Citroen C3 1.6 HDi 16v VTR review
by Graeme Giles (21 November 2005)
No question that Citroen's C3 supermini has been a resounding international success - and that's despite the fact that, in the UK at least, the car did not exactly receive a resounding thumbs-up from the motoring press when it first broke cover in the winter of 2002.
The Gallic contender was marked down for lacklustre handling and the flimsy look and feel to its interior. That did not deter buyers. They were seduced by the C3's distinctive curvy shape and by its maker's usual ultra-aggressive approach to pricing. C3, they concluded, represented dashed fine value for money.
As a result, more than 85,000 have been snapped up by British buyers, helping the car to a global total of more than one million. And that makes C3 the fastest-selling Citroen of all time. Now it has been treated to a mid-life update, which includes tweaked front and rear styling (though the basic shape remains the same), and upgraded interiors.
Under the skin, the structure has been beefed up; suspension changes have been introduced, and the steering fettled. And the icing on the gateau is two new models - the 1.6 HDi VTR and the 1.6 16v SX Auto. The HDi VTR is powered by the Peugeot-Citroen Group's tried and tested 1.6-litre, 110bhp turbo-diesel engine which parent company Peugeot uses in its rival 206 HDi GTi. That is not a car which cuts the mustard with this contributor, so I had no great hopes for its Citroen equivalent. But, know what, the C3 is the better motor.
"Paper" performance is more or less on a par with the petrol-powered C3 VTR, although the oil-burner has, as you might expect, much stronger low- and mid-revs punch. That said, we're talking "warm" rather than "hot" hatch here - 118mph and 9.5 seconds for the 0-62mph sprint. The combined economy figure is an impressive 62.8mpg. Power delivery is more linear than in the 206, and the C3 also shades it in the refinement department. But what it needs is a decent gearshift, not the flabby, notchy device currently fitted.
The chassis tweaks, combined with that structural stiffening, certainly give the Citroen a more robust feel. The VTR has stiffer springing than the cooking versions, and the result is handling which is neat and quite precise, although still with noticeable body lean. The steering has quite a meaty feel, but it could be more communicative. We're not talking Fiesta Zetec-S nimbleness here, but the HDi VTR is decent fun on a twisty road, and ride quality is not at all bad.
The changes to the inside of the car do make it look classier. The pimple effect on the lower dash of the original C3 sparked a rash of criticism. It's still there, but the acne effect has, thankfully, been much reduced. The centre console is neater - although the air-con controls are still mounted too low - and the instrument display (digital speedo and ribbon revcounter) is more legible, but still some way short of perfect. Oh, for a set of conventional dials.
And what of the revised looks? The reprofiled front end works quite well, giving the car more presence on the road. The problem is, the C3's shape just doesn't lend itself to "sporty", despite the new-look alloys and racy badging, and that kind of undermines the VTR's case.
Elsewhere, it's the usual C3 story. Room in the back is pretty cramped, if the front seats are shoved well back, and the boot is not the roomiest in the class. However, buyers do get the practicality of five doors.
At £13,295, the HDi VTR is the most expensive C3 money can buy. However, at the time of writing, it was subject to a £1500 cashback, reducing the asking price to £11,795 - good value considering the generous levels of standard kit. And, don't forget, Citroen sales execs are never averse to a bit of friendly haggling.
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