DS

DS3/DS3 Cabrio

The DS3 is no ordinary car – it’s a fantastic hatchback with looks, performance and gadgetry to match.
Boasting dynamic lines, this car is guaranteed to turn heads and bring out the green-eyed monster in the calmest of onlookers and drivers are sure to notch up miles of fun-packed motoring in this little beauty.

Test Drive

DS 3 Prestige BlueDHi 120 S&S 6-speed manual (2016)

We Brits love something a little bit special so when Citroen launched its snazzy DS 3 model complete with shark fin and floating roof back in 2010, we snapped up the chance to drive the stylish and charismatic Parisian supermini.

In fact, with 390,000 customers succumbing to its charm, the UK is the leading market for the hip and funky car.

So, when the DS Automobiles brand became independent from Citroen two years ago, we waited with bated breath to see just how the car could be improved upon any further. And those French designers have not let us down.

Long gone are any indication or reference to Citroen – there is not a chevron in sight. In their place are distinctive DS design cues that we have seen on recently launched DS 4 and DS 5 models. There is what the company describes as DS Wings that are sculpted around a vertically-oriented grille that proudly shows off the DS emblem. The grille has a chrome surround and extends to the LED headlights and fog lamps via two chrome finished wings.

But fear not, the original DS 3 design DNA is still there to see with the striking floating roof, two-tone body and roof colours and shark fins on the sides. The likes of 3D-effect rear lights, dark tinted rear windows, a rear spoiler, twin tailpipes and 17-inch black diamond alloys complete the look of the three-door model.

Step inside and there is a perfect mix of elegance, techno treats and creature comforts to be explored. Features include black leather seats with neat contest stitching, a soft touch dashboard, 7-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker sound system with DAB radio, sat nav, a flat-bottomed multi-function steering wheel, interior mood lighting, Bluetooth connectivity and Mirror Screen to fully connect to your smartphone be it iOS or android.

The test car also featured some distinctive artwork known as the Irresistible Paris Kit costing £150 which adds smart Parisian landscapes to the vehicle’s rear windows and the dashboard.

Powering the vehicle was a 1.6-litre 120bhp diesel-driven engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. This particular DS 3 can sprint to 62mph from a standing start in 9.3 seconds (it does feel much faster!) and tops out at 118mph. But the really impressive stats concern the economy because according to official figures it can return combined fuel economy of 78.5mpg with carbon emissions of just 94g/km. The asking price is £19,495 (£21,590 with options).

The car was tested on a combination of routes including busy city centres and open country lanes and it was up to any challenge put in its path. In congested town centres the car was agile and easy to manoeuvre with good all-round visibility and parking was made all the simpler thanks to the numerous sensors. Then out on the faster roads, the DS 3 bursts into life. The acceleration through the gears is smooth and responsive with ample power on tap when short surges of speed are necessary. The road-holding is very assured and the steering beautifully precise.

There was a little engine noise when pushed particularly hard, but apart from that the cabin remained well-insulated against any other sounds.

Comfort levels are good with the front seat passenger benefitting from a vast amount of legroom. It is a little tight in the back but no more restricting than other supermini models.

Storage options are also thorough with a nicely sized boot with a 285-litre capacity which can be increased considerably by dropping the split-folding rear seats flat. There is a good sized glovebox and decent door pockets. But my only real gripe was the lack of any cup holder facility. Apparently customers can choose between cup holders or a central armrest. The test car was fitted with the armrest which, to be truthful, just got in the way of the handbrake.

But that minor grumble aside, the new DS 3 is the complete package. It looks fantastic, has driving dynamics that match its sporty appearance, it’s kitted out with all the latest gizmos and technology and it’s also very economical to buy and run.

Test Drive

Citroen DS3 Cabrio (PRE-2015)

We British love our wind-in-the-hair, open-top motoring and it doesn’t matter what Mother Nature does to deter us, we keep on buying convertibles in the hope there will be a heatwave.

But these days, a car has to be just as good in all seasons, so Citroen has come up with the perfect solution – a DS3 Cabrio.

Based on the incredibly successful DS3 hatchback which was launched in 2010, the Cabrio takes all that design and driving dynamism and adds a little bit extra.

Like the hatchback, it boasts all the dynamic proportions with the floating two-tone roof and shark-fin B-pillar but there’s plenty more to be found, not least of all some of the most amazing tail lights ever seen. The central part of the light features a rectangle made up of 31 LEDs with semi-reflecting mirrors. This gives the effect that the lights are drifting away to infinity.

But in all honesty this car oozes class and owners will probably be discovering subtle design features months after leaving the showroom. One to look out for is the DS logo embedded in the side of the brake lights – you have to get up close to spot it!

One problem constantly faced by cabriolet drivers is the unpredictable weather. Under normal circumstances the onset of rain means pulling over or reducing speed to about 20mph in order to raise the roof or risk a drenching. But that’s not the case with the DS3 Cabrio because its roof can be raised or lowered in 16 seconds at speeds up to 75mph. I tried it at 70 and it worked perfectly.

