The new Citroën C3 has been on sale in Brazil since September 2022 and is doing well there, ranking fifth in sales in its segment. This version, which is not sold in Europe, was tested by the Francuskie site, with which Passionnément Citroën has a partnership and which allows us to find out what this Brazilian C3 is worth on the road.
This is the version with the 1.6-litre aspirated engine and automatic gearbox that was tested on a 150 km route that combined all the possible uses. Overall, the style of this C3 makes it look better in real life than in photos and, above all, it seems bigger and more imposing than our European C3, even though it measures the same length. In this light blue colour combined with the white roof, the C3 brings a dynamic style where its SUV side stands out very clearly.
At the wheel, the engine of this C3 is quiet and the whole thing is very smooth with the automatic gearbox, even if the engine seems a little stifled, lazy with pick-ups that are a little long, especially uphill. Consumption seems high since, over the 150 km of the course, it was displayed at 7.6 litres per 100 km, which may seem like a lot for a 4 m car. However, being a good Citroën, it is in comfort that the C3 reveals its true nature, where the suspension is perfect, absorbing the bumps and undulations of the road without flinching, giving the car the feeling of a magic carpet as if it were flying over the road. The only thing to be regretted is the excessive rolling noise, especially on paved surfaces, which, if it is eliminated by the suspension, is very present due to the noise generated by the tyres. Finally, although the seats are not as advanced as in Europe, they are comfortable and the car is generally spacious.
The car is equipped with the Feel Pack, the highest level of finish, and the air conditioning is manual and not automatic, but it works perfectly and cools down quickly. The multimedia system, on a 10-inch touchscreen, is similar to the one in the C4, C4 X and C5 X: it is fast, fluid and connects the phone extremely quickly.
In short, this Citroën C3 is liveable, well equipped, even if the lack of an automatic air conditioning system is disappointing, but the multimedia system and the 10-inch touch screen make up for it, very comfortable and very smooth to drive, but it also turns out to be a little lazy, with an engine that seems muffled, as well as noisy due to insufficient soundproofing, especially with regard to road noise.
The article in this essay is in collaboration with Francuskie