Always the notably attractive bridesmaid, never the bride is how the establishment at the South African offices of the
Citroën brand must at times feel when viewing the combined monthly sales figures for our market. The French brand with a proud legacy of design flair, for various reasons – including pricing – an otherwise impressively packaged and characterful range of Europe-sourced products has for years failed to match the broad appeal of established competition from the likes of Volkswagen and Toyota.
Under the custodianship of
Stellantis Group, the new
Citroën C3 offers an expected level of design exuberance yet is now on an India-sourced platform that allows this brand to compete in the ever-significant
B-SUV segment. This is a segment that once you include hatchbacks currently accounts for 40% of monthly sales in
South Africa.
The reigning World Urban Car of the Year, the new
C3 is another budget-friendly package designed to take advantage of the Indian market’s levy exception for vehicles no longer than 4 meters in length, nose to tail. The car boasts a handy 180 mm worth of ground clearance and a claimed 315-litre luggage area.
Available in only one specification grade,
Citroën South Africa has instead made it simple, and relatively affordable to add upgrade packages to the standard car. This includes alloy wheels at R8 000, the option of a two-tone roof and a selection of styling enhancements.
The inclusion of a height-adjustable driver’s seat is a boon for owners looking to find an optimal driving position, while a highlight of the car’s interior is its standard 10-inch touchscreen display with smartphone-mirroring technology.
For the time being, the
C3 is fitted exclusively with a non-turbocharged 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine operated via a five-speed manual transmission.
Citroën claims an average fuel consumption of 5.6 L/100 km.
The car is fitted with ABS-assisted brakes and offers airbags for the two front occupants.
The
Citroën C3 1.2 Feel sells for R229 900 and comes standard with a 5-year/100 000 km and 2-year/30 000 service plan.
