Citroën C3 1,4 HDi road test

The huge amount of headroom creates a sense of spaciousness in the front of which M. Boulanger doubtless would have approved. However, there is very little leg room in the rear.
Whether M. Boulanger would consider the C3 to be a “new 2CV” (as some of the media have described it) is not a moot point. It is not a replacement for the 2CV. Yes, it serves a not dissimilar role inasmuch as it is very economical and yes, from some angles its shape is reminiscent of that of the 2CV but that is as far as it goes. Where the 2CV was very light, the C3 is not. Where the 2CV offered superb ride comfort, rivalled only by hydropneumatic suspension systems, the C3 is rock hard in a way that is all too familiar to anyone who has driven a German car. The basket of eggs would have been turned into an omelette had I tried driving across a ploughed field. Where the 2CV’s styling was born out of practicality, the C3 is modern retro-chic. Where the 2CV could be maintained by anyone with a set of spanners, a can of castor oil and a hammer, the C3 requires electronic diagnostic gear. And although the C3 currently occupies a position towards the bottom of Citroën’s range, the role of entry level car will be occupied by the forthcoming C2.

As with all the other modern Citroëns I have driven recently, I think it is a very competent car. It has distinctive looks, it handles superbly, it is economical, the electronics are unobtrusive and the controls are easy to use. But it leaves me cold. The missing ingredients appear to be ride comfort and passion. Given the Gallic reputation for passion, this omission is surprising. It appears to me that whereas the C5 is the best American car that Citroën has built since the 1930s, the C3 is the best German car that the company has built.
My thanks to Southgate Citroën for the loan of the car and to Jeff Colmer of Totally 2CV in Romsey for permission to photograph the C3 alongside some 2CVs.