citroen

C3/C3 Picasso

The C3 supermini is Citroen’s biggest-selling car and the introduction of the latest third generation model really ups the ante. It looks fabulous, is packed with technology and offers plenty of personalisation options along the way.

Test Drive

Citroen C3 – first drive (2016)

Citroen has always been innovative and inventive in its design philosophy and proudly describes itself as a “mainstream brand that likes to shake up the rules” and that’s exactly what the French manufacturer has done with its best-selling C3 model.

Since it was launched back in 2002, there have been more than 3.6 million global C3 sales making it the company’s biggest-selling model, and the latest third generation version adds plenty of extra appeal with new state-of-the art technology, lots of personalisation options and a sporty new design.

New C3 is guaranteed to attract attention from onlookers with sharp styling cues including two-tier headlight signatures, a floating roof effect thanks to black side pillars, a lowered roofline to improve aerodynamics, a double chrome front trim that incorporates the company chevrons, 3D rear lights, a new C3 badge, smart alloys and the option of those quirky yet practical Airbumps.

There are nine body and three roof colours to select from offering customers a choice of 36 colour combinations, along with three interior options called Standard, Urban Red or Hype Colorado.

The interior of the five-door, five-seat supermini is beautifully simplistic and clutter-free yet there is a wealth of on-board technology as standard. There are three trim grades called Touch (from £10,995), Feel (£13,045) and Flair (£14,795) and depending which spec is selected customers can expect to see the likes of Citroen’s Connect DAB radio with six speakers, a seven-inch voice and touch activated touchscreen with sat nav, Mirror Screen with Mirror Link and Apple CarPlay, automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth and a rather ingenious system called Connected Cam.

This system which is standard on Flair models and an optional extra on Feel (£380) uses a fully integrated camera located behind the rear view mirror. For fun and games it can capture photos and video to be shared with friends via social media, but on a more important note if the car is involved in an accident it records the 30 seconds before and 60 seconds after impact and this can be used as evidence in any court action that may follow.

Customers can choose from five powertrains – a trio of PureTech three-cylinder petrol engines with 68, 82 and 110bhp, or two BlueHDi diesel variants offering 75 or 100bhp. All models are manual although an automatic version will be introduced in February.

We tested a couple of C3 models on country lanes and motorways near the Malvern Hills and both performed perfectly and had their own individual appeal.

First up was the C3 Flair S&S BlueHDi 100 priced at £17,095 (£18,555 with options). This car can reach 62mph from a standing start in 10.6 seconds, maxes out at 115mph, can deliver combined fuel efficiency of 76.3mpg and has carbon emissions of just 95g/km.

This first thing to say about the new C3, apart from its funky and dashing appearance, is how wonderfully spacious the interior is. Even with the front seats pushed quite a way back, there is ample leg room for back seat passengers to travel in comfort. In fact, rear leg space has been increased by an additional 22mm on the new car.

There is a bright and modern feel with all controls and readouts ideally positioned for driver use. There are a number of handy storage options scattered throughout the vehicle, including a compact glovebox, cup holders, door pockets that are lined in a light colour so items can easily be seen and a generously-sized boot with a capacity of 300 litres that is increased to 922 litres with the rear seats dropped flat.

Following consultations and feedback from existing C3 customers, comfort was one of the key areas addressed by Citroen when developing the new C3 and as a result the car boats updated suspension, new power steering and improved aerodynamics to help keep noise and vibration levels to a minimum.

The 1.6-litre diesel powertrain delivered plenty of bite and there was a constant supply of power on tap which helped to make very light work of overtaking. It also coped admirably with any steep climbs. The road-holding was assured and the steering nice and precise. There was a little engine noise when pushed particularly hard, but that was my only slight gripe … if I was being truly picky.

Next up was the C3 Feel S&S PureTech 82 petrol version costing £13,745, increased to £15,720 with options added. This model reaches from 0-62mph in 13.0 seconds with a maximum speed of 104mph. According to official figures it can achieve combined fuel economy of 60.1mpg with carbon emissions of 109g/km.

Once again this little three-pot engine was great fun to drive. It was lively and fizzed across the Tarmac with ease. It did struggle a little when climbing particularly steep hills where several gear changes were necessary, but apart from that the car was a pure delight to drive as it whizzed through the five-speed manual transmission.

