Used Citroën DS3 cars

The Citroën DS3 is a stylish and economical three-door supermini . that performs well on the road. Despite its compact size, the bold design and colours of the DS3 allow it to stand out from the crowd. Its stylish appearance is mirrored in the interior, which features high-quality materials and has an upmarket look.

The Citroën DS3 competes with other premium superminis and other small cars such as the MINI Hatchback, Ford Fiesta, Audi A1 and the Fiat 500. Thanks to its fashionable interior and exterior, the Citroën DS3 competes well against these rivals.

Citroën DS3 updates and facelifts

Originally launched in 2009, the DS3 was a hit with drivers and helped to encourage Citroën to launch the DS as a brand in its own right.

It received a facelift in 2014 when it was rebranded to the DS 3 and had some subtle exterior changes. In 2015, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment display was installed into the DS 3 replacing the stereo unit.

In 2016, the interior had a facelift, giving it a higher quality interior. A new entry-level trim was added called Chic, joining the Elegance, Prestige, Ultra Prestige and Performance trim levels.

Practicality and style of the car

Passengers will find getting into the rear seats easy thanks to the wide-opening doors and well-placed handles. For the size of the car, there is a good amount of legroom and headroom in the rear, while passengers in the front will also be comfortable.

There are a couple of cubbies located around the cabin to keep the DS3 clutter-free. In the front, the glovebox is decently sized and there is also a cubby in the centre console to store a smartphone and other personal belongings. Door bins provide a useful space to keep water bottles and other personal items stowed away.

The Citroën DS3 also offers good handling thanks to its firm suspension. Its small size as a supermini allows drivers to take advantage of small and tight parking spaces in urban areas.

The Citroën DS3 has a good-sized boot for its class, offering 285 litres with the rear seats up. With them down, it expands to 980 litres. This provides more space than the three-door MINI Hatchback which offers 211 litres and an expanded size of 731 litres. The Citroën DS3 also has about 100 litres more than the 185-litre boot on a Fiat 500.

The hatchback tailgate gives you a wide opening to access the boot, allowing for items to be loaded and unloaded easily. The deep boot floor allows you to arrange larger loads with ease. The DS3 is able to tow a maximum of 1,150kg – enough for a small trailer.

Running costs

A Citroën DS3 sits in insurance groups 9 to 27 and has an annual road tax of around £240. The DS3 falls into a slightly lower group bracket than its rivals such as the Audi A1, which sits in 16 to 31, and the MINI Hatchback, which sits in groups 11 to 27. The DS3 also matches the MINI Hatchback when it comes to road tax.

How a used Citroën DS3 drives

A Citroën DS3 is available with petrol or diesel engines. All offer good performance and fuel economy.

For petrol engines, the entry-level 1.2-litre PureTech 110bhp engine achieves 0 to 62mph in 9.9 seconds. This returns between 53.3 and 74.3mpg. The 1.4-litre VTi engine puts down 95bhp and returns around 58mpg. This engine achieves 0 to 62mph in 10.6 seconds.

The 1.6-litre VTi engine generates 120bhp, achieving 0 to 62mph in 8.6 seconds, and returns around 47mpg. The 1.6-litre THP 165bhp engine achieves 0 to 62mph in 7.5 seconds and returns between 39.8 and 61.4mpg.

Diesel engines on a Citroën DS3 consist of a pair of 1.6-litre BlueHDi engines that output either 100bhp or 120bhp. The 100bhp engine achieves 0 to 62mph in 10.8 seconds, while the 120bhp engine completes it in 9.3 seconds. Both engines have a good fuel efficiency, returning between 64.2 and 88.3mpg.

Features you can expect in a Citroën DS3

Interior

The interior of the Citroën DS3 matches the defining style and looks of the exterior. Furnished with high-quality materials, the interior is comfortable to sit in and is also intuitive to use.

On the centre of the dashboard is a seven-inch infotainment screen, which is controlled via a touchscreen interface. This also comes with Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Drivers can easily connect to their personal music libraries, contacts and navigation applications, through the infotainment system. Below this are the controls for the air conditioning and, on pre-2015 iterations, the stereo. The infotainment system comes with an integrated sat nav on the Chic trim level and higher.

Traditional analogue dials for speed, fuel level and revs are backlit and chrome trims surround the dials on the dashboard. This helps to give the interior of the DS3 an upmarket look and feel.

Technology

The Citroën DS3 comes with features that assist the driver when on the road. On the Chic trim level and above, cruise control helps to maintain speeds on the motorway. Front and rear parking sensors also alert the driver to obstacles within proximity of the car when parking in tight spaces.

Similarly, a reversing camera helps drivers to reverse back into a space with more confidence as they are able to avoid any collisions. Other features include automatic wipers and lights for added driving convenience.

Safety

The Citroën DS3 scored a full five stars from Euro NCAP when it was first tested in 2009. In 2017, it scored three stars under Euro NCAP’s updated and more rigorous testing regime, which is comparable to the Fiat 500.

Safety features on a Citroën DS3 include two ISOFIX points on the outermost rear seats for securing child seats into the back. The cabin of the DS3 also has a set of six airbags around the cabin for passenger and driver safety in the event of a collision.

ESP stability control, which prevents the car from flipping over when braking hard in an emergency comes as standard on the DS3. Also, an anti-lock braking system with electronic brake force distribution is included. This system distributes the force of the car across each wheel depending on the condition of the road and the speed of the vehicle. This maintains the driver’s control of the car, preventing the car from spinning out.

Other features available depending on the trim-level include active city brake. This uses a sensor to measure the distance between the car and the vehicle in front, braking the car automatically when necessary.

Trims available on the Citroën DS3

Citroën DS3 Chic

The Chic trim is the entry trim for the Citroën DS3. Inside, it features a seven-inch infotainment display with a DAB radio and smartphone connectivity. The Chic also offers air conditioning, a leather steering wheel and a USB port for device charging and wired connection. On the exterior, the Chic trim has 16-inch alloy wheels and LED running lights.

Citroën DS3 Elegance

The Elegance trim adds extra features to the interior including an upmarket cloth upholstery and a gloss black trim around the cabin. On the exterior, LED front fog lights, rear parking sensors and rear privacy glass feature.

Citroën DS3 Prestige

The Prestige trim adds some premium features such as a half-leather interior upholstery and heated door mirrors. On the exterior, it has 17-inch wheels, a two-tone colour roof, front parking sensors, automatic wipers and lights. Other features include active city brake.

Citroën DS3 Performance

The Performance trim is the flagship trim for the Citroën DS3. In the interior it adds leather seats, moving outside the vehicle, drivers will find 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and uprated brakes.

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