Citroen C3 review

Our opinion of the Citroen C3

At first glance, the Citroen C3 is a pretty unremarkable small car. It’s certainly more comfortable, admittedly, than most of its peers, but it’s not blessed with any dynamic sparkle or, in its electric form, a big battery. 

However, it does offer a surprisingly spacious cabin, and it comes with a decent line-up of standard kit. Keen prices and enticing finance deals help to make the C3 an attractive proposition for buyers seeking to extract the most value for their money, while the option of either petrol, hybrid or fully electric powertrains, means you should be able to find the perfect model to suit your lifestyle.

About the Citroen C3

Citroen has always stood for comfort, but it also scores big on value nowadays. That really hits home here with the Citroen C3 supermini, and particularly with the all-electric ë-C3 version. Of course, there are rivals such as the all-electric Dacia Spring and petrol-hybrid MG3 that are positioned to try and steal sales at the budget end of the market, but Citroen’s C3 and ë-C3 are more sophisticated propositions, and offer the flexibility of either a regular petrol powertrain or a zero-emissions set-up. 

Citroen C3 prices and latest deals 

With affordable prices, plus the lure of some seriously competitive finance deals, the petrol C3 model looks a real bargain. The ë-C3 is tightly priced too, with the Stellantis stablemates like the Peugeot E-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric being much pricier. Even the BYD Dolphin is around £10,000 more expensive than the ë-C3. 

Used - available now

2020 Citroen

C3

18,719 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £11,599

View C3

2016 Citroen

C3

35,000 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £4,495

View C3

2019 Citroen

C3

22,804 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £8,797

View C3

2020 Citroen

C3

34,115 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £8,749

View C3

The 99bhp C3 petrol model with a manual transmission is only available with the Plus trim level, and kicks off the range at a little under £19,000. If you opt for the 108bhp hybrid (solely offered with a six speed automatic gearbox), you’ll pay around £20,600 for the Plus version, and £22,300 for the Max.

The all-electric Citroen ë-C3 starts from around £22,000 in Plus specification, requiring a further £1,700 to step up to a Max model. But, don’t forget that with the government’s Electric Car Grant, you’ll achieve a £1,500 discount on those prices, no matter which ë-C3 you go for.

You can spec your ideal C3 or ë-C3 now on the Auto Express Buy A Car service and choose the best offer from dealers around the UK. There are used cars and leasing deals, too, while we can even help you sell your old car. 

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The entry point of the Citroen C3 range is the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol version. Equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, it does without any electrical assistance and has 99bhp on tap. 

For those who want some zero-emissions capability, the car is also offered in 108bhp Hybrid form; this uses the same engine but pairs it with a 28bhp electric motor that’s integrated into the six-speed automatic transmission. Finally, the e-C3 has a modest 44kWh battery and 111bhp to call upon. 

More than what drives the C3 along, it’s the clever suspension that helps it stand out from other small cars. Citroen makes a big fuss about its Citroen Advanced Comfort suspension which uses hydraulic bump stops to absorb energy from the wheels, keeping the cabin and occupants isolated from the UK’s pothole plagued streets. It works, too. The C3 isn’t a hoot to drive but it’s seriously comfy for a car in this class. 

0-62mph acceleration and top speed 

The fastest C3 version in the real world could well be the hybrid, it has the fastest 0-62mph time at 9.8s and we can report that neither the regular 1.2-litre C3 or the e-C3 is set up to deliver earth-shattering performance. There’s a decent amount of low-down torque in the base  petrol model for what is a pretty light car, so you can ride the taller gears and keep the revs low. 

The EV’s single front-mounted motor produces 111bhp and 120Nm of torque. The relatively modest 44kWh battery means an overall kerb weight of less than a tonne and a half, but even so, 0-62mph takes 10.4 seconds (how many other EVs do you know that fail to crack the 10-second mark?) and the top speed is just 82mph. Rapid it is not.

It doesn’t feel quite as slow as its figures suggest, however. The throttle modulation is pretty gentle and linear, and that makes it easy to drive smoothly, with minimal lurch under hard acceleration. 

Town driving, visibility and parking

Being a small hatchback with short overhangs, the Citroen C3 is a doddle to park. All-round visibility is good, with an upright driving position and standard rear parking sensors helping to make navigating tighter spaces pretty straightforward. However, there is a slight blind spot caused by a wide C-pillar at the rear of the car.

The suspension initially feels very soft as you drive slowly around town. The mix of MacPherson struts up front and a simple twist beam at the rear, plus the clever hydraulic bump stops, does a good job of smoothing out manhole covers and the crests and falls over speed bumps.

