Citroën C3

Start with what the Citroën C3 is: a 5-door hatchback / 2-door coupé-cabriolet (2003–2010) with Petrol engine, built from 2002, in the decade of stability control, dual-clutch gearboxes and the first serious hybrids. What it meant takes a little longer. The shape is credited to Donato Coco / Jean-Pierre Ploué.

Where it came from

The Citroën C3 is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by Citroën since April 2002. It replaced the Citroën Saxo in the model line up, and is currently in its fourth generation. Initial models of the Citroën C3 were built using the same platform as the Peugeot 206. The C3 is produced in a five-door hatchback body style, with the first generation also being produced in a two-door convertible version, called the C3 Pluriel. A three-door hatchback, with a similar design as the second generation, was available as the Citroën DS3 and marketed as a premium model.

A mini MPV derivative of the C3 was announced in July 2008, called the C3 Picasso. In South America, a mini SUV version called the C3 Aircross, was produced and marketed only locally. Then, a separate model also called the Citroën C3 Aircross was introduced worldwide. In September 2021, a new, low-cost model was introduced for the Indian and South American markets. During its introduction, Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée mentioned that the "C3" is the trade name for all Citroën B-segment hatchbacks around the world. The third and fourth-generation C3 are available with a battery electric variant.

Under the skin

The engine is Petrol engine; other versions carried different engines, listed in the specification table below. On the scales it comes to 953 -. Drive goes through a 5-speed manual / 5-speed SensoDrive automated manual / 4-speed automatic. The layout matters: the engine drives the front wheels, the packaging choice that gives a small car a big cabin. The wheelbase is 2460 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.

In context

In the Citroën line-up the Citroën C3 has a clear place: it replaced the Citroën Saxo / Citroën C2; it handed the line to the Citroën DS3 Cabrio (for C3 Pluriel) / Citroën E-Méhari (as a convertible); the factory was Aulnay-sous-Bois. The cars a buyer would have weighed it against include the Honda Accord, the Mazda Mazda6, the Kia Sorento. Nearby in the Citroën catalogue sit the Citroën K and the Citroën 2CV.