With boxy styling and an electric option, the new C3 is the definition of cheap and cheerful.
How cheap? Citroen’s just revealed that the petrol C3 will start from £17,790, and the electric e-C3 will start from £21,990. At the time of writing, a petrol C3 undercuts a petrol Vauxhall Corsa by about £700, and the e-C3 is roughly £4,000 less than a Corsa Electric.
Both petrol and electric versions of the C3 come in Plus trim, which includes a 10-inch touchscreen with AI-integrated voice recognition, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Hill-start assist, cruise control and a lane-departure warning system are among the standard safety features. The e-C3 is also available in a higher-spec Max trim for £23,690, with a reversing camera, privacy glass, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.
The petrol C3 features Citroen’s excellent 1.2-litre PureTech engine with 100hp, which should return more than 50mpg in careful driving. A hybrid engine will join the lineup later in the year.
Electric versions come with a 44kWh battery for a 199-mile range and a 113hp motor; 0-62mph takes 11 seconds, which isn’t exactly fast but is plenty for a car that’s primarily designed for urban and suburban driving. Charging from 20-80% on a home wallbox takes just over four hours, and 100kW fast-charging capability enables a 26-minute topup from a public charger.
As with the outgoing model, the C3 is all about comfort. You get Citroen’s foamy ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats and soft suspension to ride out speedbumps and potholes. The press bumf says these give a ‘magic carpet’ ride quality. The C3 looks like an SUV and you get the ride height to match – the seating position is 10cm higher than the supermini average, making it easier to get in and out.
The new C3 is bigger and roomier than its predecessor, and has a competitive 310-litre boot.
Inside, the C3 gets a driver’s display that’s somewhere between a digital instrument cluster and a head-up display, showing you all the main driving info without you having to look down behind the steering wheel. The design of the interior is based on a lounge feel, with soft fabrics and a wide fascia.
Six paint colours are available, along with three exterior ‘clips’ that can be red, yellow or white to give a pop of contrast.
Orders open for the e-C3 in July, with the petrol C3 following in September.
Seek out your Citroen
Browse our cool range of used Citroen C3 cars for sale or read our review of the current Citroen C3.
