No just sexy, Citroën’s baby now also great fun to drive
Last time we tested a Citroën C3, it was called Life. That was when the new model was only available in one 1.2-litre normally aspirated variant alongside two options of the older model car. That new one thoroughly impressed us with its quality, quirkiness and especially, value for money.
Powered by Citroën’s naturally aspirated 61 kW 115 Nm 1.2-litre, it was flexible and pleasing to drive. But we’d have lied if we said its quick. It wasn’t. In fact, it was the slowest car we tested in 2023. We argued that its ample grunt allowed it to happily get on with it. But we shuddered to think how it’s perform up in Jo’burg’s thin air.
That’s all changed. Now only available in this most recent version, C3 has also changed name to Max. Still available in that old 61 kW 1.2, there’s now also this far healthier new 81 kW 205 Nm 1.2-litre turbo PureTech. Mated to a new six-speed ‘performance’ automatic transmission, it delivers all its healthy torque from right down at 1750 rpm.
Turbo Max a total C3 transformation
The upshot? A total transformation. No longer the sluggard, 0-60 km/h is a whole second down from 5.74 to 4.75 seconds on our faithful VBox down the good old test strip. Never mind, it’s precisely three seconds quicker to 100 km/h, And it slashes five seconds off its previous attempt to get to the national speed limit.
It’s also a second and a half quicker and 15 km/h faster over a standing quarter mile. And elasticity is likewise hacked down by around three seconds between 80 and 120. There’s a subtle trade off in petrol economy, which slips from 5.6 to 6.3 litres per 100. Hardly a compromise considering how much more driveable this little car actually is.
Wow. That’s impressive! Of course, if you live up in Jozi or upcountry, rest assured those improvements will probably be double. There’s no real performance loss in a turbo car, where the old normally aspirated car would be considerably slower up there.
Chic, bargain C3 Max now has guts to go
For the rest, C3 1.2T Max continues Citroën’s recent quest as a bargain brand , but now with newfound performance to significantly add to that affordability aspect. Without sacrificing on style, or unique features in a basement no frills option. But it’s still sexy and sassy enough to be cool at the same time.
Oozing ooh-la-la to set it apart, the C3’s robust attitude refines the brand look with a high bonnet and quirky nicks and crevices. Max adds neat little face-buffed black alloys, dual-DRL Vision LED projector headlamps and auto-folding indicator repeater wing mirrors. Custom options include no charge dual-tone metallic paint and white roof.
Step into a classy stylish and cool space. Orange and chrome elements make geometric shapes, intelligent storage and fine finishes pop. Abundantly spacious and surprisingly comfy, C3 features signature Citroën Advanced Comfort seats and excellent head, elbow and knee room.
Surprising specification for the price
Easy-to-use 10-inch CarPlay, Auto, Bluetooth and quick-charging USB touchscreen infotainment is simple enough. It almost leaves enough knobs to do the major settings on the run. And what’s on the screen is logical enough too.
Seamless and smartphone friendly, it’s all backed by colour configurable 6-mode 7-inch vehicle info cluster and trip computer. The dash even has tricks to conceal all those pesky charger cables and keep your C3 even neater and tidier inside.
The 360mm flat-bottomed half-multifunction steering wheel makes for easy manoeuvring. The new Max also brings automatic air conditioning and foldable roof grab handles. Safety also benefits with six airbags, three-point seatbelts, ISOFIX seat anchors, ABS and EBD across the range and even ESP in this auto model.
Now with performance to boot you in the butt
So there you have it. The bargain Citroën C3 certainly brought a lot more ooh la-la Citroën spark and so many other positives, too. All for not a lot of money at all when it first arrived a couple of seasons back. But it left us wondering on performance. This new 1.2 Max however addresses all that and then some.
If you’re shopping for furiously competitive three-hundred grand entry hatchback that screams sexy and now also goes like a little bat out of hell, take a peek at this latest Citroën C3. Now with the performance to boot you in the butt, too — Michele Lupini
Testing & Images: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Citroën C3 1.2T Max
Engine: 81 kW 205 Nm 1.2-litre turbo petrol I3
Drive: 6-speed automatic FWD
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 4.75 sec
0-100 km/h: 11.14 sec
0-120 km/h: 14.37 sec
400m: 17.2 sec @ 134 km/h
80-120 km/h: 9.16 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 180 km/h
Fuel: 6.3 l/100 km
CO2: 149g/km
Range: 475 km
Warranty/Service: 5y 100K/2y 30K km
LIST PRICE: R302K
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