This is one of the car’s unique selling points along with the fact that it’s the only true five-seater in the segment and has the biggest boot in class at 245 litres.

And talking of boots – that’s another rather quirky feature on the car as it pops out and then lifts upwards which makes loading in really tight spaces quite simple.

The car is available in three richly-equipped trims DSign, DStyle and DSport with an automatic version available in the mid-trim spec.

There are three petrol engines to choose from – a 1.2 three-cylinder 82bhp, a 1.6-litre 120bhp and a 1.6-litre 155bhp.

Prices range from £15,045 to £19,675 and of course, there are plenty of ways to personalise each car with a choice of seven body colours, three roof designs and nine wheel styles for starters. Add in a number of optional packs and it’s possible to make your DS3 Cabrio seem truly unique.

I tested out the 1.6-litre model delivering 155bhp in DSport Plus trim with six-speed manual transmission priced at £19,675 (£21,675 with a number of optional extras).

The route incorporated motorways, country lanes and busy town centres and the car coped admirably, turning heads along the way.

The interior was beautifully designed and boasted fine leather seats in a deep royal blue shade which contrasted perfectly with the black trim and carbon fibre dashboard.

Elsewhere, it’s impossible not to be wowed by the abundance of techno treats built into the car, including digital air conditioning, mood lighting, a great sound system with CD player, six speakers and compatibility with all modern devices, sat nav, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors and even a scented air freshener.

There is an elegant and sophisticated feel to the interior and it feels like a premium quality model albeit with a much more reasonable price-tag.

All controls, dials and read-outs are ideally positioned for driver usability and the driving dynamics are certainly not for the faint-hearted.

This car just loves to be driven and it attacks bends for fun – the tighter, the better!

Acceleration through the six-speed manual transmission is smooth and rapid and the power keeps on coming from the 1.6-litre petrol engine.

The test car boasted 0-62mph stats of just 8.2 seconds and it tops out at 132mph.

There is a gear-shift prompter to help conserve fuel and according to Citroen, this particular model can achieve 47.9mpg on a combined cycle with carbon emissions of 137g/km.

Comfort levels are great and the vehicle’s insulation is excellent with the roof raised. In fact, noise levels are no worse than on a hard-top model.

Citroen has packed a comprehensive range of top notch safety features into the car, including anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic stability control, emergency brake assist and numerous airbags.

It also features Citroen’s award-winning eTouch Emergency and Assistance system which automatically alerts the emergency services in the event of an accident.

All in all, the DS3 Cabrio is a welcome addition to the soft-top range and will provide competitive opposition to the MINI and Fiat 500 line-up.

It can easily cope with everyday demands but then quickly adapts when the sun comes out.

All that’s needed now is a summer!

Test Drive

Citroen DS3 Dsport 1.6i 16V THP 150 (PRE-2015)

Every once in a while a car comes along that simply has the wow factor and that car is Citroen’s DS3 model.

For this beautifully-crafted hatchback boasts gorgeous dynamic streamlining with wrap-around lights and shark fin pillars. Seventeen inch alloys, a rear spoiler and tinted rear windows simply add to the mystique of this stunning looker.

And the wow factor continues throughout the cabin with amazingly-comfortable leather seats, a leather multi-functional steering wheel that even has groves embedded for your thumbs to rest in, a matt finish to the top of the dash to avoid any glare with shiny black sections elsewhere.

Further creature comforts include digital air conditioning, scented air freshener, electric windows, a MP3 compatible sound system with six speakers, sat nav and leather trim on the steering wheel, gearstick and doors.

The dials are neatly housed in chrome surrounds and all the controls are perfectly positioned for ease of use and readability.

There is bags of room for front seat occupants and limited space in the back, although adults could be catered for with the front seats pushed further forward.

The boot is very generously sized and can easily be extended thanks to the 60:40 split-folding rear seats. Elsewhere, the glove box is very deep and seems to go on forever and there are a couple of other handy storage options too.

Another really nice touch is the facility to personalise your DS3 with a variety of roof and body colour options and choices of alloys to match.

But for me, the DS3 is all about performance. After all, what would be the point of producing a car that drives bystanders wild with envy if it can’t produce the goods when put to the test?

Thankfully, the DS3 is very capable when it comes to performance with the 1.6-litre, petrol-driven engine delivering blistering acceleration through the six-speed manual transmission.

Road-holding is exceptionally good even on tighter bends and in slippery condition and although there is some cabin noise at higher speeds, it almost adds to the fun-factor of the vehicle.

Citroen has kitted out the DS3 with a very comprehensive list of safety specifications including anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, emergency braking assistance, electronic stability programme, plenty of airbags and lots more besides.

And with stats of 0-62 in just over seven seconds and a top speed of 133mph, the DS3 is certainly the perfect hatchback for anyone who loves to drive but also wants a little excitement in their life, providing of course they have £15.9k to spare.