Citroen C3 1.6 HDi (2009) CAR review

The new Citroen C3 (2009) wades into a fizzed-up supermini marketplace. With the likes of the Ford Fiesta and VW’s new Polo raising the bar to Sergei Bubka heights in the B segment of late, anything not now boasting debutante levels of deportment and style is going to have to rely on a price tag of little more than a bag of marbles and a previously owned Fisherman’s Friend to get so much as a sniff of the action.

This, of course, has always been Citroen’s forte; the dumpy little C3 relentlessly discounted to the point of distraction from its diverse shortcomings. So - in the context of a new model which boasts a significant stride forward in the style, quality and dynamic stakes whilst now matching the price of top end rivals - it’ll be interesting to see if the thriftier B segment buyers that Citroen traditional attracts will be prepared to foot the bill.

So the new 2009 Citroen C3 is a significant stride forward in style, eh?

Well, the outgoing model had all the appeal of a pre-lanced boil, so almost any treatment would be a step in the right direction. The new-for-2009 C3 is far better looking, even if we have yet to see it without that giant, peel-back windscreen which will be a standard fit on most posher models in the range.

First seen on Vauxhall’s Panorama, I’ve never been sold on the glass toboggan, simply because the moment the glazing outside wiper coverage gets dirty you’re merely dealing with acres of opaque glass. Not to mention the need for sun visors in Britain for so much of the year…

But the interior is little short of a dramatic improvement. This is the dashboard architecture of the forthcoming DS3, and build quality, fit and finishes have all taken a stout hike uphill. Everything looks good, and works well, even if the fiddly-buttoned screen control panel should have found itself above the big-buttoned, set-and-forget air-con dials on the centre console.

The driving position’s fine, though the seat is considerably harder than that of the C3 Picasso. However, sitting behind yourself in the back isn’t such a pleasure, and I’m surprised that Citroen has sacrificed rear seat legroom in the interests of crowing over class-leading luggage space. And finding a sawn-off steering wheel in a C3 smacks worryingly of dynamic pretensions that could severely damage the Citroen USP, ride comfort.

Oh no. What have they done?

Well, mercifully, despite the fact that the new C3 is significantly more agile than its predecessor, the Macpherson front and torsion beam rear undercarriage still gives a pleasingly supple ride. It’ll never challenge a Fiesta thrown down a boisterous B-road, but far better that than destroy straight line comfort.

The occasional road racket all too clearly transmitted to the cabin from poorer surfaces is a touch baffling, though, since Citroen claims to have tripled the sound insulation on the car. Then again, they also say that this car is no heavier than its predecessor… Something, somewhere, doesn’t quite add up. It’ll be interesting to see how the C3 copes with our dreadful roads.

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