By Otsile Kadiege 

Citroën South Africa recently went big with the launch of their new entry-level C3 hatchback in Johannesburg and we were to join in on the action. The newcomer is the automaker’s budget car which is currently built in India. It’s unmistakably Citroën thanks to the brand’s typical daring design with quirky styling cues, a bunch of modern touches to a no-frills interior as well as a single powertrain for the two-derivative range. 

Typical Citroën exterior design

As mentioned above the exterior design of the new C3 hatchback has a classic, daring Citroën look. Its quirky design is accentuated by split headlights with V-shaped daytime running lights, 6 dual tone colours and 15-inch wheels with wheel caps for Feel derivative. Should customers want a fancier look then the Shine grade with 15-inch alloy wheels might be the one to consider. If that’s not enough then there are optional accessories packages called Energy and Elegance Pack which add unique styling. The Elegance Pack adds chrome detailing all-round. 

Looks are subjective, however we are quite fond of its quirky design and styling which are reminiscent of its bigger siblings and the optional styling packages which should add a welcomed dash of individualisation to the C3 hatchback.

Generous budget car interior 

For a budget car, Citroën is quite generous with the amount of features you get with the C3 hatchback. These include a large 10-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, three USB ports (two at the rear and one at the front) and a luggage capacity of 315 litres. 

As expected for a budget car, the interior is dominated by hard plastics, however it makes up for that shortcoming with the above-mentioned features. 

Naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine 

Powering the new C3 is a naturally aspirated 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine making 61kW/118Nm and its solely paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. Citroën claims a combined fuel-consumption of 5.6l/100km. 

After the short drive, we concluded that although the N/A 1.2-litre engine is peppy, however, it’s quite loud and road noise filters into the cabin. The feel of its 5-speed MT isn’t up to par with its peers. Its ride quality is quite decent, especially for a car in its price range. 

We look forward to sampling the new C3 hatchback for a more detailed review. 

Pricing

There are two derivatives to choose from, namely the base Feel and top-spec Shine. It’s priced from R229,900.