Citroën's diesel perfect match for new C3

AS A small family car, Citroën's C3 takes some beating. It's not the most dynamically accomplished or the most solidly constructed of today's superminis but it runs the class leaders close enough while excelling on practicality and comfort. As a result, the economical 1.6-litre HDi diesel engines suit the C3 down to the ground.

Despite some major shortcomings compared with the class leaders, the original C3 supermini sold two million units, so Citron is within its rights to brand the car a success. To complement the smaller, sportier C2, the first C3 adopted a family-friendly approach to ensure all possible bases were covered by Citron's small car range.

The C3 comes down on the side of comfort and the suspension is a little softer than on the superminis that prioritise cornering speeds over getting your eggs home in one piece. That said, the car still turns in a fine performance on the road, taking bends without much lean and displaying high levels of grip.

The ride is very good over the assorted annoyances that town councils and utility companies spend their time installing in the road surface. Refinement is as good as you'll find in a supermini, the engine staying hushed around town and settling into a low drone at motorway speeds where the wind is the most prominent sound in the cabin.

Unusually for a supermini, the C3 is barely any bigger than the car it replaced. At 3,940mm long, it's not one of the larger models in this sector and keeping a tight rein on the exterior dimensions helped the designers to pull the neat trick of actually maintaining the C3's weight compared with its forbear. Inside, there's little sign that the car's had its growth stunted. It boasts one of the biggest boots of any supermini at 300 litres and there's room for four adults. Six-footers will struggle for headroom in the back but legroom behind the front seats is generous for a car in this class.

It's clear that Citroen went out of its way to make the C3 cabin environment feel special. There's a vast range of textures and finishes and some engaging design features.

There's a 1.4-litre HDi diesel at the base of the C3 line-up but we're concentrating on the 1.6-litre HDi models, which are available in 90 or 110bhp forms. In the absence of any high performance petrol engines, these are the C3's flagship powerplants and pricing reflects this. These diesel options, however, only command a 600 premium over the 1.6-litre petrol engine – a unit that can't compete with the flexibility of the oil-burners, despite its 120bhp output.

Citron's usual array of gadgets is available on the C3, including a speed limiter, a built-in air-freshener system, satellite navigation and a high-tech stereo, but one feature gets higher billing than the rest. The huge elongated Zenith windscreen that extends in an unbroken sweep right back over the driver's head allows loads of light into the car. It gives the C3 cabin an unusual feel, but on sunny days, most owners will have to pull the shade forward as the tinted top section lets too much light through.

Keeping the C3's size and weight under control has helped this Citroen keep its running costs manageable. In standard form, the 90bhp and 110bhp 1.6 HDi engines can generate economy of 66mpg and 64mpg respectively on the combined cycle with emissions of 110g/km and 115g/km.

That's not bad at all but to really keep the fuel bills down, buyers will want the Airdream+ model, which combines the 90bhp engine with various modifications to achieve emissions of 99g/km.

At last, Citron has a supermini to do justice to its strong range of compact diesel engines.

The C3 might not be the choice for those prioritising a stylish, sporty supermini but those coming from a practical angle will struggle to do much better.

FACT BOX

CAR: Citron C3 1.6HDi

PRICE: 14,500-16,200 OTR

INSURANCE GROUP: 6-8 (est)

EMISSIONS: 99-115g/km

PERFORMANCE: (HDi 90) Max speed 112mph; 0-62mph 11s

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (HDi 90) urban 53.3mpg, extra urban 76.3mpg, combined 65.7mpg