The new C3 is Citroën's main launch in 2024 and is doubly important. On the one hand, it represents the brand's largest volume, up to ⅓ of sales, and on the other, it embodies Citroën's new positioning as a popular and accessible brand.
During its presentation, Citroën struck a major blow with the electric C3, priced from €23,300 excluding government subsidies but with a good level of equipment, fast charging and Advanced Comfort suspension. The brand continued this trend with the presentation of the thermal C3 with a starting price of 14,900 euros, which is 1,600 euros cheaper than the previous generation. So how does the new C3 compare with its closest rivals?
Dacia Sandero
This is certainly the main target of the new C3, as Citroën is explicitly targeting Dacia as a competitor. The Sandero is the hit of the Romanian brand, which sees it as the best-selling car among private customers in France and Europe, and these sales figures are the envy of everyone.
For this comparison I chose the Sandero Stepway, which adopts an SUV look like the C3 and is sold in the basic Essential version for €15,200 with the 90 hp TCe engine. The Sandero Stepway Essential is fairly well equipped with a smartphone docking station, manual air conditioning, rear parking aid and automatic lights and wipers.
The C3, on the other hand, costs €14,900 with a 100 hp Puretech (chain) engine and although it lacks automatic wipers, it is slightly better equipped with electric mirrors and, above all, Advanced Comfort suspension as standard.
Slightly larger than the new C3, the Sandero is also slightly more spacious, with a larger boot (328 litres compared to the C3's 310 litres) and 3 cm more shoulder room at the rear, while the front is identical.
In conclusion, the C3 proves to be a formidable competitor for the Sandero Stepway, which retains a slight advantage in terms of living space, but loses out in terms of equipment and comfort. The battle between the two is close and it will be interesting to see how the new C3 manages to steal customers away from the Sandero Stepway, which has the advantage of being very well established on the market.
Other competitors
Of course, the new C3 is not only aimed at the Dacia Sandero and it enters an extremely competitive B-segment. But the prices offered by Citroën for this new C3 are much more attractive than those of its closest competitors, the Renault Clio and Peugeot 208.
Renault's versatile saloon starts at €20,000, more than €5,000 more than the new C3 in its TCe 90 version, and if the diamond-shaped saloon is a little more equipped (7-inch touchscreen, electric rear windows, full LED front and rear lights) and a little more liveable, especially in terms of boot space, the C3 is undeniably more competitive.
Similarly, the basic Active version of the Peugeot 208 with the Puretech 100 engine starts at €20,020, which is also more than €5,000 more expensive than the new C3 with the same engine.
In terms of equipment, the entry-level 208 offers electric rear windows and a 10-inch multimedia screen, but lacks the C3's electric mirrors and Advanced Comfort suspension.
Of course, the new Citroën C3 is not only targeting its competitors there and the B-segment is well filled with a lot of competitors. However, the prices offered by the brand for the new C3 are so attractive that in reality it only has one competitor: the Dacia Sandero. In fact, the new C3 thermal, in the top Max version, is almost 1,000 € cheaper than the Renault Clio and Peugeot 208 with equivalent engines, the game is over and clearly in favour of the C3. The latest model from the Chevrolet brand is unique on the market as it is the only one with a supposed SUV attitude, but also the only one to offer hybrid and electric engines, unlike the Dacia Sandero which only offers thermal engines. Citroën therefore has a real advantage in this B segment with a car that, despite being only 4 metres long, is often more spacious than its competitors and is certainly the most comfortable.
Comments