Country road driving and handling

Regardless of powertrain, as the speed rises, the car copes best with gentle undulations, occasionally taking a while to settle but feeling like it’s generally wafting along quite nicely as a result. What the suspension can’t do so well is cope with aggressive, sharp inputs and/or higher-frequency imperfections. 

In truth the C3 probably doesn’t feel worse than many other superminis at this, but it’ll be interesting to see if its specific set-up is exposed more cruelly on the UK’s crumbling road surfaces.

Predictably, the C3 isn’t really up for much driver involvement. The steering is pretty quick but light and lifeless, and if you really commit to a corner the car will just wash out into understeer, generally before body roll gets the better of it.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

When you’re up and running, you’ll notice one giveaway to the value-driven focus of the C3: refinement. The petrol engine’s gruff note never quite fades away completely, and even the electric motor has a flutey whine that isn’t completely dialled out by sound deadening. There’s a fair bit of wind noise once you’re above 40mph, too, and it’s matched by tyre roar at motorway speeds that could become a little wearing.

The experience of shifting up or down isn’t exactly helped by a preposterously large and awkwardly shaped gearknob, and a typical, slightly baggy Stellantis shift. But the rest of the control weights are consistent enough, so it’s certainly possible to drive the ICE C3 smoothly.

“Owners will find the C3 excels for comfort. From the seats to the suspension set-up to interior space, everything about the C3 is classic Citroen” - Paul Barker, editor

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The PureTech petrol motor is a well-calibrated unit which, along with the relatively light weight of the C3 ICE models mean you’ll benefit from impressive overall economy: between 52-56mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, depending on whether you opt for the petrol or hybrid version. Even if most of your time is spent on more stop-start urban journeys you should still see an average of more than 40mpg.

Citroen has included a gear shift indicator for the six-speed manual model so you know exactly the right time to change up or down - ensuring you have all the help you need to drive as efficiently as possible. Another useful addition - for both Plus and Max versions - is a tyre pressure monitoring system, which prevents you from unknowingly driving on underinflated tyres that can significantly reduce your overall fuel economy.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

The Citroen e-C3’s 44kWh battery is rated for 199 miles of range. Our initial drive in Austria took in a mix of fast country B-roads and slower suburban streets, interspersed with short squirts of acceleration for photography, and yielded a projected range of 174 miles. This figure ought to be beatable with more conventional use, we’d argue, although the lack of a heat pump (it’s not available even as an option) means you could easily wipe 10 per cent back off the total range when conditions are cooler.

The EV’s charging port is on the rear of the car, where you’ll find the petrol filler flap on conventionally powered versions. This is still a compact car, though, so if you choose to park with the e-C3’s nose closer to the charging port, you shouldn’t have any problems running a regular-length cable along the side to reach the socket.

The maximum charging speed is solid for the price, at up to 100kW – enough, Citroen claims, to get the battery from 20 to 80 per cent of capacity in 26 minutes. It’ll charge at 7.4kW from home wallboxes, but while a quicker 11kW AC set-up is available as an option, a heat pump is not; you’ll just have to take the hit on range in colder conditions.

Tax

Choosing a battery-powered car like the e-C3 offers significant financial perks for business users. They'll appreciate the much lower tax burden, specifically the attractive Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate of just 3 per cent for 2025/2026, plus the benefit of the cheapest rate of road tax (VED). There’s a first year VED rate of £440 for the C3 petrol and Hybrid models, while the respective CO2 figures of 127g/km and 114g/km mean BiK tax rates of 27 and 30 per cent.

Insurance

With both petrol hybrid and electric models in insurance group 24, arranging cover might be slightly more expensive than you think. However, the MG3 Hybrid+ sits in groups 23 to 24, while the all electric Dacia Spring occupies groups 24 to 25.

Depreciation

Our expert data suggests that the all-electric e-C3 should hold onto around 42 to 43 per cent of its original value after a typical three-year ownership period. The petrol and mild-hybrid versions in Max trim should retain 45 per cent over 36 months, while the Plus versions fare a little better on 47 per cent. 

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The cabin is functional, smart, and well-organized, but the real draw is the equipment you get at this price point. Crucially, Citroën hasn't achieved the C3’s competitive pricing by offering a stripped-out version that leaves you feeling cheated.

With just Plus and Max specifications on offer (an entry-level You! Trim level was previously available), it gives buyers a simple choice on where to put their money.

Standard equipment across the range includes features such as:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• A two-tone roof
• LED headlights
• Rear parking sensors
• Advanced Comfort seats
• A 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen
• A six-speaker audio system
• Safety Pack, including Lane Departure Warning

Moving up to the Max trim brings items like front fog lights, rear privacy glass, a heated windscreen and steering wheel, a reversing camera, wireless smartphone charging, and 3D navigation.

