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Citroen C3 review 2024
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Quick overview

  • Smooth ride
  • Comfy seats
  • Build quality
  • Low running costs
  • Entry model sparsely equipped
  • Tight rear legroom
  • Mediocre to drive
  • Underwhelming infotainment set-up

Citroen is a car maker happy to choose its own path rather than following fashion, often going in a very different direction to others. Of course, the French firm has plenty of form with zigging when everyone else is zagging, and the C3 is all the better for the original thinking that has gone its styling and design. It not only makes this car stand out in a busy part of the car market, it also gives drivers a distinct option when choosing which small car they want.

Citroen has focused much of its attention on making the C3 as comfortable as possible in the way it drives and for the two people in the front seats. Rear seat space is more restricted, though it works for children so it’s not a major problem for many of those who opt for this model. Even so, space up front is good and the C3’s 300-litre boot is good for this size of car.

If you avoid the entry-level model of Citroen C3, you’ll also find this car comes with a good amount of standard equipment. It can even be had with an integrated dash camera, which is a useful feature if you spend a lot of time driving in town or on congested roads where a collision is more likely. Citroen has also greatly improved the build quality of its supermini with this generation of C3, which is very welcome.

There are three engines to choose from with the C1. A pair of 1.2-litre turbo petrols are on offer with 83- or 110hp, while the 1.5-litre turbodiesel comes with 100hp. The more powerful petrol motor is also offered with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes, while the other engines make do with five-speed manual transmissions.

Prices

The Citroen C3 range starts with the YOU! trim that costs from £12,995, making it one of the most affordable new superminis on the market. It’s followed by the Sense trim that starts at £16,780, so it’s quite a jump to upgrade to this higher spec model. Then there’s the C-Series Edition for £17,480 and the Elle that begins at £18,630. Next is the Shine model with prices from £16,995, and the line-up it capped by the Shine Plus starting at £19,430. If you shop around, you should be able to save up to £2000 on the price of a new C3. An alternative option is to look for a nearly new model, which should save you about the same for a car with less than 5000 miles on the clock. A three-year old Citroen C3 with average mileage will cost from around £9000 depending on trim and engine.

Infotainment, comfort and practicality

Citroen has a clear idea of what it wants to offer in the C3, and that is comfort. Where other superminis try to be sporty or high tech, the C3 is the one to choose if you value seats that provide plenty of support and a well-cushioned feel. The large, flat panels of the front seats might not look it at first glance, but they do hold you well and keep you from aches and pains. It’s a shame you have to look further up the trim levels to get standard lumbar adjustment, but moving the seats for height, back angle and legroom is all very straightforward and gives a decent driving position. The steering wheel adjusts for height and reach. However, the limited space to the left of the clutch pedal in cars with a manual gearbox that forces your left foot into a slightly awkward position.

The main dash instruments directly in front of the driver are all easy to read and clearly presented. There’s also a decent amount of storage in the door pockets, though they are long and narrow, while more storage is offered in a tray in front of the gear lever and the small glovebox.

Funky air vents in the dash add to the stylish feel of the Citroen C3’s cabin, and there’s a 7.0-inch touchscreen to operate the infotainment in all but the base model, which makes do with a basic 5.0-inch black-and-white screen rather than the large colour version used in other C3s. This basic monitor does what’s asked of it, but the larger one is a far better choice. It works with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and it comes with DAB radio and six speakers. The top of the line Shine Plus trim comes with sat-nav includes, as well as the option of that integrated ConnectedCam dash camera.

For those who find themselves travelling in the rear of the Citroen C3, adults will be relieved if those in the front seats are not above average height. If they are and the front seats are pushed further back, it has a knock-on effect on the amount of rear legroom available and it’s a tight squeeze for most grown-ups. Kids, on the other hand, won’t have a problem and there are Isofix mounts on the two outer seats. Carrying three abreast in the C3 is possible, but it’s squash even with a trio of kids.

The boot of the C3 is a reasonable size for the supermini sector at 300-litres with the back seats in use. You can split the rear seats 60-40, though they don’t fold completely flat. With the seats tumbled down, there’s a maximum of 992-litres of cargo capacity.

Which 2017 Citroen C3 model should you buy?

The entry-point Citroen C3 YOU! comes with 15-inch steel wheels and LED lights front and back. It has cruise control with speed limiter, and lane departure warning. You also get electric front windows, air conditioning, and a 5.0-inch black-and-white infotainment screen. Move to the Sense trim and you gain 16-inch wheels, automatic air conditioning, and the 7.0-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system. The C-Series Edition has a unique roof sticker and 16-inch alloy wheels, while the Elle comes with 17-inch alloys. Front foglights are part of the Shine trim, as well as 16-inch alloy rims. Move to the Shine Plus and you get sat-nav, leather steering wheel, and the Safety Pack 2 with collision alert, autonomous braking, and driver fatigue warning. The Shine Plus also has the Citroen Connect Box Emergency and Assistance system to call the rescue services automatically in the event of a collision.

Value for money: how much does a 2017 Citroen C3 cost to buy and run?

Running a Citroen C3 should not be too onerous thanks to 54.3mpg combined economy and 123g/km carbon dioxide emissions for the 83hp 1.2 petrol engine. The more powerful 110hp petrol serves up 54.5mpg and identical emissions with its six-speed manual gearbox, while the automatic gearbox model comes with 50.8mpg combined consumption and 133g/km emissions. The diesel averages 70.6mpg and 113g/km CO2 output. Insurance won’t onerous as the C3 range resides from gourp 1- to 21, depending on trim level and engine choice.

Verdict: Should I buy a 2017 Citroen C3?

If comfort is a key priority for you, the Citroen C3 should be at or very near the top of your shortlist of superminis to consider. It soaks up everything that badly pitted surfaces can throw at, and the Citroen’s seats are also very well padded and supportive. It’s a pity the car isn’t a little more refined at higher speeds as it makes a very useful long-distance machine in most respects, particularly with the excellent fuel economy of the diesel engine for those who cover above average mileages.

The flipside of the C3’s comfort bias is the handling is only average for the class, though that’s still decent in a sector where there are so many talented machines. What you do need to pay close attention to is which engine and gearbox combination works best for you, and which trim level you opt for as there’s quite an array. However, avoid the entry-point model and you get a decent level of standard equipment.