Citroen C3 1.6 HDi Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Citroen C3 1.6 HDi
Prices: £14,500-£16,200 – on the road [est] INSURANCE GROUPS: 6-8 [est]
Emissions: 99-115g/km
Performance: [HDi 90] Maximum speed 112mph / 0-62mph 11s
Fuel Consumption: [HDi 90] (urban) 53.3mpg, (extra urban) 76.3mpg, (combined) 65.7mpg
Safety: Six airbags, ABS with EBD
Dimensions: length/width/heightmm 3941/1728/1524

A Well-Balanced Machine

Our Rating: No Rating Available

If you needed one word to describe this vehicle, it would have to be ?practical?. This five-door supermini provides those that are not looking for a super-charged muscle car everything they need for a fairly decent price. Costing from £14,500 to around £16,000, this fair priced vehicle will get the job done, whether you want to look stylish riding around town or you're a soccer mom dropping the kids off at practice.

Also, for that price, you get amazing gas mileage coming in at around 53.3 miles per gallon in an urban setting and 76.3 miles per gallon in an extra-urban setting. When you combine the two you come out to having almost 66mpg which makes the diesel-powered C3 a real treasure when it comes right down to it. Along with the great gas mileage, there are also some pretty low CO2 emissions ranging from 99g/km to 115.

As far as performance goes, the C3 is pretty average in comparison to other cars that can be found in the market today. The C3 tops out at 112mph which is not much when considering that the top speed of most cars are around 120, but unless you happen to be in a high-speed chase with the police it is very unlikely that anyone will come near that. Also, the C3 gets from 0 to 62mph in 11 seconds which is also a little less than average.

In terms of safety the C3 comes equipped with standard ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution, or EBD, and six airbags. Some other specs about the C3 include its 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine, which there are also a 1.4-litre version as well as a 1.6-litre petrol version. The 1.6-litre diesel, which is what we are focusing on, range from 90bhp to a maximum of 120, which is not very impressive at all.

While the C3 may not be a ground-shattering speedster, it is not intended to be. This vehicle is intended to be economic and stylish while also providing a comfortable ride. The C3 looks like a VW Beetle on steroids while also giving off that air of feminine curvature that is always so appealing. If nothing else, the C3 is most definitely a great piece of eye candy that will help keep your wallet full, if it isn't already choking.

If there is still some doubt about this economic wonder, the thing that really puts it over the top are all of the nifty gadgets that come along for the ride. Some of these include a speed limiting device, built-in air-freshener, satellite navigation, and probably the most futuristic element of the vehicle is the tinted Zenith windscreen which extends all the way back to where the back of the vehicle is separated by the front. This provides a lot of light for the driver but just in case there is too much the C3 provides you with a visor that can be pulled forward to block out those harmful UV rays.

Overall, the C3 is a great car, economically, which is what people need in times like these but if you happen to be looking for something with some raw power, you might want to stay away.