2021 Citroën C3 1.2 PureTech Saint James 5dr

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Citroen's third generation C3 supermini got a wash 'n brush-up in 2020, with a slightly smarter looks, comfier seats and extra personalisation options. It's still one of the most comfort-orientated small cars you can buy from this period too. Ultimately, there's nothing really revolutionary on offer here, but as a complete and highly personalisable package, it's desirably different.

History

Citroën knows a thing or two about small family cars, especially those with a dash or two of character. Which is probably why the C3 supermini has long been one of the brand's best selling models. This third generation version arrived in 2016, before being substantially updated in the Spring of 2020 to create the car we're going to look at here. It had a bit of heritage to live up to. Here, after all, is the marque that over sixty years ago, brought us the iconic 2CV, a model which established its maker as an innovator, an embracer of technology and a brand in tune with the fickle finger of fashion. More recent products struggled to live up to that lineage but this one, this third generation C3 supermini, proved to be a little more charismatic than its two rather forgettable predecessors, the MK1 C3 of 2002 and the MK2 version of 2009. And Citroen was duly rewarded with over 750,000 orders by 2020, a figure that positioned this car fifth in the European supermini segment by the time of this updated model's launch. And boosted overall C3 sales to over 4.5 million. Which to some extent was surprising, given that by 2020, both under the skin and under the bonnet, much of the engineering of this car was over a decade old. It shared powerplants with the latest versions of its Stellantis Group supermini cousins, the Peugeot 208 and the Vauxhall Corsa, but it lacked their sophisticated CMP platform, this third generation C3 model persisting with an ancient PF1 chassis dating back to its MK2 predecessor. This was also why in 2020 a C3 still couldn't be ordered with any kind of engine electrification. It couldn't be had with the latest and most sophisticated camera and radar safety tech for the same reason. Citroen though, realised that a lack of engineering sophistication needn't hold this car back. It sold this model to its younger audience on the back of other virtues - a cheeky look with trendy 'Airbumps' at the side, a soft ride and an affordable price. To these attributes, this revised model added visual tweaks, far greater scope for personalisation, a wider range of 'Connected' media features and the option of cossetting 'Advanced Comfort' seats. It was also very affordable to buy, particularly in the budget-price base-spec 'You!' form announced in 2021. The MK3 C3 sold until Summer 2024, when it was replaced by a fourth generation design.

What You Get

By 2020, Citroen models were at last starting to look unique and different once more. Which is just as well here because stylistic design is now the number one reason for purchasing in the supermini segment. Differences with this updated post-2020 version of the third generation C3 lay in the adoption across the range of full-LED headlights, into which the lower chrome bar extends, to give the front end something of the style of the brand's C4 hatch of this period. Perhaps most notably, C3 buyers still got the biggest talking point of the original M3 design - side 'Airbumps', which from new could be had with red, emerald or white coloured inserts and which could be done without for new buyers who didn't like them. The design of the interior is anything but dull. The designer luggage-themed over-stitched door pulls for example; the retro-style instrument dial graphics; the intricately-fashioned chrome-trimmed vents; the door bins with their unusual contrast-coloured interiors; there's even a 'reverse Airbump' theme happening on the doors and the speaker grilles. It all attempts to continue the cheery demeanour established before you got in. Changes to this revised model included a glossier finish for the central 7-inch infotainment screen, which was standard with 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring and also gained a little lower ledge to rest your finger on. And, on the top-spec model, you get cossetting 'Advanced Comfort' seats, which are fitted out with lumbar support and an armrest and are created using thickened fabric and special foam that can be up to 15mm thick. Once you're inside at the rear, it's quickly evident that this isn't one of the more spacious superminis in the segment. Citroen thought that the rear leg space on offer here put this C3 amongst the class leaders; we wouldn't agree. The room on offer will be fine for kids of course, but adults stuck behind reasonably tall compatriots up-front may well struggle a little when it comes to room for their legs and knees. But then how often is it really necessary to transport burly adults for any real distance in a supermini? Almost never. For the role that a car like this will typically be asked to play in an average family, what's provided here will, for most buyers, be probably quite sufficient. And the boot? Well lift the tailgate and after the relative restrictions of the rear seat, it's something of a surprise to find that the 300-litre space provided is one of the larger cargo bays in the supermini segment.

