Citroen C3 First Drive Review: Tata Punch rival now launched in India at Rs 5.70 lakh

The new Citroen C3 is the upcoming small SUV from the French automaker and will rival the Tata Punch once it is launched in the Indian market on July 20.

The Indian auto market is buzzing with new SUV launches. From seasoned automakers to new entrants everyone wants to have a pie of the growing SUV craze in India and the latest to join the wagon is Citroen, the French carmaker who entered India with the C5 Aircross. Their newest offering for India is the C3, which the company is calling as a hatchback. However, the design, the size and the pricing all indicate towards a sub-compact SUV. We recently drove the small car in Goa and here’s our Citroen C3 first drive review.

WATCH CITROEN C3 VIDEO REVIEW:

With automakers putting a lot of emphasis on design, every new SUV looks better than others. But then, the Citroen C3 is unique in a way that not only it looks better, but it looks unique and fresh as well and that freshness will appeal to India's youth. I would even stick out my neck to say Citroen C3 is among the better-looking cars of India, and size-wise matches premium hatchbacks, leaving aside the height.

However, there’s a new segment that has erupted off late and it’s called sub compact SUV. I especially liked the front profile, where dual chrome grille lines merge smoothly with Citroen’s Chevron logo and splits open into LED DRL and headlights. The play of the Orange elements also adds to the vibe, particularly in variants with the dual tone exterior.

Like the exterior, the cabin of the Citroen C3 is eye catching to say the least, with a unique dashboard layout, unlike anything we have seen before. There’s a digital instrument cluster, a floating horizontal 10-inch infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay among other features. Apart from that, I also really liked the Sound quality of the speaker system.

What Citroen C3 lacks is an automatic climate control and gets an old school manual AC control knobs, that are fun to operate. The rear window power buttons are placed oddly between the seats, just like old school cars. The material quality is questionable, but then goes along well with the kind of price point we are looking at. There’s no electric ORVMs as well.

In terms of practicality and space, there’s a lot of space to keep your stuff and will attract families looking for storage. The spacious cabin translates at the rear seats as well and you get enough headroom, and legroom. The boot is rated at 315-litre, which, again, is decent enough for a car of this size and class.

Citroen C3 Engine & Gearbox

Moving on to the engine of the Citroen C3, the brand has decided to play it safe with limited engine and gearbox options. The Citroen C3 is being offered only with petrol engine options, both 3-cylinder 1.2-litre units. While the Turbo on produces 110 PS output, the NA engine produces 82 PS output. Both the engines get a manual gearbox (6 and 5 speed respectively), and an auto gearbox might be added later.

Citroen claims that the mileage stands a touch short of 20 kmpl (19.4 and 19.8 kmpl), which, to be very frank, is less than what you expect from a 1.2-litre engine. Leaving aside the mileage thing, I really liked the performance of the C3, especially that of the turbo model. Full marks to the 6-speed manual gearbox for being so smooth and performance oriented. The steering is also on the balanced side for both City and Highway ride, which thankfully Goa has plenty to offer.

The Citroen C3 is made-in-India, for India, and that has really translated well into suspension as well. The plush suspension offers a comfortable ride quality, while the NVH levels are refined. As for the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine, it felt a bit lethargic due to the size of the car itself. The overall mechanicals remain the same for the turbo and NA engines.   

Verdict

The Citroen C3, without any doubt, is one of the best looking, if not the best looking small SUVs you can buy in India. Despite missing on a few features, and average fit and finish, the C3 comes as a breadth of fresh air in a market clogged with SUVs. You can call the C3 a hatchback or an SUV, but the fact remains that Citroen is offering a credible option to young and first time car buyers in India. Full marks to Citroen for thinking out of the box and bringing the C3 in a relatively new segment, increasing the probability of its success in a competitive market like India.