Guilherme said practically everything about what brings new and renewed Citron C3 in the video he made in Madrid, Spain, during the model's international presentation.
I only end up diverging from what he says when the topic focuses on the stylistic changes made to C3 by Citroën. The differences for the C3 that we knew are concentrated in the redesigned front, and despite being inspired by the interesting CXperience, I'm sorry, but it doesn't convince me.
The SUV took on a more loaded and angry look, of the “everyone owes me and no one pays me” type, instead of the more jovial and friendly look we knew, which ends up clashing with the rest of the design and even the serene character of the C3.
Is the 83hp 1.2 PureTech recommended?
Perhaps the most relevant piece of information said refers to the engine of the C3 here under test, the 83 hp 1.2 PureTech (atmospheric, no turbo). Guilherme says that the version he tested during the presentation, the 1.2 PureTech 110 hp (with turbo), turns out to be more worthwhile, even though it is 1200 euros more expensive than this 83 hp one. He couldn't agree more.
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Why? It's not just because of the additional performance — practically 4s less at 0-100 km/h and much more generous availability — but also because the gain in performance doesn't translate into worse consumption/emissions, both on paper and in practice. On paper they are only separated by 0.1 l/100 km and 1 g/km. In practice, although low consumption is possible — I even registered less than five liters at moderate speeds stabilized —, we also managed it, easily, in the 110 hp version.
Furthermore, the 110 hp version is the one that best fits the other attributes (which I ended up enjoying) of the renewed Citroën C3 — but we'll be right there…
The 83 hp and 118 Nm of this engine, on the other hand, know little. To overcome some slopes or even maintain the legal maximum speed on the highway (some are not that flat), we are forced to step on the accelerator harder or “down one” and pull more assertively through the three cylinders. A task that, I have to admit, was a bit of fun, as there's nothing wrong with the engine itself — it's still interesting to explore and even listen to.
It's the combination of 1055 kg — one of the lightest in the segment, but it seems to be too much for 1.2's modest numbers — and, above all, the somewhat long staggering of the transmission ratios, which end up diluting (even more) the acceleration and the possible speed recovery of these 83 hp.
What's more, the five-speed manual transmission leaves something to be desired in its action, blamed above all on its long, long haul. Something I “discovered” after two third “scratches”… when it seemed that the said one had already entered, no, it still had to be pushed forward a little further.
Utility that looks more like a roadster
When equipped with this engine, the use of the Citroën C3 is essentially confined to the urban fabric. Even so, if we can “go around” the long shift of the transmission with more accelerator or circle in a lower ratio than usual, we can't escape the action of the manual gearbox, which turns out to be my biggest criticism of the model.
And it's a shame we're limited to city stop-and-go, because the Citroën C3 turned out to have, somewhat unexpectedly, very good stradistant qualities — all the more reason to opt for the 110hp 1.2 PureTech that gives you the lungs you need to comfortably take on this paper. Yes, it is still a utility, but the C3 has a number of intrinsic characteristics that make it a very competent roadster.
Firstly, Citroën has been betting heavily on comfort and on the C3 this is also evident. We are rightly seated in large, substantial seats (and covered with a nice fabric and some skin) that are very comfortable — it's just a pity they don't offer more support — capable of making longer takes at the wheel a relaxing experience, without any complaints from the body.
The damping also leans towards comfort, that is, softer than hard. The suspension effectively absorbs most irregularities, but maintains effective control over the body's movements — it does a bit when we're rough around the corners, but nothing more. Speaking of curves, it proved to be more effective and safer than agile and fun. And the steering, despite being precise, tells us little or nothing about what is happening on the front axle (which even responds promptly to our commands).
It's a nice place to be, even though it's surrounded by hard plastic and not very pleasant to the touch. The Techwood environment "fits" right inside the C3. The fragile-looking armrest seems to have been designed "a posteriori".
Second, despite being practically surrounded by hard plastics (and not the most pleasant to the touch), the assembly is, in general, quite robust — even when faced with the worst sidewalks in the capital... —, proof against unwanted vibrations and noises. .
Finally, thirdly, the set is finished off by very good soundproofing. The engine noise always seems to be far away, the aerodynamic noises are contained and the only thing that is excessive is the rolling noise, but then the blame will almost certainly be on the optional and larger wheels (17″) of our unit — they look good on the photography, I do not dispute it. By the way, 205 tires for just 83 hp and 118 Nm? A little exaggerated.
Is the car right for me?
Well, having said that, predictably it's easy to recommend the Citroën C3 but difficult to do with this engine. For those interested in the French utility, the version to recommend would have to be the 1.2 PureTech 110 hp. It gives the C3 the flexibility and versatility of use it needs, in much better harmony with all its other attributes.
Space is reasonable in the back, but taller people would appreciate a little more legroom. It lacks a light for the rear passengers, as well as a USB port.
Besides, it's the Citroën C3 we already knew. It has reasonable rear space for two occupants — legroom is less than that of main rivals — but, curiously, it's easier to access the rear seats than on the new Peugeot 208 or Opel Corsa (members of the same PSA family), thanks greater openness and breadth of doors. Curious because it's the Citroën C3 that still uses the older PF1 platform instead of the newer CMP of its “cousins” — shouldn't the newer be better in this regard?
In addition to the topic of engine, I have to agree again with Guilherme in the recommendation about the level of Shine equipment, the most balanced among the existing ones, and the one present in the C3 that I tested. It already brings a generous list of safety equipment, as well as getting comfort and aesthetic items that are worth it.
The tested unit also had options (approx. 2500 euros) which raised the price of the Citroën C3 1.2 PureTech 83 Shine up to 20 thousand euros, a somewhat high value, but not clashing with its competitors — car prices are, in general, , elevated and only tend to rise. However, there are ongoing campaigns that allow lowering prices to more competitive values.