What to Look For

As with other superminis, check for child damage inside and alloy wheel scuffs outside. And of course you'll want a fully stamped up service record. If the model in question is a diesel, ask how it has been used. If only for local work, the 'DPF' 'Diesel Particulate Filter' may have got clogged up, as these need frequent highway journeys in order to self-clean. Other possible problems with the DPF-equipped cars come if the DPF has been shut off part way through its self-cleaning process. That results in contamination of the oil system with fuel, which leads to the oil level rising gradually over time. What else? Well examine for flaking of paint on the bumpers and check that the air conditioning works and that the pixels on the centre display are all good. Also check for rear bumper scrapes. Finally check that the Bluetooth pairs reliably with your phone handset. Electrical glitches are relatively common, so make sure everything electrical in the car works and double-check that there are no unexplained warning lights on the dashboard. Citroen's infotainment touchscreen software can sometimes cause the monitor to freeze or fail completely. A software reset may solve the problem, but some owners have had to replace the entire unit, which is not a cheap operation.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2020 C3 1.2 82hp excl. VAT - autopartspro.co.uk) A pair of front brake pads are between £15-£23 depending on brand. A pair of rear brake pads are between £14-£22. A pair of front brake discs start in the £22-£42 bracket. Oil filters cost around £4-£18, air filters cost around £6-£15 and fuel filters cost £3-£19. A starter motor starts from £82 upwards. A headlamp is in the £97-£362 bracket.

On the Road

Small French cars used to ride beautifully, grip tenaciously and flow from corner to corner with relaxed, unflustered motion. As, by and large, this one does. It may come as news to some motoring journalists but most supermini buyers don't routinely want to throw their cars about as if they were on stage from the RAC Rally. What most of them would prefer is a model that rolls the red carpet over the average appallingly surfaced British road. As, to a great extent, this one does. It's all down to the way that the fairly conventional suspension set-up has been tuned, though the downside of that is inevitably extra body roll through the bends. Stay with it though and you'll find that there's actually more grip and traction on offer than you might think. Beneath the bonnet, this third generation model continued with the petrol engines that back in 2016 were carried over from final versions of this model's second generation predecessor. Which means that as ever with a C3, the bulk of the range is built around an efficient PSA Group 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol PureTech unit, developing either 83hp in normally aspirated form or 110hp if it's been fitted out with a turbocharger. This pokiest powerplant manages decent WLTP efficiency figures - 50.1mpg on the combined cycle and 129g/km, plus it's the only unit in the range to be offered with an auto gearbox option. If you can justify the premium for diesel power, there's a 1.5-litre BlueHDi 100 unit on offer, but few will want it.

Overall

What do you really want from a supermini? Definitive driving dynamics? The latest in engine electrification? Premium brand quality? A supremely spacious cabin? If so, look beyond this Citroen. If though, you want a car with a little joie de vivre, with a soft ride, an affordable price and bright, cheery looks, then we think this C3 is a car you may well like very much indeed. Especially in this improved form. Of course, there'll be lots of people who just won't get what this C3 is trying to be. After all, there isn't really any need for Crossover cues on supermini. And you can probably survive a trip to the supermarket without the protection of Airbump side panels. If you're tempted to take this perspective, then you'd probably be better off considering another contender in this class, a supermini that might well be better to drive and more spacious inside than this one. But also a car that might well feel bland and boring after experience with this Citroen. All of which leaves us. well where? From an objective point of view, this C3 wasn't the best car in the class from the 2020-2024 period. Subjectively, though, you could easily argue that there's nothing in this segment from that era to touch it. It all depends on how you view the automotive world. We think this C3 made it a brighter place.