Aditya Jairaj has over 17 years of experience in the automotive sector.

Stellantis India is set to get a new Managing Director & CEO from January 1, 2024. Aditya Jairaj will succeed Roland Bouchara, who has led the company for the past six and a half years.

Aditya Jairaj has over 17 years of experience in the automotive sector. He is currently the Deputy Managing Director at Stellantis India and Head – Jeep India.

Bouchara, who will assume a new responsibility in Europe, was appointed as the CEO and MD in 2021. He played a critical role in the launch of the Citroen brand in India and has steered the company in his capacity as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

If you have a budget of Rs 8 to 10 lakh, will you as a customer consider the C3 over the Hyundai i10 Nios, Tata Punch, Maruti Swift, Renault Kiger or Honda Amaze?

BHPian cludflare recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It has been exactly a year since the deliveries of Citroen’s much-awaited car for India, the micro-suv C3 began. I don’t know about experts, but I was heavily bullish on this product given the Indian obsession with SUVish design and the extraordinary success of Tata Punch from day 1.

This is easily a segment that will grow to 20 – 25K units a month with Hyundai’s Exter entering the space.

I know we can’t expect a new brand to generate trust right from the beginning, but C5 had been around for some time followed by C3. I admire the brand’s honesty (or foolishness?) to call out that C3 is not an SUV, it’s a raised hatchback. The country has been obsessed with anything followed by a UV all this while.

Through this thread, I intend to initiate some conversations like –

• Can we write this product off now? The last few months' sales figures of the C3 petrol certainly suggest so (April 2023 – 741, May 2023 – 600, June 2023 – 867)
• Was it the marketing / branding / advertising that lead to this, or was it the multi-pronged focus around EV, aircross etc?
• If KIA can enter and create havoc with a new brand and just a couple of products, where did the French brand go wrong – given the dismal performance of both C3 and C5?
• Is this too early for new brands to play the EV game without safely establishing their IC products in India?
• I believe the urban customers were more open to taking chances with new OEMs with limited service centers in the country. The sales of C3 don’t suggest so.
• If you are on an 8 to 10 lakhs budget, will you as a customer consider C3 over the likes of i10 Nios, Tata Punch, Swift, Kiger or Amaze?

Pardon the corporate-ish writing style using bullets and pointers. I think this comprehensive product and its failure to shine deserves some attention.

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Citroen has terrific cars, but a complete dud of a strategy behind each of them. The French really don't get India. They thought India is a "low cost" market, tried an approach comparable to Datsun and launched the Citroen C3 without alloy wheels, a tachometer, reversing camera etc. No automatic transmission offered in a market that is greatly moving to ATs & merely 2 variants at launch (C3 Aircross apparently coming up in a single variant!!).

The C3 1.2 Turbo has a superb engine & lovely suspension. It's so much fun to drive. But with all the cost-cutting & features mess-up, it didn't have a chance. Same approach with the C3 Electric which doesn't even get a cooled battery & low power ratings - it makes the Tiago EV look like it's a full segment above in terms of tech & features.

Another grave error is Stellantis not forcing Jeep & Citroen to combine their dealership strength. Jeep has a limited dealer network in India, and so does Citroen. They are part of the same group. Split up existing showroom spaces between the two (70:30 ratio), or sell the two on the same floor. But both brands never agreed to it.

The C5 Aircross is such a brilliant product. Citroen should have sold it at a loss and written off the expenses as "brand building".

Here's what BHPian AYP had to say about the matter:

The only reason I will even consider the C3 is the 1.0 turbo. While I am an engine guy, it does not mean that I will go for a box on wheels with a nice engine. There is a line, and the C3 with no tachometer while costing more than 10L rupees is on the other side of this line.

The thing is that for the price of the C3 turbo, I'd rather get the Magnite Turbo or the Altroz diesel XM+ which shall not make me feel shortchanged while sitting inside the car. In fact, it is not just the lack of features but the design itself which makes the car look and feel 'cheap'. I think that Citroen's approach to making cheap cars is hurting them. Indians want cars which offer them 'value'. We all know what happened to Nano due to its image.

