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After parking the car alongside the road, I joined the shooting crew to grab a bite at a nearby restaurant. As my colleagues entered, I instinctively turned around to steal a lingering look at the vehicle. It’s a ritual I do with my own car, and with every car I test drive. Usually, it’s a brief glance and, nothing more. But, every once in a while, I find myself compelled to prolong my glance for a little bit longer, which is what happened with the Citroen C3.
Citroen has been in the Nepalese market for 3 years now, starting their campaign with the C5 Aircross. Considering the price segment this was in, it was not going to be selling like hotcakes. Soon after, they introduced the C3 taking on the mass market approach. Still, the roads of Kathmandu are far from filled with Citorens. Standing there, looking at the C3 I had just parked, I was having a tough time understanding why that was.
Certainly, it wasn't because of how it looked. I wasn't standing in the sun admiring the C3 because it was hideous. The Citroen C3 proudly embraces its French quirkiness. The chrome grille seamlessly integrates with the Citroen logo, exuding class. The sleek twin-pod LED DRLs, along with the halogen headlamps, fit in perfectly and are well complemented by the faux skid plate and the hexagonal air dam. The black cladding extends to the profile and the pronounced wheel arches, providing a sporty appeal.
Moreover, it boasts a clean tail end to complete its design. The C3 rubs shoulders with the rest of the decent-looking cars of the automotive fraternity in Nepal, so the looks aren’t the issue here. Then, perhaps, it was the way the door closed: devoid of even a hint of a satisfying thud, only a sickening clank. But, then again, if you're looking for auditory satisfaction when closing your doors, you're probably looking in the wrong segment.
Then it’s probably the fact that the ORVMs are only adjustable internally via a tiny manual knob. That’s absolutely ancient. But, then again you get a massive 10-inch infotainment system that is beautiful to look at and so smooth and easy to use. Connecting wirelessly through Android Auto was easier than in any other car we’ve had, and we’re guessing Apple CarPlay is just as effortless to use. Modern. Almost modern enough to have you overlook an extremely basic digital instrument cluster that doesn’t even have an instrument cluster.
Some of the parts of the interiors lend an air of European sophistication to the cabin. The C-shaped air vents with chrome accents, the plastics on the dash that don’t feel all that plasticky, and the gear knob with a unique shape to it that fit well in your hands when you’re driving. I don’t mind the manual AC knobs either, I much prefer it to some of the digital fidgety units you get in modern cars. The rear window controls are oddly placed though, and there is no rear camera, adjustable headrest, or rear defogger. Shame.
What you can’t complain about though, is the space and seating comfort that you get when you’re inside the cabin. The Citroen C3 gets class-leading wheelbase dimensions, which means there is plenty of room for all occupants. No issues of lack of headroom or legroom here, despite the reasonably large 315L boot space that you get with the car. It looks like the performance is what it all boils down to.
To be fair, this segment is not exactly a haven for driving enthusiasts. So, the three-cylinder, 1200cc engine does not have a very daunting benchmark. The C3’s 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol engine, for instance, makes just 81 BHP @ 5,750 rpm and 115 Nm @ 3,750 rpm. However, as an automotive journalist, it is my responsibility to really push every car that is handed to us and see what it truly has to offer.
Long story short, I took the C3 to a nice, relatively empty bit of tarmac in the North side of Kathmandu which was peppered with twists and turns, and put the pedal to the metal. After tinkering with the accelerator, clutch, and gear for a while, I found a sweet spot which allowed me to hold revs and find a consistent power output that allowed me to keep going at a steady pace. Steady is the keyword here.
Luckily, being fast isn’t a strict prerequisite to being a fun car. Some of the most fun I’ve had driving is in tiny hatchbacks with tiny engines and a big heart. This was the case with the C3. After finding that sweet spot with the engine, the C3 felt like a car that wanted to be driven. It felt steady through the corners and didn’t lose steam when coming out of a sharp bend. The inclines did require you to be a liberal with your right foot. Nevertheless, it felt like the C3 was enthusiastic. It was far from breaking any speed records, but it felt fast.
To be honest, it fared better than most cars in the segment when navigating tight turns. The 5-speed manual transmission felt decent, but at times did feel a little notchy as well. One thing worth mentioning though is that the aforementioned sweet spot for fun driving falls in the power band that requires you to really rev the engine. This is loud business and it really feels like you’re pushing the 3-cylinder engine to perform. In-city driveability though is quieter and calmer. It’s easy to get around city traffic and when you’re not pushing it, it feels relaxed. On the highways you will need to plan overtakes if you have already taken on some speed.
Nevertheless, it is capable of traversing open roads with ease and confidence. The suspension does a good job of soaking up small potholes without feeling deterred. In terms of driveability, it feels slightly firm, not firm enough to register tiny road undulations but firm enough to make it a fun car to drive.
So, where does this put the Citroen C3 in the automotive map of Nepal? It’s a fun car to drive, that has been established. The fact that the turbo engine isn’t offered in Nepal is absolutely criminal, but it is what it is.
Furthermore, for the majority of people, the exterior is appealing. The funky styling is different and ensures that its French heritage isn’t lost in translation. There are some nice bits in the interiors, but it misses out on a lot like electric adjustment for ORVMs, adjustable headrests, a grab handle for the front passenger side (which particularly irked my codriver during our test drive), a reversing camera, and plenty more. Compared to its competitors, it feels underfeatured.
Furthermore, Citroen is relatively new in the market and has plenty to prove in terms of after-sales and spare part availability. We will have to wait and see how they do in this department. This will play a role when people compare the C3 with the likes of Magnite, Ignis, and Kiger.
Now, here is the twist. The Citroen C3 comes in at just under Rs.36.50 Lakh for the top variant. However, they have announced that the eC3, the electric version of the ICE C3 will start at Rs. 32.99 Lakh. Essentially, you get everything you get with the C3 but no fuel-guzzling engine in sight. I think the electric C3 is a tad overpriced, but regardless, the availability of the electric drive train really makes you think. On one hand, the C3 with its internal combustion engine is a fun car to drive and really gets as much out of the small engine as possible; yet, at the same time it is still a tiny engine.
On the other hand, there is an electric C3 coming soon at a lower price point with pretty much the same features. Sure, the driveability will be missed but is it that big of a sacrifice? I guess I’ll have to wait to drive the eC3 before giving a final verdict. For now, I keep the Citroen C3 in high regard. I enjoyed driving it a lot, much more than I initially expected. And boy, oh boy is it good to look at.
