Stylish looks
I’ve always liked the look of the Citroën’s DS3. When we tested the Sport version in 2010 I thought that the design was forward thinking instead of throw-back retro and that was ok with me. The vertically stacked LED lamps at the front, large chrome-outlined grille and swept back headlamps give this vehicle a unique look. For the 2013 model year, Citroën has adopted a three-dimensional effect for the LED taillamp clusters. As ever, the DS3 is fully customisable so buyers can make their car look as individual as possible by playing around with different colours for the roof, wheels, gear knob, facia, and other trim options.
Spacious interior
Climbing inside the DS3, I was able to find a comfortable driving position thanks to the adjustment available on the seat and steering column. The cabin has an airy feel about it and I like the clean layout. Nothing seems too complicated and I didn’t have to hunt around for any of the controls.
With two people in the back and one in the passenger seat, I found that everyone had enough legroom and no one complained of feeling cramped. The car is capable of seating five people, but it may be a tight squeeze if it were five adults in the back as the middle seat is narrow.
On the road
The engine may be a small, naturally aspirated, three-cylinder unit developing 60 kW, but I can’t accuse it of lacklustre performance thanks to the 118 N.m of torque available from 2 750 r/min. It kicks in early enough for this DS3 to get off the line quickly and smoothly. The in-gear acceleration, while currently untested, feels strong and I never had any issues while carrying out a few overtaking manoeuvres. Even uphill sections didn’t faze this engine provided that I stuck to a lower gear and made use of most of its free-revving nature. It never felt as though the unit was labouring. In fact, the engine note is quite sporty.
What lets this car down is the five-speed manual gearbox and clutch. While I appreciated the gearbox’s short throw action, the actual changes felt notchy. The clutch is very light and lacking in feel. It also takes quite high up, so I often found that when I thought I had released the clutch and I took my foot off the pedal, the car got jerky and jumpy because the clutch had actually not yet been released. I had the debate this past weekend that if you haven’t a basis for comparison (i.e. you’ve never driven say, a VW Polo) then you wouldn’t mind the feel of it and you would get used to it after a while. But I do know better and, in my opinion, Citroën could do something to improve both the feel and modulation of its clutches and gearboxes.
I was able to stretch the DS3’s legs a bit and found that it has a supple ride while the steering, although on the light side, has enough weight to it to inspire some confidence when tackling twisty roads. The soft suspension set-up gives way to a bit of body-roll, but it’s not unsettling.
Economy and emissions
There are obvious benefits of having a small engine. Citroën claims that this unit will achieve a fuel consumption of 4,5 litres/100 km and misses the emissions tax with 107 g/km of CO2.
Value-for-money
Citroën places a good deal of emphasis upon this car being a good value-for-money buy. With other DS3s priced between R235 900 and R285 000, this model does seem like a bit of steal at R199 900. Standard features include an MP3-compatible audio system, electric mirrors, ABS with EBD, ESP, driver, passenger, front-, side- and curtain airbags, Isofix anchorages and cruise control. Citroën has also thrown in some peace of mind with the inclusion of a standard four years/60 000 km service plan.
Specifications*
Engine: 1,2-litre, three-cylinder
Power: 60 kW at 5 750 r/min
Torque: 118 at 2 750 r/min
0-100 km/h: 14,2 seconds
Fuel consumption: 4,5 litres/100 km
CO2: 107 g/km
Top speed: 174 km/h
Service plan: four years/60 000 km
*manufacturer claims
