TMW - The all new Citroen C3 - stylish looks, good driveability and frugal, what more do you need.

Citroen's biggest seller the C3 has just been renewed with an all new car, and this is so far removed from the car it replaces that it you would be forgiven for thinking that this was a bigger, better equipped and a car thats seriously good.

The C4 Cactus was the start of a new era for Citroen, and the C3 carries that forward, the brilliant airbump system is on the C3, not as big as you will find on the Cactus, but it works really well on this new car, along with the two colour scheme, brilliant looking alloys and the total new look makes this car one to beat.

The interior of the car is a little spartan, mainly due to the fact that it runs nearly everything from the touchscreen system, the same as the Cactus, and a brilliant idea this is, it gives the car an air of modernity, via the touchscreen infotainment system, along with the cost savings of numerous switches and wiring thus would incur.

The clean lines of the dash board are both familiar and modern, the hard plastics on the bulk of the dash, are softened by the soft material that runs across the dash infront of the passenger seat, added to which the stylised air vents, it gives the new C3 a great place to be.

The seating position can be adjusted in numerous positions so that you will easily be able to get comfortable, and the super light steering means you can fling the car about like a dodgem car, it really is a fun car to be in and drive, it is a very airy and roomy cabin, whether you're in the front or in the back, although getting in the back is a little tight for those of a more bulky demeanour.

Driving the car is a very easy proposition, the lightness of the steering, clutch and decent brakes, mean that you are able to control this car with ease, the lightness of the steering does not take away from the accuracy of where you send it, because again, this car is very able and precise.

The diesel engine is powerful, and pulls away with gusto, and getting up to motorway speeds is quick and effortless, once there the cruise control can keep you rolling along, the top speed of this model is 115mph with a CO2 emission of 95g/km, the brand states that this car is very frugal when it comes to sipping the diesel, with an 

• Urban Cycle 64.2mpg
• Extra Urban 88.3mpg
• Combined 76.3mpg

Although we could not get to these figures, we did manage to get a decent 64.1mpg which is a brilliant figure overall, especially as most of the driving was local roads, with a couple of journeys in between.

The car also has a dent amount of kit thrown in too, from

• Hill Start Assist
• Speed Limit Recognition and Speed Warning
• Lane Departure Warning
• Coffee Break Alert
• Cruise Control with Speed Limiter
• Alarm
• Mirror Screen with MirrorLink®, and Apple CarPlayTM
• 16" Matrix Alloy Wheels
• Wheel Arch Extentions
• 7" Touchscreen
• Leather Steering Wheel with Satin Chrome and Brilliant Black Inserts
• ConnectedCAM Citroen®
• Automatic Air-Conditioning
• Reversing Camera
• Airbump®
• Red Roof
• Front Fog Lights
• Dark Tinted Rear Windows

The car has a worlds first with the addition of a front view video camera, with the ability to take video and pictures, this can be connected to you iPhone, iPad, Laptop etc, this will be an ideal insurance buster, and assistant should there be any incident in-front of you, this along with the touchscreen are all accessible via your own brand of connectivity, like the navigation system, this will work via the touchscreen, along with other apps and programs.

Finally, the car is well endowed with space, with loads of cubby holes to the size of the boot, considering that this car is a supermini, it has a really good sized boot space, more than capable of taking more than a weeks family shopping, or luggage, put the seats down and you get acres of space, you will not be left wanting here for that, so, is this a good car, no, far from it, it is a brilliant car, from the stylish looks, good fuel consumption, space and driveability, this is a car you would be silly not to consider if you are in the market for a car in this class.

• 
  
•