Citroen C3 Origin review: comfy supermini offers great value for money

Quick Verdict

The latest Citroen C3 Origin stands out from the rest of the small car crowd thanks to its funky styling and plethora of personalisation options. It’s frugal, and the ride is one of the softest in the supermini class, which makes the C3 Origin a relaxing car to spend time in, but not the most fun to drive.

The technology onboard could be better, but the C3 Origin offers a decent amount of equipment for the money, and boot space is more generous than most rivals. Citroen's supermini is a solid choice for buyers who want to avoid following the crowd.

Citroen C3 Origin price, specs and rivals

The third-generation Citroen C3 arrived in 2016, and its cheeky charm helped erase the memories of its disappointing predecessors. A mid-life refresh in 2020 saw the C3 adopt the sharper front-end design of its siblings, while a rebranding in 2024 to C3 Origin helps to avoid conflicting with the fourth-generation Citroen C3 and electric Citroen e-C3.

The Citroen C3 Origin competes in one of the most hotly contested areas of the car market: superminis. So it’s going up against the likes of the Dacia Sandero, and cheaper versions of the Peugeot 208, Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Polo.

In truth, the Citroen C3 Origin isn’t as agile as the 208 or the Corsa, or as refined as the Polo. However, the C3 Origin is good value, with prices starting from a little over £14,000, making it one of the cheapest cars on sale right now and even able to undercut the Dacia Sandero. Its obvious value and unique style mean the C3 offers something distinctly different to its class competitors.

22

Other rivals for the Citroen C3 Origin include the Hyundai i20 and Kia Rio, along with the Skoda Fabia and SEAT Ibiza from the Volkswagen Group family. The Renault Clio is one of the standout choices in the class, while the Mazda 2 and Toyota Yaris are both in the mix, too.

Running gear includes a platform that is a development of the old C3 Mk2. That's no bad thing as it provides a comfortable ride, while the more important running gear, such as the engines and gearboxes, are a lot fresher and offer good everyday running costs.

Petrol power comes from Citroen's versatile 1.2 PureTech three-cylinder engine, in 83 and 110 guises. The latter gives the C3 Origin great performance, while economy is on a par with the less powerful engines courtesy of a standard-fit stop-start system. 

All C3 Origins are front-wheel drive and come with either a five or six-speed gearbox as standard. If you want an auto, your need to pick the PureTech 110 petrol in either Plus or top-spec Max trim, where an EAT6 auto is offered. There are three trim levels offered, starting with You! at just over £14,000, the mid-range Plus at a little under £18,000, and the top-of-the-range Max for just shy of £20,000.