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Citroen C3 2003 review

On a walk through an inner-city carpark you'd never mistake the C3 for a vanilla-flavoured Japanese price fighter.

And Citroen says it's already getting plenty of interest in the first baby car it has landed in Australia since the company began an international fightback.

It took the French carmaker far too long to make the trip, as Peugeot has been battling with the babies since its 205 came out in the 1980s, and even Renault has mounted a revival over the past two years.

We expected the C3 midway through last year, but it didn't hit showrooms until December.

The engine isn't as perky as we'd like and the price jumped from the original sub-$17,000 target to $19,990. That's the same as several cars, including the Volkswagen Polo, which is one of the C3's rivals. It would have been more attractive for a few thousand less.

The C3 also has to run up against the super-impressive Mazda2 and the trendy Honda Jazz, as well as a bunch of $19,990 bargain cars including the ageing-but-solid Mazda 323 and a Nissan Pulsar with a fresh 1.8-litre engine.

But Citroen isn't worried.

It knows the baby C3 has a special flavour that's going to be appreciated by a growing number of Australians.

The car is about the same size as a Hyundai Getz, but with a bubble body.

It's a four-door design with nice features, from the over-sized tail lamps to the Citroen chevron logo.

The Australian importer has done a good job on standard-equipment, fitting even the basic SX with remote central locking, front power windows, power steering and airconditioning.

The rest of the range will grow to include the Exclusive, complete with anti-skid brakes and velour trim from $20,990, while the automatic flagship gets the Exclusive gear with automatic airconditioning and rain-sensing wipers for $22,990.

The mechanical package is a basic small-car combination, with a 1.4-litre engine, five-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension and semi-independent suspension at the back with a torsion-beam axle to maximise carrying space.

The engine is nothing special -- and definitely not against the Jazz -- and makes only 57kW of power. The torque is only 115Nm, and it arrives relatively late at 3300 revs.

But most Citroen shoppers are going to be looking at the car first, and there is plenty to get them interested.

The cabin is attractive, with a digital speedometer, plenty of storage space, including a lift-up bin at the top of the dash, and colourful trim on the seats and plastic parts.

Some people will see the final finishing work on the Citroen as a bit sub-standard, at least by Japanese standards, and there are more gaps than you'd expect in a Mazda, Honda or Toyota. But that's more a reflection of French design than any shortcomings on the assembly line.

The back end has a huge hatch and some clever storage nooks, but the folding seat doesn't go completely flat and that's a disappointment after the Mazda2 and Jazz.

The C3 is well-equipped with CD sound, the airconditioning and electric bits, as well as twin front airbags.

On the road

The C3 looks terrific and is a nice little car. It copes with Australian roads and has more personality and appeal than the VW Polo.

It's not as well-rounded as the Mazda2, or as hip-hop as the Honda Jazz, but it gets close to the front-runners and just squeaks into the four-star squad.

The 1.4-litre engine is ordinary and we're looking forward to the arrival of its 1.6-litre brother. We originally hated the engine because it needs a lot of gear lever rowing to get it moving, but then we learned something exciting.

The C3 has to be driven without thinking about fourth or fifth until you're clear of 60km/h limits.

That's a contrast to all the big sellers in Australia, which rely on bottom-end torque to get rolling and allow you to click early into fifth for quiet and economical cruising.

We decided to push the C3, keeping it above the 3300 rev torque peak at all times, after discovering it turns only 2750 revs at 100km/h in top gear. That's incredibly long legs for a little car, and the gearing could do with shortening for the stoplight sprints in Australia. The motor feels pretty flat, even when you encourage the odd-looking strip tacho towards the red line, but it gets along all right and returns fantastic fuel economy.

Our average of 6.9 litres/100km was easily the best of the small cars we've tested in recent times, even edging out the frugal Honda Jazz.

The seats are comfy, vision is great and the electric power assistance makes parking a dream.

You don't have to rely on engine revs to maintain the assistance, which means you can wind on full lock at zero revs and slip into the smallest spots.

The suspension is fantastic, coping easily with the roughest roads, and the handling is point-and-go easy. It doesn't have enough power to get into trouble, but the balance is good. It also stops well and has good headlamps, as well as plenty of storage.

It developed a couple of small squeaks, but they would have been easy to find and fix. Even so, it's a reminder that French carmakers still don't build to Japanese standards.

Pricing guides

$4,015
Based on third party pricing data
Lowest Price
$2,640
Highest Price
$5,390

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
SX 80th Anniversary 1.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $2,640 – 4,070 2003 Citroen C3 2003 SX 80th Anniversary Pricing and Specs
SX 1.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $2,640 – 4,070 2003 Citroen C3 2003 SX Pricing and Specs
Exclusive 1.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $2,640 – 4,070 2003 Citroen C3 2003 Exclusive Pricing and Specs
Panoramique 1.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $2,640 – 4,070 2003 Citroen C3 2003 Panoramique Pricing and Specs
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication.  Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.