A real dilemma will be choosing between let's say an Exter or Punch NA vs the C3 turbo. But considering the price of the C3 turbo, such a dilemma wouldn't exist for me since I don't mind going for the Magnite or the Altroz.

I see the same thing happening with the C3 AirCross (unless they price it exceptionally well) which though is better equipped than the C3, shall also compete in a higher segment. It does look swell though, that I acknowledge and the Turbo engine should be better to drive than the NA competitors.

While I don't want to explicitly state that C3 is gonna be out (since more competition is better for us consumers), I am unable to find any reason to not say the same.

Here's what BHPian fhdowntheline had to say about the matter:

You can't exclude basic stuff like RPM gauge, rear wiper, even as an option, now corrected), climate control (higher trims), and electric ORVMs. Citroen is not Maruti to get away with it. When you are establishing yourself, you don't have much leeway. If pure engineering were to sell, then every 10th car in India would be a Jeep Compass.

Here's what BHPian ssoni.1411 had to say about the matter:

I believe Citroen in general failed because they did a lot of cost cutting, i.e. they didn't have a proper top model on launch. KIA had an instant success because they chose the right segment and gave every single feature, transmission and engine to the Indian customers and they also took advantage of the entire R&D done by Hyundai all these years.

Even if you look at Seltos facelift, it was first spotted in April and launched in July weeks before Elevate started its media drives. Honda too is feeling the heat because of the features and competitive pricing of Seltos. Sonet facelift was spotted too testing and it will mostly be launched by Diwali at the time of Nexon Facelift. KIA has been working step ahead of other manufacturers to stay relevant and fresh in the market.

Anyone having a budget of 8-10 Lakhs will go towards an established brand that has been around for a long.

If you look at the Exter, the fit, finish and features make it look more premium than the Punch.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Its touch points are not as good as Hyundai but the drive quality is better than most.

BHPian aaggoswami recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Test drove Naturally Aspirated Citroen C3

1. While on the showroom floor, C3 feel utilitarian and budgeted. Something nobody would like to get associated with in the radars of urban buyers. This is an area where the car would likely lose potential buyers. And this is exactly the area where Hyundai wins hands down. I didn't feel like taking even a test drive.
2. Rear seat is well designed but my feet were not comfortable on the floor due to lack of space and the front seat rails. This is again a put-off for those who intend to use the rear seat frequently. However, they haven't compromised on seat design. The seat felt from a segment above.
3. For the driver, there is good shoulder room. Cars like Fronx are the ones where my right hand is not having sufficient space. Not the case with C3. Good job here.
4. Boot lid is more Maruti and in fact, it seems Maruti is trying to improve at least in the Nexa products.
5. The drive. This is where the journey starts to get good. Amazing ride for a car of this size. Simply felt as if I want to do more miles in this car. Steering is nice to hold, is light and isn't devoid of feel. It doesn't feel disconnected and is ideal for the urban jungle. Coupled with the awesome ride, this is the car for urban running. Bonnet is visible and it eases out the drive experience by a noticeable margin. AC is a chiller and vents are very well designed, they won't chill out left hand or right hand. Gearknob feels very nice to hold, but shifts are rubbery. Noise insulation from outside elements is very nice for a car of this class.
6. Brake pedal is spongy but the braking isn't bad for driving inside the city.
7. Engine: The naturally aspirated motor would make its presence felt if you push it a bit hard. But it has got good driveability. 3rd gear would let you go as down as 25 kmph and this was with three adults in the car. However, I felt the gearing was on the lower side and this engine would remain audible on highway drives.
8. This car was quite effortless to drive overall with just the rubbery gearshifts sticking out as a sore point.

C3 is a brilliant product where the touch points are not as good as Hyundai but the drive quality is better than most and levels products a segment above. Ride itself is the sole reason to buy the car, it's that good. For a small car, it masks speeds very well. This is a good second or third car in the garage where the small footprint, good driveability, and ride make for a comfortable journey.