 Interior and dashboard design 

The C3’s front-cabin finish is neat, without ever feeling plush. The fascia features a lightly padded bit of fabric that helps to lift the ambience a little, but the rest of your surroundings are hard plastics – including slab-slided doors that feature what has to be the world’s loneliest strip of chrome-effect trim. 

The steering wheel is a curious small, almost-oblong creation – Citroen’s take, in effect, on the Peugeot i-Cockpit. But as you pull away, you’ll find the head-up display (which isn’t really a HUD at all, but rather just a simple, slim instrument panel) easier to see over the top of the wheel than the dials in pretty much any Peugeot. 

It’s a shame, though, that the slim panel just shows speed, battery charge level and energy consumption, with no extra info available, like navigation instructions.

Materials and build quality

Stellantis’s trademark piano-black finish is used sparingly, thank goodness, although its position around the bottom of the centre console will place this easily scratched material right where hands are likely to fumble for phones, keys and coins.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

Plus and Max versions feature a 10.25-inch central infotainment system, which dominates the fascia but is positioned low enough that you never feel you have to peer over the top of it. 

The interface is simple and clean, with reasonably large buttons for key functions; on the whole, the set-up is better to use than the glorified Android tablets that feature in many of the Citroen ë-C3’s likely Chinese rivals. In a victory for usability, it’s worth remembering that this piece of tech only has to worry about entertainment and navigation, because Citroen has kept physical switches beneath it for heating and ventilation control - a welcome move in our view. 

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The C3 is strong on practicality as it is on comfort. There’s good cabin space and the Advanced Comfort seats are better padded than the ones you’ll find in most small cars, without sacrificing too much support. 

There are two cupholders up front and a good selection of cubbies and storage options for various oddments. You should find the C3 a pleasant place in which to travel, whether you’re in the front or the back.

Dimensions and size

Citroen has really doubled down on trying to extract the most space and utility from the C3, while also ensuring it remains a compact size that’s easy to maneuver on more congested urban roads. The C3 is shorter than the MG3, Renault Clio and the Peugeot 208, although crucially is slightly wider and taller than all three rivals - helping it stand out as a practical small car choice, particularly if you regularly need to transport passengers in the rear seats.

Seats & passenger space

The cabin is big enough for four six-footers; those in the rear seats might complain a little about footroom, but there’s tons of headroom. The battery is stored beneath the back seat, too, so the floor remains a sensible height; as a result, you don’t end up pinched in the back seats, with your bottom down low and your knees up high.

Boot space

The boot, meanwhile, has a deep floor – so assuming you’re okay with hoiking heavy items over the hefty lip, you’ll find 310 litres of capacity; that’s only just north of the Dacia Spring’s 308-litre load bay, admittedly, but significantly bigger than other full five-seaters like the Vauxhall Corsa.

It’s desperately bare back there, though, with a single preformed plastic hook the only thing approaching a ‘clever storage solution’. It really feels like you’re just being given a decent-sized hole and told to make the best of it.

Towing

You probably won’t be buying a Citroen C3 to take on many towing duties, but the maximum towing weight for the 99bhp C3 (six-speed manual) version is 600kg, which should be enough to pull a small trailer. The all-electric e-C3 is rated at 550kg, while the figure for the 108bhp Hybrid C3 (six-speed automatic) has yet to be confirmed by Citroen.

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The Citroen C3 and e-C3 haven’t been tested by Euro NCAP yet – so don’t be fooled if you search online and find results for the Indian-spec C3. However, it’s worth noting that the STLA Smart Car platform has been built to a cost, so a full-five star result may not be forthcoming. 

Citroen has fitted the car with plenty of active safety kit, though, including active safety brake, a lane-departure warning, driver-attention alert and traffic-sign recognition.

Citroen’s reputation for reliability hasn’t been sensational over the years but the brand has improved greatly in recent times. This culminated in an outright victory for its C4 and e-C4 in our 2024 Driver Power ownership-satisfaction survey, complete with an endorsement for reliability.

• Best buy: Citroen e-C3 Plus

We made the e-C3 our 2024 Car of the Year, so we’d have to edge towards the all-electric version as our tip on which model to go for. Compact, simple and efficient EVs make sense for a lot of buyers, and the e-C3 delivers in these areas, plus offering a genuinely good real-world range, and specification levels that are well above the value-focused price-tag. 

Citroen C3 alternatives

Although more of a city car, the all-electric Dacia Spring might tempt some buyers with its budget price tag, although it is more obvious that this is a car built to a tight budget. The MG3 has won our Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year award twice, and is surprisingly fun to drive, with strong refinement. More expensive options include the Peugeot 208 or Vauxhall Corsa, available with petrol or all-electric powertrains.