Used Citroen C3 Hatchback 2017-present review

Sometimes it seems that modern small car styling treads one of two paths: crisp and modern, but bland – or fun and fashionable, but overly retro. But the Citroen C3 sets out to prove that that doesn’t have to be the case, with extrovert styling that borrows heavily from its taller, longer brother, the Citroen C4 Cactus.

Such funky looks might be enough on their own to make the C3 more desirable than rivals such as the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo for many buyers. But there are some compromises to be had.

For starters, you’ll have to live with a ride that’s less than ideal. Citroen aimed for comfort with the C3’s suspension setup, and made it soft – but the problem is, that means the car rocks around over larger bumps, and fails to damp out sharper ruts suitably, with the result that it always feels unsettled around town. It’s better at higher speeds, but never perfect.

Neither does the C3 feel much cop in corners; the soft suspension means it leans over noticeably, while the remote steering means you rarely have much idea of what’s going on. The C3 also pushes its nose ahead sluggishly if you enter a corner the slightest bit too fast. The peppy, zingy Fiesta and composed Ibiza are both streets ahead.

There are problems inside, too, where you’ll have to live with an interior that’s rather cramped, especially in the back, and saddled with strangely tight door openings. What’s more, there’s a profusion of scratchy-feeling plastics on the doors and dashboard.

At least that dashboard is easy on the eye. Smart styling and clever use of colour mean that despite the slightly cheap plastics, the C3 is a pleasant place to be; you get a slightly taller driving position than you do in most other small cars, too, which results in good visibility. It isn’t perfect, though; the touchscreen infotainment system is sluggish and fiddly to use, and there are no separate controls for the ventilation systems, meaning you have to navigate through the menus to perform even simple functions such as adjusting the heating.

There’s better news under the bonnet, where you’ll find a selection of 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines, most of which are strong, punchy and remarkably efficient, and these contribute to the C3’s low running costs.

If you're interested in finding a used C3, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Prices for a 2018 C3 start at around £8000, this for a car in excellent condition with a full history and from a franchised dealer. Spend between £9000 and £11,000 for one of the higher spec cars, and around the same for a car from 2019. For a 2021 or 2022 example, expect to pay upwards of £12,000.

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MPG

You also get fuel economy figures that are among the best in class. The most efficient diesel version achieves a faintly astonishing 91.1mpg according to the official tests, while most petrol versions get around 70mpg, or just shy thereof. Even the least efficient automatic version fails to dip below 67mpg.

Road tax

The vast majority of C3s of this generation were registered after 1 April 2017, which means they’ll incur a flat road tax rate of £155 per year, no matter which version you choose. However, find an early car registered before this date, and you’ll pay no more than £20 a year; diesel models are even free to tax.

Servicing and insurance

Servicing and repair costs should be pretty reasonable, too, especially once your C3 hits the three-year-old mark and becomes eligible for Citroen’s servicing programme designed for older cars; it’s one of the best value, and means you can maintain dealership servicing at a relatively low cost. Insurance should prove a doddle as well.

Diesel engines in small cars aren’t all that popular with buyers, so are trickier to find; the C3’s petrol engines are so efficient anyway that we wouldn’t bother. Of these, the 67bhp version, badged simply 1.2 Puretech, feels rather lethargic, so we’d avoid it and instead go for one of the more powerful engines.

The punchy 1.2-litre Puretech 110 is the best bet, as it’s the most efficient of the bunch as well as the most powerful; if all you can find is the 1.2-litre Puretech 82, though, that’ll probably be enough – as long as you don’t plan on spending too much time on the motorway, where it feels a little breathless.

The most basic Touch version is reasonably well equipped, coming with a digital radio, bluetooth, and cruise control – but there’s no air-con or alloy wheels, and it’s rare. Much easier to find – not to mention more desirable – is the Feel version, which gives you those alloy wheels, plus climate control and the 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system. Flair, meanwhile, adds a heap of extra toys, but it’s harder to find and, as you might expect, pricier to buy.

Our favourite Citroen C3: 1.2 Puretech 110 Feel

If you’re after something that makes a similar style statement, the Mini Hatchback is the obvious choice; it’s much nicer to drive and classier inside, though as a result it also costs rather more than the C3.

However, if you can live without the C3’s sense of style, a Ford Fiesta offers terrific value for money; it’s great to drive, too, and there are plenty of examples around. We recommend one that’s fitted with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine.

If you don’t like the sound of the cramped rear seats in the C3, you could also check out the Skoda Fabia. It’s one of the most spacious cars in the class, and offers a huge boot and plenty of room for those in the back to stretch out.

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If you're interested in finding a used C3, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.