However, the product has to be improved for potential buyers to have this car in case of a one-car garage. Impressed I am but not to the extent of putting my money down on the car. Another thing to highlight was that there were no restrictions by the Sales Advisor for the length or route of the test drive.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

One of the most notable aspects of the car is its fuel efficiency which varies from 12 to 24 km/l depending on driving conditions and traffic.

BHPian nsaini10 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have been a proud owner of a Citroen C3 Live Natural Aspirated variant since September 2022, and I have already completed 7300 Km, including highway and city drives. Overall, I am quite satisfied with my purchase and would like to share my experience with others.

1. One of the most notable aspects of the Citroen C3 is its mileage, which varies from 12 to 24 depending on driving conditions and traffic. Although the variation in mileage is noticeable, it is still impressive given the car's size and engine capacity.
2. The engine sound of the car is louder outside, but inside the cabin, it is quite comfortable. This is a great feature as it ensures a smooth and peaceful ride for the passengers.
3. In terms of performance, I am quite satisfied with the Citroen C3. The car's acceleration is good enough for me, and it handles well on the roads. The braking system is efficient, especially in high-speed and low-speed situations, thanks to the ABS system.
4. Initially, the gear shifting was a bit hard, but it has since become smoother and easier. This has made the driving experience even better.
5. One of the most impressive aspects of the Citroen C3 is its suspension system, which is remarkable for a car in this price range. The suspension is so good that it makes the ride feel almost effortless, even on rough roads.

Overall, my experience with the Citroen C3 has been great, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a small car with impressive performance, great mileage, and a comfortable driving experience.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It replaces our old Maruti Celerio & will be used for city commutes. For longer drives, we have the Mahindra XUV700.

BHPian BS777 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Finally, after a lot of deliberations, we got home the Tiago EV XT LR. This car is going to be a replacement for the Celerio AMT that served us for over 8.5 years. We only needed a car for city commutes since for the longer drives we have the XUV700 which I absolutely love to drive.

Selecting the Celerio Replacement

The new car needed to be small (sub 4 meter) for city commute and had to be an automatic. With the shoddy experience of the AMT gearbox in the Celerio, it was clear that any car with an AMT was ruled out straight away. That left us with only 2 mainstream options Altroz DCA and i20 CVT in the price range of Rs 10 to 12 lacs all in. Honda Amaze was not considered as it was not so much fun to drive it and was uncomfortable for me since the driver’s seat didn’t slide back as much as I would like.

With the launch of the Tiago EV in a similar price range (Rs 10 to 12 lacs all in) it made a lot of sense albeit the slightly smaller interior space. Overall it seemed like a good option and was priced just right for us to experience the joys/hassles/unknowns of using an EV before we purchase a more expensive EV as a mainstream car.

Thus we booked the Tiago EV and were among the first 20,000 customers with the price guarantee.

Change of Mind?

Towards the end of Jan/early Feb 2023, we were more driven towards the Citroen eC3 primarily due to its larger interior space and better exterior styling viz a viz the Tiago. While our Tiago was about to be allocated, this dilemma was pushing things by a week.

But after some deliberations and little research decided to stick to the Tiago EV primarily for the below reasons:

1. The battery of the EV is the most expensive part covered under warranty and this is the part that might have a significant chance where we need to invoke the warranty after 4 to 8 years (Citroen eC3 offers 7 years warranty viz a viz 8 years for Tiago EV). I was much more comfortable with the extended warranty of 8 years (or 7 years in the case of Citroen) from Tata than from Citroen India – the probability of Tata Motors' continued presence in India after say 5 years is significantly higher/almost certain compared to that of Citroen in India.
2. While I am not qualified to comment here, with the little reading I did I was of the opinion that the Tiago EV battery being liquid cooled is superior to the eC3 having air-cooled batteries. IMO this might have an impact on the level of degradation of the LFP batteries over the years with the liquid-cooled Tiago EV battery degrading to a little lesser extent over the years. Correct me if I am wrong here.
3. The timeline of the launch/pricing/commencement of deliveries of eC3 was constantly getting delayed. Hence by the time I could get the eC3 was not clear. Currently, Maharashtra has no subsidy but it has a waiver of registration charges in case of an EV, but I don’t know how long that will last and hence was not too eager to wait longer.
4. The raised flooring of the eC3 on the rear seat is not good since I find my friend's Nexon EV Max very uncomfortable in the back seat precisely for this reason.

