The French like to do things differently and the C5 Aircross is a good example, being the first launch from Citroen in India. However, this is the car that will land Citroen within the mainstream stage and it is, of course, the C3. We have been waiting for the C3 for a long time and the car would be launched on the 20th of next month while pre-bookings would start from the 1st. A rain-soaked Goa was the place where we had the turbo model to ourselves for the better part of a day.


In many ways, Goa proved to be a perfect backdrop to the cool and funky C3. You might be wondering whether it is an SUV or a hatchback? Citroen is calling it a premium hatchback but with 180mm ground clearance it seems more like a raised crossover to us. Whatever it might be, the C3 is surely one of the best-looking cars in its class in terms of overall proportions. It does not look like a squashed SUV or a hatchback raised uncomfortably like some of its rivals do. 




The front-end is the most talked-about bit and this is where it gets the most attention from. The large Citroen logo is distinctive and finished in chrome while the DRLs are nicely blended in with the grille. You will find halogen lamps below that and a skid plate. With the C3 you can personalize the look with numerous colour schemes including dual-tone ones while the orange accents on the bumper to the roof along with the mirrors add another nice touch. The car we drove had 15-inch wheels but not alloys as those are optional via accessories.


We also like the SUV-like side view with the raised stance and the coloured accents further make it good looking while the same can be said for the hatchback-like rear styling. If anything, the door handles seem to be the only thing we do not like about this design.




While Citroen is insisting that it is not an SUV, the door opens big and wide plus getting in/out is not an issue. The interior, much like the exterior is cool and youthful while you can change the colour on the dashboard to a grey one while we do like this bit of orange here. The quality is the big highlight as it feels better built than some of its expected rivals. 


The aircon vents for example are very well finished while the dashboard feels sturdy. There are no cheap bits in the cabin. Another talking point is the big 10-inch screen and the fact that you get wireless smartphone connectivity. The touchscreen is well designed and is easy to use so full marks there.




Then there is a fully digital instrument cluster while the screen is a bit small with only a minimal amount of information being shown. There are steering controls too on one side. While the cabin quality surprised us in being quite well made, the controversial bit is the lack of automatic climate control even on the top-end trim. It gets a manual AC and along with that, there is no rear camera instead you get rear parking sensors.


In fact, there is a bit of a cost-cutting in terms of features with only dual airbags, no wireless charging, rear wiper, or connected car tech along with a manual adjuster for mirrors. That said you do get fast charging ports at the front and rear along with a decent-sounding 4-speaker audio system. The AC also cooled down the cabin quite well despite no rear ac vents.




Space is impressive and here the C3 beats its expected rivals. The rear seats are spacious while you sit up with a large window line which further makes it feel spacious. There is enough space for even tall persons while it is more of a spacious four-seater with a small central tunnel limiting space for the middle passenger. Then again, there are fixed headrests and there is none for the middle passenger too. The boot space at 315l is decent for its class and there are a number of storage spaces in the car.


You would be able to get the C3 with either a 1.2 l standard naturally aspirated petrol or the more powerful 1.2 l turbo petrol. We chose the powerful turbo version for our drive and the figures show that it easily beats other SUVs or hatchbacks for sheer power! The engine makes 110 hp and 190 Nm along with a promise of 0-100 km/h in just 10 seconds. That is seriously quick and that shows when you drive it.




The engine has been tuned well and the huge amount of torque means in the city you can drive it like an automatic as 3rd gear is more than enough. I also liked the small size yet the visibility is SUV-like along with the driving position. With such power, you like how effortless it is and how quick it is in the city for overtakes or even cruising. 


With this engine, the rest of the car copes up with this quite well and the efficiency should be around 12 kmpl in the city while the official figure is near 20 kmpl. The suspension is another highlight with the C3 gobbling up bad roads quite well and having the toughness of an SUV. It feels sturdier and the 180 mm ground clearance is also handy for our roads. The suspension is tuned for our roads and it shows as it is less firm than rivals.




The C3 overall is an interesting car as it is a genre-bending automobile that takes the best of an SUV and a hatchback. There would be many accessories available at launch and there would be 3 packs with accessories bundled together too. Citroen will also increase its network to supplement this car. We think the C3 is one of the more impressive hatchbacks/SUV combos in terms of its looks/space and the engine/driving manners.




The cool looks and the performance stands out for us along with its suspension. It does, however, lack some features and that is its biggest drawback along with having no automatic yet. However, with its expected aggressive pricing, the C3 should be high on your shortlist for a no-nonsense comfortable/well-made family car. 




What we like- Looks, performance, space, suspension


What we do not like- no automatic gearbox, lacks some features


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