The petrol model is slightly thirstier than its diesel counterpart, but we still managed to see 47.0 mpg during our test run. The diesel showed 54.3mpg. But in all honesty both cars impressed in their own individual ways.

Since launch, more than 200,000 C3 models have been driven away from UK showrooms, so it seems very likely that the latest C3 will be met with the same level of excitement, enthusiasm and desire.

Test Drive

Citroen C3 Picasso Blackcherry 1.6 HDi 90

One thing is guaranteed when you drive a Citroen – it will always turn heads and there’s no chance of losing it in a crowded supermarket.

That’s because the Citroen brand has always been that little bit more adventurous when it comes to design and conformity is not always the order of the day.

And once again, Citroen has achieved that uniqueness with its special edition compact MPV – the C3 Picasso Blackcherry.

While all C3 Picasso models boast excellent versatility and space with top notch features, there is something that little bit special about the Blackcherry model with its HDi 90 engine.

For this version adds low emissions and excellent fuel economy to the equation and the Blackcherry Look Pack includes 17-inch cherry red alloys, body-coloured front and rear bumpers, additional chrome trim, flashes of cherry on the body and door mirrors, roof bars, and special edition carpets.

To be fair, the C3 Picasso looks good from all angles and although it’s not the fastest kid out of the starting blocks – 0-62 in 13.5 seconds – it offers plenty to the active family who enjoy a bit of flexibility in their lives, along with great fuel economy – combined figures of 61.4mpg.

The interior is very bright thanks to the panoramic windscreen and massive windows and although that is excellent when it comes to all-round visibility, I did find it a tad hot on a sunny day when the car had been left standing for a while – a bit like driving round in a greenhouse.

Once again conformity has been ditched when it comes to information displays, and instead of the traditional dials and readouts, there is a very large dashboard housing a central console which includes a digital rev counter and speedo, fuel gauge and a few other useful functions.

Creature comforts are plentiful and include cruise control, air conditioning, a six-speaker sound system compatible with MP3 players, Bluetooth and plenty more besides.

There is ample room for five adults to travel in comfort and the fairly generously-sized boot can be increased further thanks to split-folding rear seats. Other storage options include a glove box, a central dash compartment and a drawer under the front passenger seat.

Although the pull-away speed is not fantastic, the C3 Picasso is very accomplished in every other aspect. It is agile and easy to manoeuvre which makes parking a breeze. And out on the faster roads the 1.6-litre, diesel-powered engine delivered plenty of oomph. Acceleration through the five-speed manual transmission was smooth and responsive.

Citroen has packed a comprehensive range of safety features into the vehicle, including anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, emergency braking assist, numerous airbags and lots more.

All in all, the C3 Picasso Blackcherry is a brilliant model for the family who enjoys an active lifestyle and still keeps a watchful eye on the pennies – it’s outstanding value at £15,695.

Test Drive

Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6 VTI Exclusive

Space seems to be a key factor for designers producing new cars these days and the Citroen C3 Picasso has bags of it.

Not only does it boast high sides and a light, airy and spacious cabin, but the vehicle has a massive panoramic sunroof stretching the length of the car. This means occupants front and back are treated to a wealth of light and visibility and there is plenty of legroom for the rear occupants too.

In fairness, the C3 is not exactly the fastest vehicle out of the starting gate, but the 1.6-litre model supplied for the test drive did boast a top speed of 117mph.

And when you add in very impressive fuel economy figures and an initial asking price that doesn’t break the bank, then the C3 could be the perfect vehicle for the family that loves the thrills and spills of an active outdoor lifestyle.

In and around town, the C3 handles extremely well and the fantastic all-round visibility has to be class-leading which means parking is an absolute breeze. Then, out on the open road, it performs very capably although I found I was searching for a sixth gear that didn’t exist at times.

The vehicle is kitted out with some excellent specifications including air con, automatically locking doors, a good sound system, sat nav and plenty more.

And as one would expect, the safety features are excellent too with anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency braking assistance, side impact protection, numerous airbags and hazard lights that come on automatically in an emergency stop situation.

Although the C3 is not a car that you are likely to spot being driven by the 20,000-miles-a-year business driver, you will see plenty of them pulling up outside the school gates or on the shopping run at your local supermarket.

The reason for this is clear and simple – the C3 Picasso is a safe and versatile vehicle that is outstanding value for money, but still has that unique French styling.