THREE STYLING (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_citroenc3_2021

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 58

Citroen's third generation C3 supermini got a wash 'n brush-up in 2020, with a slightly smarter looks, comfier seats and extra personalisation options. It's still one of the most comfort-orientated small cars you can buy from this period too. Ultimately, there's nothing really revolutionary on offer here, but as a complete and highly personalisable package, it's desirably different.

Modelsword count: 12

5dr Supermini (Petrol - 1.2 [82,110hp] / Diesel - 1.5 BlueHDi [100hp])

Historyword count: 412

Citroën knows a thing or two about small family cars, especially those with a dash or two of character. Which is probably why the C3 supermini has long been one of the brand's best selling models. This third generation version arrived in 2016, before being substantially updated in the Spring of 2020 to create the car we're going to look at here. It had a bit of heritage to live up to. Here, after all, is the marque that over sixty years ago, brought us the iconic 2CV, a model which established its maker as an innovator, an embracer of technology and a brand in tune with the fickle finger of fashion. More recent products struggled to live up to that lineage but this one, this third generation C3 supermini, proved to be a little more charismatic than its two rather forgettable predecessors, the MK1 C3 of 2002 and the MK2 version of 2009. And Citroen was duly rewarded with over 750,000 orders by 2020, a figure that positioned this car fifth in the European supermini segment by the time of this updated model's launch. And boosted overall C3 sales to over 4.5 million. Which to some extent was surprising, given that by 2020, both under the skin and under the bonnet, much of the engineering of this car was over a decade old. It shared powerplants with the latest versions of its Stellantis Group supermini cousins, the Peugeot 208 and the Vauxhall Corsa, but it lacked their sophisticated CMP platform, this third generation C3 model persisting with an ancient PF1 chassis dating back to its MK2 predecessor. This was also why in 2020 a C3 still couldn't be ordered with any kind of engine electrification. It couldn't be had with the latest and most sophisticated camera and radar safety tech for the same reason. Citroen though, realised that a lack of engineering sophistication needn't hold this car back. It sold this model to its younger audience on the back of other virtues - a cheeky look with trendy 'Airbumps' at the side, a soft ride and an affordable price. To these attributes, this revised model added visual tweaks, far greater scope for personalisation, a wider range of 'Connected' media features and the option of cossetting 'Advanced Comfort' seats. It was also very affordable to buy, particularly in the budget-price base-spec 'You!' form announced in 2021. The MK3 C3 sold until Summer 2024, when it was replaced by a fourth generation design.

What You Getword count: 423

By 2020, Citroen models were at last starting to look unique and different once more. Which is just as well here because stylistic design is now the number one reason for purchasing in the supermini segment. Differences with this updated post-2020 version of the third generation C3 lay in the adoption across the range of full-LED headlights, into which the lower chrome bar extends, to give the front end something of the style of the brand's C4 hatch of this period. Perhaps most notably, C3 buyers still got the biggest talking point of the original M3 design - side 'Airbumps', which from new could be had with red, emerald or white coloured inserts and which could be done without for new buyers who didn't like them. The design of the interior is anything but dull. The designer luggage-themed over-stitched door pulls for example; the retro-style instrument dial graphics; the intricately-fashioned chrome-trimmed vents; the door bins with their unusual contrast-coloured interiors; there's even a 'reverse Airbump' theme happening on the doors and the speaker grilles. It all attempts to continue the cheery demeanour established before you got in. Changes to this revised model included a glossier finish for the central 7-inch infotainment screen, which was standard with 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring and also gained a little lower ledge to rest your finger on. And, on the top-spec model, you get cossetting 'Advanced Comfort' seats, which are fitted out with lumbar support and an armrest and are created using thickened fabric and special foam that can be up to 15mm thick. Once you're inside at the rear, it's quickly evident that this isn't one of the more spacious superminis in the segment. Citroen thought that the rear leg space on offer here put this C3 amongst the class leaders; we wouldn't agree. The room on offer will be fine for kids of course, but adults stuck behind reasonably tall compatriots up-front may well struggle a little when it comes to room for their legs and knees. But then how often is it really necessary to transport burly adults for any real distance in a supermini? Almost never. For the role that a car like this will typically be asked to play in an average family, what's provided here will, for most buyers, be probably quite sufficient. And the boot? Well lift the tailgate and after the relative restrictions of the rear seat, it's something of a surprise to find that the 300-litre space provided is one of the larger cargo bays in the supermini segment.

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