Citroen C3 vs Holden Barina
What's the difference?

Citroen C3

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2023 price

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Holden Barina

$6,534 - $14,996

2018 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2023 Citroen C3

2018 Holden Barina

By James Cleary

By Matt Campbell

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.2L

Inline 4, 1.6L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.2L/100km (combined)

6.6L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Equipment
Design
Space efficiency

LT looks cool
Good headroom
Decent boot

Dislikes

Price
Sub-par refinement
Ownership costs

Not fun to drive
Underwhelming engine
Feeling its age

2023 Citroen C3 Summary

You’re a city dweller on the hunt for a small hatch, but the usual suspects just don’t do it for you. Time for a trip down the urban road less travelled.

The Citroen C3 fits the bill in terms of scale, but brings something extra when it comes to personality. A fun-sized European with the ability to surprise and delight.

It comes at a price, though. So, is the promise of some extra excitement in your motoring life worth it? Read on to find out.

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2018 Holden Barina Summary

The Holden Barina is a nameplate that is arguably better known than many of the others in the company’s line-up. It has been around longer than Trax, Equinox, Colorado, Trailblazer, Spark… in fact, longer than everything but Astra and Commodore.

The current-generation Barina itself has been around for a while, too: it launched way back in 2012, and it’s fair to say the market has moved on a long way since then. But so has the Barina, following a refresh late in 2016 - and it remains one of the roomier offerings in the segment, and one of the keener-priced cars, too.

In fact, it managed to run eighth in terms of sales in the declining light-car segment in 2017… and yet, with nearly 4000 cars sold, there are still plenty of people interested in the Barina model.

So, does it still stack up?

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Deep dive comparison

2023 Citroen C3 2018 Holden Barina

Verdict

The Citroen C3’s plus column contains some big ticket items like a solid standard equipment list, design flair, generous interior space, an eager engine, good safety and a comfy suspension. However, the minus side of the ledger isn’t exactly empty, with entries like steep price, marginal perceived quality, poor cabin storage, sub-par refinement, okay economy, and high ownership costs.

But there’s no doubt this car delivers a different, adventurous take on the city-sized hatch, and for you, that alone may count for more than any of those things.

Verdict

Would I recommend you buy a 2018 Holden Barina? In a word, no. There are better light cars out there for close to the money - cars that are more modern, more sophisticated, more refined, more efficient and better equipped.

At this point in time the Barina still has its place - if you just need a cheap set of wheels, I guarantee you will be able to score a good deal. But if it were me, and it was my money - but I had to buy a Holden - I’d be checking out the slightly smaller Spark (and saving a few bucks in the meantime) or trying to stretch the budget to the larger Astra.

Citroen C3 vs Holden Barina What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Citroen C3 vs Holden Barina
What's the difference?