The new Citroen C3 has hit South Africa with a bang, coming in at R229,900 which is around R76,000 less than the outgoing C3

So what is the Citroen C3, it’s a compact hatch back from the renowned automaker which has been on the market for a few years.

Unfortunately, the Citroen C3 is not one of South Africa’s best sellers, but at the latest price point it will most probably turn the tables a bit.

Even though the Citroen C3 is a hatchback, the design is SUV inspired. It also gives the consumer that slightly raised ride-height which you would get from a compact crossover.

The new Citroen C3 is far more spacious than the outgoing model and includes “completely customizable” seating, “superb” elbow and knee space for all occupants, more than adequate back seat headroom, a large glove box and large centre console area, large front door pockets, and a respectable 315 liters of boot space.

The Citroen C3 overall is a solid vehicle but there are unfortunately a lot of hard plastics inside the cabin. It is however textured in such a way that it does not feel cheap

On the tech side it is on par with most in the segment, you get 10 inch infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Citroen C3 however has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay which you don’t always get as standard, many manufacturers has the “wired” systems available.

The Driver gets a 7 inch digital display where there is an abundance of data available. The multifunction steering wheel is height and rake adjustable to get you into that perfect driving position.

Other basic features includes auto door-locking when you drive off, reverse park assist, ABS, EBD.

Funny how times have changed, in this modern age the consumers are more interested in Tech than performance. I am still a bit old school and prefer to still enquire about the performance figures, so her it is: the Citroen C3 gets a 1.2 naturally aspirated, 3 cylinder, petrol engine which is good for 61kW and 115Nm and a manual transmission only at this stage. This translates to around 5.5 litres per 100km on the mixed driving cycle.

Yes the little 1.2 might sound a bit underpowered, but the power delivery is acceptable and is more than enough for urban driving.

Lastly for all your hard earned cash you also get a 5 Year / 100,000km warranty and a 2 Year / 30,000km service plan.

So who would be the target market for the Citroen C3.

Well in my opinion it makes a great car for small families, students and pensioners.

In general a good allrounder at a budget, without having to sacrifice on safety, space and looks

MurrayOnCars in proud association with CHANGECARS