Delivery

Selected the Tiago EV XT LR with the insurance policy taken from my side via Acko as the dealer could not match the price I was getting and the only accessories from the dealer were the mud flaps, rubber mats and the rear parcel tray.

The showroom mentioned that the scheme/rates for the extended warranty for the car for the 4th/5th year (apart from warranty on battery/motor) was not yet offered by Tata and hence could not take it.

Car was charged 100% before delivery and had 80 kilometres on the odometer.

Telematics was not ready due to some backend work ex Tata and the dealer said it will take 3 days before it syncs with my app.

Positives

• Pleasant to drive and also feels very easy to zip around in the city.
• ICE car riders will really enjoy the quiet ride.
• It's at a good price point to get a real-life feel of owning an EV before purchasing a more expensive EV.
• For normal running “D” mode is more than adequate. “S” mode is for when you want to have some fun.
• Ride quality/suspension setup is very good.
• Relatively more environmentally friendly.

Negatives

• Anxiety about range and charging would remain for EVs in the near term. Having driven it for 110 kilometers in 3 days I expect that I will end up with a range of approx. 150-160 kilometers in the first cycle. Slightly below my expectation but I hope that once we go through the learning curve of the EV driving it might improve.
• This expected range that I mentioned is with driving neither too conservatively nor too aggressively and 90% of the time in D mode, Regen Level 3, in medium to heavy Mumbai traffic and AC on 100% of the time. It's maybe too early to conclude anything as yet, will try to update after driving for another 1 month.
• While the seat cushioning is nicely firm, the ergonomics of the front seats could surely have been better in the area of lumbar support. I would not like it for long drives. But my wife does not feel the same way about these seats and hence maybe it's subjective.

Overall it’s a good buy IMO at this price range and can be an ideal second car for daily city runs.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The car is giving a steady fuel efficiency of 15-15.5 km/l in the city and around 16-18 km/l on the highway runs.

BHPian Wiley Coyote recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi, I took the delivery of one of the first C3 Turbos in the south of Kerala (Cochin showroom) and to date have clocked about 3500kms.

The car has done a few highway runs, a trip to Coorg via the ghats and a couple of trips through the estate. Overall it's been a pleasant drive and yes as stated by most in this thread a sensational suspension setup that eats potholes and bad patches like no other.

The performance has been exceptional although you feel a little apprehensive about taking it aggressively around the corners as the brakes aren't confidence-inspiring, but for an easy drive, it does the job well. That's in the mountains. On the plains it's smooth. Overtakes come easy and you get the requisite power with just a tap on the accelerator.

All said and done, it's a pretty impressive package with a few niggles that need sorting.

Do any of the other Turbo owners face these issues?

• Water being splashed out of the top corner of the top DRL and the bumper joint. Citroen says they are looking into it. Hopefully, there will be a solution.
• Driver side wiper bottom part just smudges the water instead of cleaning. Been through three sets of wipers still no solution. Now on the fourth hopefully it's just a wiper issue as communicated by the service center manager.
• Comes with just one reverse light that's hardly brighter than a candle making it absolutely useless when driven through a good distance in the rain or in really poorly lit conditions. Has anyone managed to fix another bulb in the right tail light reverse bulb slot? Would love to hear how you had fixed the issue. Hopefully, the reverse camera ordered will be delivered soon, it's one way to solve the issue but still would be an issue in dark areas post a wet drive.
• DRL fogging up. Citroen says that if the mist goes away when the car is on for 20 minutes it's okay. At times this is beyond 20 minutes but when taken to the service center it's under 20 minutes.
• Entertainment system hangs a bit too frequently. Switch off the car for a few hours and it returns to normal. Has happened a few times, with both Android and CarPlay connected.
• The horn of the car needs a little more volume as the current OEM one is hardly heard over the roar of the city, that's Cochin, wonder what it would be like in a more busy city?

