French cars to me always offer a point of difference. The new small Citroen C3 which arrived this week is one such car. As I said earlier it’s somewhat funky but so appealing – having said that some may see it as an acquired taste however its very clever. One C3 model only, a highly spec’d 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol six-speed automatic, on sale this month for $26,990 drive-away. The local importer has just extended Citroen warranty to five-years/unlimited kilometre with five-years roadside assist which may restore your faith in the brand. But the importer needs to
do more to convince buyers that Citroen is here to stay. The product, from my perspective, is brilliant let down by poor planning in this country. The new C3 offers a big car ride from a long travel suspension and very comfortable seats – the three-cylinder engine, voted International Engine of the Year three years running is simply brilliant providing a strong yet relaxed performance. Whilst the Citroen C3 is dearer to many small cars its specification for the money is impressive – yes it lacks autonomous emergency braking that denies it a full five-star crash safety rating, this aside, it comes with a rear view camera, rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control air, automatic headlights and wipers, speed limit recognition, hill start assist and static cornering lights that highlight the inside of bends. If you like French cars there’s much to like about the new Citroen C3.
I’m David Berthon

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