that the car didn’t do well.
The ‘on-sale’ date in the UK is 15th January 2010 and prices (including VAT @ 17.5%), start at just £10,790 for the entry-level 1.1i 8V 61hp VT petrol, rising to £16,140 for the range-topping 1.6HDi 110hp 6-speed manual Exclusive. At the heart of the range and offering an excellent balance of value and equipment, VTR+ models start at £12,690 for the petrol versions and £13,790 for the HDi-powered equivalent.
For a quotation on the new Citroen C3 or any other Citroen, please contact us. |