Barring the above, till date no mechanical issues.

The car is giving a steady 15-15.5 kmpl in the city and around 16-18 on the highway runs. An enthusiastic drive on one of the highway drives returned a 13 kmpl figure, but you need to put up with the constant beeps that the new regulation apparently has made mandatory.

Has anyone upsized their tyre to the next digit or fixed other alloys on their turbo? Read a few comments saying that an upsize would plant the car firmer on the tarmac. If not an upsize has anyone upgraded to an alloy that is not from Citroen as the designs they have aren't very appealing?

Here's what BHPian skpprabhu had to say about the matter:

I also own a C3 Turbo and would like to comment on the issues.

Water being splashed out of the top corner of the top DRL and the bumper joint - This is a common issue with C3 and doesn't look major, there should be an easy fix from Citroen. I have fixed the engine guard which closes some open areas, but I don't know if this will solve this issue, need to check.

Driver side wiper bottom part just smudges the water instead of cleaning - I don't see this issue and I have not seen this issue with other owners as well might be a specific issue.

Only one reverse light - Standard feature/cost cutting but it is common.4. DRL fogging up - Not faced this issue.

Entertainment system hangs a bit too frequently - I don't see this issue, some times my Android Auto would disconnect and connect back within seconds but never hung. Software upgrade might help just check with SC.

Horn volume is low - For me, if feels fine, you might need an upgrade based on your usage.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Service and parts availability remains a concern in spite of all the assurances. Due to the frugal nature of the interiors, home minster is not very happy.

BHPian autobahnjpr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello!

Some context before I come to the actual problem statement:

A Dzire diesel was my primary car for city and outstation travel for last 14+ years before I sold it off as it was nearing 15 years and I was not sure if the registration would be renewed or not. In the 14+ years of ownership I drove it for appx. 2.2 lakh kilometers across multiple states and all types of roads. With excellent mileage, fuss free ownership and Japanese reliability, I never had to think twice before taking it out in any weather or any road condition. Here is a link to the forum post on completion of 2 lakh kms.

I had started the process of replacing Dzire with a suitable option when I got a good deal on a used Audi A6 with the bonus offer of buying my Dzire as well with RC transfer. Link to forum post.

After buying it, I covered 5K km in a month with multiple trips. During one of the trips, I crossed a water logged area and the Audi underbody protection sheet which is made of some cardboard stuff went soggy and came off. I did not know it earlier and realized that driving such cars in rainy season is tricky and many owners play safe in rainy season.

In 2012 I had bought Honda City top variant with automatic gearshift and sunroof. However it remained a secondary car because of low city mileage (8-9 kmpl) and low GC. Since Dzire has been sold, it has become the beater car with drops to school, market and other smaller runs. It is a pain to take Audi in traffic with horrible pot holed roads. As a rule, if the distance is less than 10km, I do not take Audi out. With low fuel economy, the weekly petrol bill of Honda City reaches 2-2.5K and monthly spend about 10K (petrol is 108.5 rupees a liter in Rajasthan). If I keep it for another 5 years, my fuel bill will reach appx. 6 lakhs with the current rate.

Also, imagine a situation like kisan andolan when the Delhi-Jaipur and other highways were jammed for months and one had to take detour through narrow crater like village roads, none of the above two are suitable options. Highways can be jammed otherwise due to accident or road blockade and diversions through uneven, rough, patchy roads are not friendly options for both the above cars. If I had the Dzire, I would not even bat an eyelid before taking the same.

Actual problem statement:

So, I have been thinking of replacing 10 year Honda City with a frugal but fun to drive car. I have explored CNG and hybrid options but while they give good mileage, they are not fun to drive. I also want a car which is highway friendly and has good luggage space for short trips.

