No chequered flag, but comfortable winner

WITH small cars focusing ever more intently on fuel economy, the 1.6-litre VTi petrol engine in Citroen's C3 looks a little incongruous. Especially in a small car that wouldn't count sportiness as one of its key strengths.

As a supermini built for comfort rather than speed, Citroen's C3 isn't exactly crying out for a powerful engine that would let it stretch its legs. The 120bhp 1.6-litre VTi petrol unit is as hot as it gets in the current line-up and probably as hot as you'd want in this kind of model. The question is whether even this unassuming engine smacks of overkill in a car that's best at its most affordable and unhurried.

With the three-door DS3 model on hand to appease small-car buyers with a thirst for acceleration and a certain eagerness through the bends, not to mention the kind of bold design statements for which Citroen has been acclaimed in times past, the C3 is free to concentrate on more banal and, some would say, relevant matters.

The 120bhp 1.6 VTi engine might be the Citroen C3's most powerful but it doesn't turn the car into an object of desire for tracksuited teenagers. The 8.9-second 0-60mph sprint time is brisk but the engine's strength is its smoothness.

The C3's standard five-speed manual gearbox isn't the slickest and a main reason why the 1.6-litre engine will be considered is its availability with a four-speed automatic. The downside is that this transmission blunts 0-60mph performance by a full 2 seconds.

The car is set up for comfort and the suspension is a little softer than on superminis. That said, the car still turns in a fine performance on the road, taking bends without much lean and displaying high levels of grip. Around town, it's even better.

The ride is very good on bad roads. The upright driving position and large glass area contribute to a wide field of vision for the driver and a tight 10.2m turning circle is a boon when parking. Refinement is as good as you'll find in a supermini at the moment, the engine staying hushed around town and settling at motorway speeds where the wind around the A-pillars is the most prominent sound.

Unusually for a supermini, the C3 is barely bigger than the car it replaced. At 3,940mm long, it's not one of the larger models in this sector. But inside, there's little sign that the car's had its growth stunted. It boasts one of the biggest boots of any supermini 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.

Citroen has gone out of its way to make the C3 cabin feel special. There's a vast range of different textures and finishes around the interior and some engaging design features. The centre console controls are neat and easy to operate, the steering wheel is well shaped and the design of the instruments demonstrates some flair. There are quite a few small storage areas dotted around and although the door-pockets are a little truncated, the glovebox is surprisingly large.

As the C3's range-topping petrol engine, the 1.6 VTi comes only in Exclusive trim. That means a skip-load of extra features have been fitted including a generous amount of chrome detailing to brighten up the exterior. There's also 16in alloy wheels, digital air-conditioning and one-touch electric windows. On the safety side, ESP is only optional, which is a tad disappointing but front, side and curtain airbags find their way inside.

Exclusive customers also get the huge, elongated Zenith windscreen that extends in an unbroken sweep over the driver's head and allows loads of light into the car. However, on sunny days, most owners will have to pull the shade forward as the top section lets too much light in in all but the dimmest conditions.

The 1.6-litre VTi engine is only 500 more than the 95bhp 1.4 VTi petrol. This sounds like a worthwhile deal but the prospect of the more satisfying 1.6-litre HDi diesel for only another 600 is similarly tempting. The C3 model range seems ideally compiled for the salesman's favourite pastime of shuffling customers into more expensive models.

True to form, Citroen has come at the supermini market from an original angle with its latest C3. This is one of the least overtly sporting superminis on sale but its curvy lines and practical cabin design make it winner. The car is also surprisingly good to drive thanks to exemplary comfort married to a real ease of manoeuvrability.

At its best cruising around or grinding through urban traffic and not as a means of realising its owner's Jenson Button fantasies, the Citroen C3 is tailored to the kind of driving that most of us do.