Citroen DS3 Cabrio 2014 review

Mini has forged a tidy niche for its iconically styled cars but Citroen wants a slice of the action with the two-door DS3 Cabriolet. It's a cute and cuddly light car with a truckload of style and in the case of the Sport test car, surprising performance and handling characteristics.

The DS3 Cabrio is a mix of old-school and new-tech with an electric vinyl roof harking back decades while the engine is the latest from PSA and last year, won international engine of the year in its category.

Style

But the DS3 Cabrio is all about style and making an impression and with looks like this and the open top, the diminutive frog really nails the brief. The roof takes only 16 seconds to open at speeds up to 120km/h. The model has been around for some time but was recently upgraded with a revised face, powertrain and interior features.

Engine

Explore the 2014 Citroen DS3 range

• Citroen DS3 Cabrio 2014 review
• Citroen DS3 2014 review

Plenty of kick is delivered by the 1.6-litre turbo petrol four cylinder with direct fuel injection. It's rated at 115kW/240Nm plenty for a car this size and drives the front wheels through a sweet shifting six speed manual gearbox. It's grunty from low revs and smooth in operation complementing the subdued growl from the exhaust. Fuel economy is rated at 5.9 litres/100km on 95 octane.

Inside

Interior kit is generous and includes a centre pod with connectivity and drive info' along with satnav and other useful features. There's a ceiling mounted switch array and unusually shaped instrument pod in front of the driver. The roof lining itself is substantial and insulated with three layers. We really like the 3D tail lights that seem to disappear up a tunnel into the rear of the car. And the front LED daytime running lights have a similarly hypnotic effect.

Driving

But it's the drive feel that really appeals in the DS3 Cabrio apart from the attractive styling. It's a fun machine offering flat cornering and a supple ride, sporty steering and strong brakes. Though not as powerful as the Peugeot 208 GTI with which it shares an engine (in different tune), the DS is quite a handy device when you put the foot down.

Citroen has always been a leader in ride quality and that flows through in the DS3 Cabrio. Perhaps the only complaint on our initial drive of the car is the parallelogram boot lid which makes boot access challenging. The boot is a decent size though. DS3 Cabrio Sport manual is $32,990. If you want an auto, that would be the four-speed Style variant at $30,990.