CITROEN C3
The French Automobile giant has launched its new model Citroen C3 in India. Though it look like a compact SUV and having a ground clearance of 180mm,the company is calling it as a Hatchback. In the market it will compete against the likes of Tata Punch and Maruti Ignis.Let's go to the details.
Citroen is seriously considering the Indian market for their future growth.So we can see many more models in coming years from them.
The C3 comes with a new exciting design like its elder brother C5 or we can consider it as a miniature version of the C5. Whatever be, it is an exciting design in this segment.
The C3 has 180mm ground clearance and also having a segment best wheel base of 2540mm. There are two petrol engine on offer, one is available with 82bhp and the other with 110bhp.
This car can be customized with its extensive range of 80 plus accessories. The C3 can be modified with orange colour inserts for a funky or a sporty look with their accessory package.
At the front we can see the Citroen logo on the thin grill. A large air dam is provided under the grill. Halogen headlamps are provided. Fog lamps are provided inside the cladding on the bumper. Day time LED lights are provided in V shape which is a unique style. With all these things the car looks bold from front side.
From the rear the car looks like an SUV. It looks simple. Tail lamps are very simple but it feels good. It's a typical European from the rear side. It has 315 liter boot space, a spare wheel is provided inside the boot.
From the sides it is an SUV. With its 15" wheels and glossy black grab rails on the roof are giving it a bold look of an SUV from side view.
The Citroen C3 comes with black interior but it's interior and exterior colours can be changed while booking with its accessory package. A/c vents provided on the front is beautiful and are very unique in style. The major attraction inside the C3 is it's free standing 10" infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity feature. 12V mobile charger and two cup-holders are provided at the front.
Both front and back seats are good and comfortable. These are fabric seats with good cushioning and under thigh support. All the four head rests are integrated head rests. Driver seat height can be adjusted manually. The console infront of the driver is very basic and is very small but all the information related to the car can be accessed from the main 10" touch-screen system. It has a very basic steering wheel with audio control switches provided on it. Small bottle holders are provided on all four doors.
There is ample headroom at the back row. Theatre-seating is provided at the back so the outside visibility is very good. Two charging points are provided for the back passengers but there is no A/c vent at back. Leg room is decent, thanks to the segment best wheel base of 2540mm.
Driving position is very good, it's 180mm ground clearance providing a commanding view of an SUV. This car is ideal for city drive and to go through the congested narrow roads. Excellent Magic carpet suspension set up and long wheel base of this car gives a nice and comfortable drive even in the broken roads.
There are two engine options in this car. One comes with 1198cc naturally aspirated petrol engine and the other is a Turbo petrol engine with 1199cc.The non-turbo version having sluggishness at the begining but it behaves well on higher speeds, whereas the Turbo version is providing excellent pick up and smooth drive.
Engine Specifications:
*Naturally aspirated engine : 1198cc
*Turbo Engine. : 1199cc
*No. Of Cylinders : 3
*Max.Power of 1198cc engine. : 82 bhp
*Max.Torque of 1198cc engine.: 115Nm @3750RPM
*Max.Power of Turbo engine. : 110bhp
*Max.Torque of Turbo engine: 190Nm@1750RPM.
The naturally aspirated engine having 5 speed manual gearbox but the Turbo version comes with 6 speed manual gear box. The fuel efficiency is 19.9km and 19.8km for non-turbo and turbo versions respectively. C3 has disc brakes at front and drum brakes at back.
At the safety front the car comes with two Airbags,ABS,EBD,Rear parking sensors etc. The build quality of the car is good.
This car is a perfect car in many ways for a small family. It has good ground clearance,good build quality,excellent suspension,good power and mileage etc. But it has some negatives too. For example the side rear view mirrors can be adjusted manually only, Sun-roof is not provided on any version of the C3, there is no rear A/c vents on any model of the C3 and lastly it comes with manual gear box only. No automatic in any versions.
This car is good for city drives and occasional highway tours. It can accommodate four people comfortably. It's Turbo version is an ideal and an all-round package for convenience and spirited drives. Definitely you can consider the C3 if you are considering an SUV or hatch-back under 4meter.
If you want to compare the C3 with the competition please check on Renault Kiger CVT, Hyundai Venue ,Nissan Magnite and Tata Punch.
Always remember to wear the seat-belt.
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