Space in a bubble

The Citroën C3 epitomises 'vive le difference', with its retro, almost snail-like, design that harks back to that legendary 2CV, yet it's geared for modern motoring needs with its practical interior borne out of its space-efficient design.

When we tested the 1.6-litre derivative earlier this year in its capacity as a 'Car of the Year' finalist, we were impressed for the reasons already mentioned and with its sprightly performance. The downside was that it seemed rather expensive for a small car and today that's still the case as it retails for R153 995 — R14 000 more than its 'big brother', the admittedly more dated Xsara 1.6.

This will inevitably cause potential buyers to look at the more affordable 1.4-litre C3, which might seem rather expensive for a 1.4, but remember that it packs a whole lot of features for this price. In fact it comes with nearly all of the bells and whistles found on the very well-equipped 1.6, and when we first got behind the wheel of the smaller derivative it was clear that the performance difference would not be all that great.

But the proof of the pudding was in the testing, and here the 1.4 performed well against the clock clearing 0-100km/h, a mere 2.3 seconds slower than the 1.6 and tracking the 80-120km/h run just 1.9 seconds behind. In everyday operating conditions, particularly when weaving through the urban and suburban chaos, the 1.4 feels more than up to the job and most would hardly notice the performance loss had they driven the 1.6-litre C3 beforehand.

It's only once on the highway that the 1.4 feels slightly bogged down, as it takes noticeably longer to reach high speed, although it does cruise acceptably well once on the boil.

What we're saying is; for the average town dweller that doesn't keep performance at the top of the priority list, the 1.4 derivative performs acceptably well and offers basically the same package as its more expensive sibling, just at a significant saving.

The C3 belies its compact exterior dimensions with a spacious and comfortable interior that's also packed with numerous storage compartments and clever little solutions. Among these are storage drawers under the seats, upper and lower glove boxes on the passenger side and the versatile Moduboard system that can separate items in the boot and also fold away when the full boot depth is needed.

Like with the exterior styling, the design of the dashboard takes a bit of getting used to, especially that armadillo-shaped steering wheel, and horseshoe-shaped electronic rev counter that frames the digital speedometer (didn't that fad die with the Cressida ten years ago?).

But in the end, well, that's Citroën for you — at least, the old Citroën, as we know it! Clearly, the C3 is not a car that will appeal to everyone's taste, but for those who take a fancy to its bubbly design, it also offers an extremely practical and well-specified package and in 1.4-litre form, it makes more sense in the value for money argument.

Make	Citroën C3 1.4
Engine	4-cyl SOHC
Capacity	1339cc
Power	54kW @ 5400rpm
Torque	118Nm @ 3300rpm
Specific power	40kW per litre
Power to weight	54kW per ton
Torque to weight	117Nm per ton
Transmission	5-speed
Fuel capacity	45-litres
Acceleration 0-100km/h (c)	14.2 seconds
0-100km/h (g)	12.1 seconds
Quarter mile (exit speed) (g)	19.1 seconds (119km/h)
80-120km/h 4th gear (g)	13.9 seconds
120-160km/h 4th gear (g)	n/a
Maximum speed	168km/h
Fuel use overall	6.3-litres per 100km
Price	R127 995
Cia Rating	7/10

Key:

c = claimed

g = Gauteng