Citroen C3 Shine 2021 Review

The 2021 Citroen C3 is priced at $28,990 plus on-road costs, which means buyers will fork out more than $30K to get this tiny Euro hatchback’s rubber on the road.

For not much more coin you could get a fancier upmarket city-car like the Audi A1 (from $32,750) and MINI Cooper hatch ($35,150).

We’re testing this vehicle because the five-door hatchback has just received a mid-life update – 12 months after its European market launch – so it’s a case of better late than never.

New bits on the outside include new LED headlights, chrome-work around the grille, colour-matched door strips (which also double as protective barriers) and new-look 16-inch ‘Helix’ alloy wheels.

Front parking sensors now join rear parking sensors and help take some of the stress out of parking, while inside the seats feature extra seat padding and the faux wool-upholstered pews are certainly comfy.

The seats have only manual adjustment and when cars from many Asian brands costing far less feature powered seats and sometimes ventilated in-cushion cooling, this deal starts to look iffy. For around $30,000 we expected a larger infotainment screen too.

I found adjusting the climate control through the touch-screen annoying at times, and would’ve preferred permanent buttons, but the overall design and physical integration is attractive and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality are always welcome.

The overall cabin style – including the funky dashboard, cool air-vents and hipster door pulls – are cool and the compact steering wheel looks and feels great and has good controls too.

Standard features like keyless entry and push-button start/stop make driving a little easier and more seamless, as do blind spot monitoring and speed limit sign recognition. However, incidental storage is below average with small cup-holders and nowhere to securely put an iPhone 8 Plus.

Back-seat room is pretty tight too, but boot space isn’t shabby at 300 litres, which is more than in the Toyota Corolla. A space-saver spare tyre is located under the boot floor.

Overall I liked the ambience Citroen has created in the cabin, but the lack of modern conveniences leaves a lot to be desired.

Aftersales support includes a five-year warranty, which is par for the course, along with five years of roadside assistance. The brand is also currently offering five years worth of free scheduled servicing, which is a nice bonus.

Unless you’re upgrading from a 2005 Citroen Xsara, the 2021 Citroen C3 will feel a bit dated in terms of tech.

While standard technology features like keyless entry, driver attention warning, reversing camera, front/rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring and speed limit sign recognition are welcome and handy, the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system detects other vehicles and pedestrians, but not bicycles.

There’s also no adaptive cruise control or lane keep assist – safety systems that are standard on some cheaper, smaller cars. There is lane departure warning and six airbags and the C3 retains its sub-par four-star ANCAP safety rating from 2017.

When it comes to powertrain and performance, the 2021 Citroen C3 story steers into positive territory, and the three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine gives the compact hatchback plenty of character.

The triple-cylinder arrangement generates a charming warble as revs rise and together with the assertive six-speed automatic transmission – which works well in cut-and-thrust city driving – delivers impressive throttle response and decent acceleration.

Peak power from 1199cc engine is 81kW at 5500rpm, while peak torque of 205Nm at 1500rpm delivers plenty of thrust at low revs, improving drivability.

Indeed, the latest C3 is a lot of fun to cruise around in and it’s fuel-efficient too. We couldn’t match the claimed 5.2L/100km combined fuel consumption figure in testing, but 5.8L/100km is still pretty efficient and means you won’t be refuelling too often.

Backing up the 2021 Citroen C3’s solid engine performance is a pleasant chassis tune that delivers very good ride comfort.

If you’re looking for a comfy compact car that won’t rattle the fillings out of your teeth, this car should definitely be on your short list. The MINI Cooper and Audi A1 offer much firmer ride qualities.

By the same token the tiny Citroen won’t wilt (too much) when thrown into a corner or pushed enthusiastically through a roundabout under acceleration.

There’s some body roll but overall it’s a predictable and fun European runabout, with a punchy engine providing good acceleration out of corners. Its compact sub-four-metre length makes it really easy to park too.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the 2021 Citroen C3. It’s a capable and often amusing car to drive, and it certainly stands out from the sea of small cars available.

But Aussies are buying more Ferraris than Citroens at the moment and that’s probably due to pricing and a lack of trust in the brand.

The French car-maker has just three models on offer in Australia: this C3 hatch, plus the C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross SUVs. It sold just 203 vehicles here last year, when the C3 found just 47 homes. By comparison, the Volkswagen Polo attracted more than 3500 sales in the same period.

If the Citroen C3 was pegged at around $25,000 drive-away, and had a few more key features, I reckon it’d find a lot more friends. As it stands it’s a cool and quirky compact that’s hard to recommend when you’re looking at spending $30,000 to drive it away.

How much does the 2021 Citroen C3 Shine cost?
Price: $28,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Since February 2021
Engine: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 81kW/205Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 118g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star (2017)

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