I shortlisted all the C1 segment cars (as defined in the monthly sales report) and then prepared a comparison excel. I took the most powerful engine on offer for each model in petrol.

One of the cars I shortlisted was C3 turbo due to its great engine, handling and dynamics and ability to go anywhere. It is there on the top with high Power/ton and Torque/ton figures.

So I test drove it two days back and instantly liked it. The suspension is one or two segment above and engine just pulls effortlessly giving a good mileage of 15-16 kmpl. Its wireless car play works like a breeze and in a wink of an eye my phone got paired. There is a microphone button on the steering console so that you can invoke siri as well for voice commands. You press the button and then speak "call so and so" and your call gets dialed. I find this feature very necessary today. You can take office calls while driving etc.

It is good to look at, drives well, has a great engine and I can not only use it in city but also take it on highway trips. C3 110ps Puretech engine is a tried and tested engine and is quite reliable. Also C3 has scored NCAP4 rating in one of earlier crash tests. I am ok with all the missing features and some of them I can get it aftermarket also.

But there are few concerns - the dealer network is puny (only one dealership in whole of Rajasthan). Service and parts availability remains a concern in spite of all the assurances. Due to the frugal nature of the interiors, home minster is not very happy.

Money wise, I get C3 in approx 10 lakhs or so while for others I will have to stretch my budget which is already stretched due to the Audi A6.

Should I go ahead and buy it or should I consider other options or should I drop the whole plan and continue with the Honda City for next 5 years?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Hahaha! I also drove the C3 Turbo and fell in love with it. For the price, it does offer a lot of driving pleasure and comes across as being well-engineered. If you buy it, then wait just a little longer as a variant with the all-too-important rear wiper was just spotted.

With every car, there is a long list of pros & cons. The Citroen gives you power & driving pleasure, but not a wide feature list or an expansive service network. If you like it, go for it . Not like it's the only car in your house either.

These are my thoughts from the 2022 Enthusiast Cars thread.

Here's what BHPian Sankar had to say on the matter:

The only fly in the C3 Turbo ointment is the 1.2 Puretech engine. The cam-belt-in-oil sheds belt particles which clogs the oil galleries and the sump oil intake.

I looked this engine up on the internet after I saw this car in the TBHP 2022 list as it piqued my interest. So I looked it up. There was a recall for this engine and post 2017 engines (that we get here) are said to have different belt material. But the internet is rich with 1.2 puretech cam-belt-in-oil problems and belt replacement DIYs.

So till warranty is intact should be fine, i guess? After that maybe sort of like DQ200 ownership?

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

Assuming petrol and MT, the alternatives in your case are essentially the Brezza and the Nexon. With the City already serving you since a decade don't you think there will be a too much vanilla in your automotive life going with either of those two.

Time for a dash of orange?

• The qualities the car have already been explained well and to me this seems to be a perfect fit in your requirements.
• Also helpful is the under under 10 lakh on road price for the car which will barely get you the base+1 trims of the competition.
• Your proximity to Delhi is a big plus in favour of the car for service and spares availability.
• That being said the service network or even the future of Citroen is no match to the other players in the segment.

Buying a Citroen is a risk for sure but in your case I think it would be worth it for what it offers at that price point.

Here's what BHPian nd26 had to say on the matter:

Well, considering that you are looking for a car primarily for city usage, why not get an EV, such as Tiago EV? Very low running costs, you can charge it at home and the price starts at 8.5 lakhs. For highway trips you can always use your Audi, get this primarily for city runabouts.

Here's what BHPian PaddleShifter had to say on the matter:

If you are looking at such heavy fuel bills, why not opt for a CNG car from Maruti Suzuki?

Jaipur has a huge traffic problem and traffic is very slow moving during office hours. Fuel economy is bound to take a hit in such driving scenario. I recently traveled in a company CNG car (CNG Dzire) from Jaipur to Alwar and was surprised to see the economic running.

