Since its presentation last October, the new C3 has only been available with a 100% electric engine, but a few weeks ago the brand formalised the introduction of two petrol engines, including a hybrid, by the end of the year. year. This new thermal C3 will lend a hand to the electric version to make this fourth generation a success in continuity with the current generation, especially as it does not lack any advantages.
The new Citroën C3 will not be officially launched until June 2024 and, apart from the presentation times, it has not been possible to see the thermal versions and take stock of the advances that the new generation offers compared to the 'current'. But thanks to a recent presentation to journalists in Poland, it is possible to see the advantages of the new generation over the current one, as well as the disadvantages.
Above all, the new C3 in its thermal version is a very convincing proposition in the versatile saloon segment and is completely different from the third generation. Transformed into an urban adventurer, the new C3 has a unique silhouette in its segment, with a more vertical stance that should allow it to perform well in terms of spaciousness, especially as its length of 4 metres has hardly changed compared to the current generation. With its new styling, the new Citroën C3 appears even larger than the current model, despite having an almost identical footprint. However, thanks to the new SmartCar platform, Citroën has been able to optimise the living space of the C3, which benefits from advances in the thermal versions compared to the electric versions where the batteries take up space. The rear passengers' feet can slide under the front seats, which is not possible in the electric versions. This means that the rear seats are as spacious as the front seats. The new Citroën C3 offers a first-class interior, with a spaciousness and comfort that promises to be royal, surpassing its direct rivals. Of course, you have to measure it with a metre, but the new C3 is surprising in terms of livability and performs significantly better than the current generation in a similar space.
Invisible savings
The new C3 offers for the first time an electric version, with which Citroën has made a big impact by offering a selling price well below €25,000, which, after state aid, allows the price to be lowered below €20,000 and to be particularly accessible, while offering good standard equipment and completely convincing services.
Of course, the thermal versions will benefit from the brand's progress on the electric versions to offer a very competitive selling price, which I will come back to in a few days. This aggressive price is made possible by savings that the brand has tried to conceal from the consumer, starting with an interior and exterior design that is elaborate and full of details that would not be out of place on much more expensive cars, I am thinking in particular of the small pieces of fabric sewn onto the armrests that contain positive messages.
Inside, the plastics are all hard, as in many cars in this segment, but the assembly seems very well done and the presence of fabric on the armrests and the dashboard helps to create a warm atmosphere, especially in the Plus and Max versions. The interior of the electric and thermal versions does not differ except for the presence of a handbrake and a manual gear lever on the Puretech 100 engine, the first thermal engine to be marketed. On the electric versions, as well as on the future Puretech 100 hybrid version, the handbrake will be electric and the gearbox automatic, freeing up space for the front passengers.
In conclusion, comfortable, economical and liveable, the new Citroën C3 seems to have the qualities to successfully take up the torch of the last three generations of the C3, which in just over 20 years has become Citroën's best-selling model. The commercialisation of the thermal and electric versions of this fourth generation will take place in France by next June and the presentation of the prices of the thermal versions will be made within a few days. There is no doubt that Citroën will be able to be as aggressive as with the electric versions, making the C3 much more accessible than its direct rivals. In any case, the thermal versions are a little more liveable than the electric versions, thanks to the absence of batteries, and have a modern, original, well-finished interior that does not show the savings.
Article written in collaboration with the Francuskie site