Citroen got it right in 2010 with the launch of the award-winning DS3. It’s modern through and through, and comes with a healthy dollop of French attitude.
Of all the cars I got to drive in 2010, only one elicited the ultimate response. Sure, there were several cars that turned heads, but only one got another man to stop, wind down his windscreen and comment approvingly on what he thought was my choice of wheels.
Even more, he’d spotted me in his rear view mirror as we’d both been waiting at traffic lights and had reversed back alongside me to make his comment.
“Nice car,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said, making the split-second decision not to reveal that it wasn’t actually mine and that I was simply test driving it.
“I liked the look of it when I first saw it was coming out,” he continued, “Happy with it, are you?”
I nodded, the lights changed and we went our separate ways (him right, me straight on).
Driving on through Dublin it struck me that I was more than happy for others to think that this was my car. Driving around in some cars you’d want to put a big neon sign above you that flashes “THIS IS NOT MY CAR. I’M JUST ROAD TESTING IT”, but not the DS3.
Quirky
The DS3 is quirky, as French cars should be. It’s non-conformist, as French cars should be. And it’s fun to drive around in, as all cars should be.
Citroen have hit on a winner with their new smokin’ supermini. The DS name hasn’t been seen on a new car since the mid 70s, but there’s nothing retro about the DS3. The only thing in common between the DS of old and the new DS3 is a shared sense of sportiness and originality.
So chuffed are Citroen with the DS3 that in 2011 we’ll get a DS4 followed around a year later by a DS5. It’s certainly got the people who matter singing its praises – Top Gear recently announced it as their 2010 Car of the Year (as well as being their 2010 Small Car of the Year).
So what’s so good about it that it gets other drivers to stop you in the street?
Let’s look at the styling first. Many cars chart the evolution of a particular manufacturer’s take on automotive design. This involves constant development to tweak, refine and improve. The result is why, on the whole, cars on the street now look so much better and feel so much better to drive than the ones we see parked up in the background of footage used for Reeling in the Years.
Occasionally, however, manufacturers take a big risk. They throw out the tried and tested, no matter how successful, and go right back to the drawing board. With the DS3, it feels like they’ve done just that.
It’s all in the detail, and everthing on the DS3 feels like it’s been designed specifically for the DS3. There’s no sense that they’ve cobbled together bits of other cars and added a few clever flourishes. From the smart chrome Citroen logo that’s been incorporated into the grille to the logo on the hatchback’s door, the car has attitude and confidence.
Gem
Some things, like the two-tone wing mirrors, the strip of tiny LED lights under each of the headlights and the odd shark fin B-pillars that make the low-slung roof look like it’s floating in mid air, are instantly noticeable. Other things, such as the smart, black honeycomb grille under the front number plate are details that you’ll spot from time to time when you take a moment to stand back and admire this design gem.
So it looks great. So great that it can make up for a below-par performance… only it doesn’t have to. Being small helps keep the car agile and responsive.
The 90bhp engine is plenty for a car of this size and the smart trim, the low sculptured seats and the purposely small steering wheel add to an overall impression of dynamism and sportiness.
There’s a satisfying amount of feedback as you manoeuvre the car. At all times the handling is alert with no sense of body roll when cornering.
Plus it’s practical, with five full-sized seats inside and a decent enough boot at the rear. Sure, it’s not a Volvo estate in terms of space, but most people will find it adequate enough for most trips that need to be made (the back seats fold down if you really need to transport a couple of flatpack cabinets home).
So that’s what it looks and drives like, but how much does it cost? Well the 95bhp petrol version starts at €18,950, with the car I’ve been driving (the HDI 90hp DStyle) coming in at a respectable €21,500.
If this is the future of Citroen, then the arrival of the DS4 and DS5 can’t come soon enough.
The lowdown:
Car tested: Citroen DS3 HDI 90hp DStyle
On the road cost: €21,500
Maximum speed: 190km/h
0-100km/h: 10.5 seconds
Fuel consumption: 4.5 litres per 100km (combined)
CO2 emissions: 104g/km
Tax and VRT band: A
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