If I were in your place, I would content with the Audi for premium feel and power while I would keep a CNG car for coty use and short travel in and around Jaipur.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The C3 will remind you of the original Renault Duster's ride when it was launched and if you are an old codger like me, it will remind you of the long gone Peugeot 309's superlative ride comfort.

BHPian arjab recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Yesterday, in Calcutta, I test drove the C3 turbo for a long time, in a mix of maddening urban traffic and some open roads. Being an existing owner of a Nexon Turbo petrol, a Tiago petrol and a first gen G13B Swift I could make a decent subjective assessment of the little Citroen. Needless to say, my views are entirely my own. Thought of sharing them on the forum, in case it helps anyone.

Engine & driveability:

For a 3 cylinder direct injection turbo, the unit is rather smooth. On cold start there is a slight hint of vibration percolating through the steering wheel rim, which smoothens out as soon as the temperature gauge touches its second notch.

I do not know the exact specifications, but to me it felt that for the turbo at least, Citroen must be using a contra-rotating balancer shaft or a dual-mass flywheel to dampen out inherent "unbalanced" nature of any three cylinder unit. I would say this powertrain is up there in terms of refinement with the now forgotten, but brilliant 1.0 litre EcoBoost from Ford which powered their Ecosport.

The indirect injection 1.2 Turbo petrol of Nexon and the same engine in its naturally aspirated version, which powers the Tiago is agricultural in comparison.

The engine is very tractable in the low and mid ranges. Turbo boost starts building up, from what i guessed below 2000rpm, maybe somewhere in the region of 1700-1900 rpm, equating to roughly 24kmph in 3rd gear. The car pulls seamlessly, without any hiccough, velocity building up strongly after 45kmph and you can ride that creamy, torque wave right up to the soft revv limiter, which from the engine note, i guessed it would be somewhere in the region of 5500 - 5800 rpm.

Citroen has calibrated the ECU and the fueling very nicely. There are absolutely no jerks at low to very low engine revolutions. The vehicle gathers momentum effortlessly without any hesitation even when you are lugging the car at low speeds in a high gear.

The gear ratios are well judged and evenly spaced out. The shift action feels very nice and the gearshift lever has a smooth "mechanical" feel with well judged detents ensuring you never experience a "mis-shift".
3rd gear is very flexible. I dropped to as low as 22kmph in 3rd gear, then floored the accelerator and the little Gaul responded smartly, boost building up from 35kmph onwards in one linear flow.
The Tata 1.2 turbo is simply outwitted in this department. The erstwhile Ford Ecoboost 1-litre also loses out to the Citroen's powerplant in the low end tractability stakes.

Suspension, ride and handling:

As everyone now knows, the C3's suspension setup looks most ordinary on paper. From what i could infer, Citroen has waved its magic wand and used its decades of experience in suspension tuning by doing a stellar job in calibrating the damper rebound control valving. When you hit an undulation, the C3 soaks it up like a sponge and then when the wheel is "released" it is done in a very nice and compliant way so that there are no unpleasant thuds and thunks with the lower control arms hitting the bump stops on full "release". From a subjective point, the suspension travel felt greater compared to other competing models. The Citroen has progressive rate coil springs. Add a long travel suspension, tall 65-aspect ratio tyres, finely tuned seat cushioning and nicely calibrated dampers and you have a level of ride comfort which is truly impressive for a car in its segment.

The C3 will remind you of the original Renault Duster's ride when it was launched and if you are an old codger like me, it will remind you of the long gone Peugeot 309's superlative ride comfort.

The steering is nicely calibrated. It has a smooth, self centering action and is commendably weighted. It is not bristling with feel, like say a Tata altroz's steering but the helm has very little slack in the "on-centre" position. What is advantageous is the compact steering wheel diameter and the relatively less number of turns, lock - to - lock, which gives the car an added dimension of agility.

Features, space and comfort:

I belong to the Jurassic era of motorists when driving meant straight-forward simple mechanicals residing in a well tuned chassis chained to a manual gearbox - the setup which you can exploit the whole day and have a lot of fun. I always believed that: forget top speed; make an ordinary hatch handle 20% better and you will reach your destination 20% faster. and Citroen has done that I feel.

This car is not for the "Gen Z" digital brigade. It does not have half the things in terms of features, that its Japanese or Korean equivalent has. It will not appeal to a considerable percentage of the car buying populace. But to that minority of us that still love driving and pine for a nice, mechanical connect with the car, the Citroen hits the spot.

The seats are excellent. Supportive all around with variable density cushioning it should ensure comfortable motoring for many hours. The combination switches feel good to operate and most buttons, knobs and levers do their job with a rustic yet positive feel.

Yes, I have booked one. Delivery time, as on date, is being quoted at 3 months.

It appears that the PSA EB series, which won the International Engine Of The Year award in 2015, turbo engines supplies to India are limited. This is because Citroen is importing the Turbo engines from their plant in France and have been allocated a fixed number of turbo engines to import per year into India. The naturally aspirated one's are made by PSA/Stellantis India in Tamil Nadu and supply is not an issue.

Anyways, i am not in a hurry. I am pleased with the fact that in today's world, overrun by digital gizmo's and controlled by clinically accurate "connected systems", someone has made a nice, affordable, comfortable, analogue motor car which is very nice to drive indeed!

And that is exactly what I prefer.

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The ride comfort over any sort of surface is absolutely magical. One doesn't feel any of the undulations, bumps and broken surfaces.

BHPian shankar.balan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I went with my Dad to test drive the C3 today. Pure curiosity. And I love the marque for its history and innovation. We drove both, the naturally aspirated and turbo versions.

I have only a few points to make as a set of very short first impressions:

• The driving position, headroom, back support, view and under thigh support are first class.
• The steering feel is excellent (perhaps just a tad light but that's amazing when the car is at a standstill and one has to maneuver).
• The ride comfort over any sort of surface is absolutely magical. One doesn't feel any of the undulations, bumps and broken surfaces. And this applies to both front and rear seats.
• The turning radius is amazing.
• The boot space is more than adequate.
• While the turbo is nice, punchy and responsive, I appreciate the naturally aspirated version as well - it isn't a terrible laggard in that sense especially considering that these are primarily going to be city use cars.
• The gears are soft and smooth shifting if a trifle tall-ish and I quite enjoyed chucking the little car about.
• I am appreciative of the handling, though tall it doesn't feel top heavy.
• The manual adjusting outside mirrors are ok for a tall person, but not for a small built person.

Pricing and all is a bit off centre. And while the concept of offering everything as an accessory is a good idea, they ought to have read India better- we want everything included at the best price… even to the extent of demanding free steering cover and foot mats and all, so they are going to have to surmount these mind set obstacles.

And they really ought to have offered an AT variant, considering the tectonic shift that our market is experiencing towards AT.

But all in all, it is a decent option to consider as a no nonsense and comfortable city car.

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The ride quality is very good for a car of this class. Also, it felt great filtering through the city traffic.

BHPian Shanksta recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I visited the Citroen showroom to check out the C3. I test drove the C3 naturally aspirated version.

First impressions

• The car looks very proportionate and pleasing to the eye.
• The orange colour suits this funky design and the paint quality is great.
• The interior space is great and this car would not be a squeeze for tall passengers.
• Ride quality is very very good for a car of this class.
• The seat cushioning and recline angle of the rear seat is great, probably one of the best I have sat on in recent times.
• Ingress and egress is easy.
• The AC was very effective and the throw was felt in the rear.
• Boot is huge at 350L.
• Steering is small and very easy to use, this car felt great for filtering through traffic.
• View from the driver seat was commanding.
• The doors close with a loud thud even if you are gentle.
• The placement of the rear power window switches in the center console looks bad.
• The car has a super basic instrument cluster without a tacho.
• The clutch is modulated very well and the engine feels pretty peppy.

Overall, this is definitely a great car for city use if priced right.

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