Citroen C3 – As economical as a hybrid

By Karl Peskett | October 25th, 2007

Toyota, watch out. The Prius could soon be knocked off its pious perch with the release today of the Citroen C3 HDi.

Claiming a combined cycle of just 4.4 litres per 100 km, the C3 HDi boasts the same economy as its hybrid rival, yet costs half as much to buy outright. At a starting price of $23,990, the C3 represents excellent value for those who still want to help the environment, but don’t have the Hollywood pay packet to splash about.

0-100km/h is listed at 10.8 seconds, which means that it’s not the slowest econocar on the market. Powered by a 1.6-litre turbo diesel with particulate filter, the C3 HDi is rated at 66kW and 215Nm.

Easily outgunning other manufacturers with its 118g/km CO2 emissions, it can still be run of a 30 percent blend of DIN-approved Bio-diesel. Amazingly the open road fuel figure is 3.7 litres per 100km.

The French have just proved that the phrases “cheap to buy” and “cheap to run” don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Adam [aka Mada]

Hybrids aren’t worth the hype.
Tom

One of the problem this car, along with other efficient small diesels, is that whilst they can be better than the prius in fuel efficiency, price, and equipment, they don’t have an iconic shape like a prius. For a lot of people that buy prius’s, they want people to see that they care about the earth and all that greeny crap. But if they drove around in a Citreon C3 it wouldn’t be immediately obvious that they are driving a planet hugging car.

Without the smuggy snob factor of the prius ownership that attracts people to buy one, the C3 will have to compete as just another hatchback, but ones that cheap to run. Although at that price, it shouldn’t struggle too much.
TheJoker

Hmm…
I am surprised Citroen is not making a big deal about this, what are the CO2 emissions from the car? Does it compare to the Prius, its not always just about fuel economy.
Tom

actually yes it is just about fuel efficiency. When you burn a certain amount of petroleum, you produce a certain amount of CO2. There is no magic way you can burn fuel and create less CO2 without creating nastier gases like carbon monoxide.

Prius produces 113g/km of CO2, which is a negligible difference. The C3 produces slightly more because its a diesel, and diesel contains slightly more carbon per litre than petrol. If you’re worried about 5g/km difference, grow a bonsai, that will absorb the difference.
Hendrik

Hahahahaha love the closing statement Tom.

Prius owners are too self absorbed to really care about the environment. Buy a normal car and use that extra $10,000 for 3000 trees to be planted somewhere…
Reckless1

The Prius is an “Iconic shape” ?

I agree with most of what you say, Tom, apart from that!!

There are many small diesels buzzing (and the older ones rattling) around Europe, which we haven’t had on our radar because of our Government (happy with dirty, crappy fuel) and our exchange rates (improving now). Almost all of them are greener than Prius, which is a major con. Never do the supporters of the overpriced heap acknowledge the comparative environmental damage done by the total lifespan of the vehicle, including manufacturing and disposing of the batteries.

But then Greenies aren’t all that smart, IMO, because they want to save the planet, but don’t know why or for whom…
Tom

lol, when i said ‘iconic’, i meant recognisable. By no means is it a good looking design, its downright hideous. I’m not very good with the ol’ english language.

You could say its an icon of stupid greenies who rely on faulty science and propaganda to justify to themselves that the piss of shit they bought for a staggering $46k makes them better people than the rest of us. An icon of the global warming crazed society we are at the moment.

For the record I believe that global warming is happening, but I believe that when in australia where the entire transport industry produces only 10% of our total CO2 production, running around screaming and replacing all our cars with a $46k marketing con won’t save the polar bears.
Steve

I think the Cit is more of an iconic shape than the Prius.

Secondly, the CO2 might be negligably less in the Prius, but what happens when it comes time to changing the batteries? And never mind the punch to the hip pocket for it.

The C3 is an impressive car. Go check one out, it’ll surprise you.

steve
Hendrik

also voted most beautiful European car 2003…
http://www.importjap.com/blog ImportJap

C3 looks far better than the mutant cube Prius.

Good job Citroen, 3.7 on the open road, sounds like a great daily. I hope the interior isn’t cardboard though.
Reckless1

The downside to this car is from the rear of the front doors – the back seats wouldn’t fit an Australian baby in a capsule, let alone a child who walks, and the boot is useless.

The I30 for the same money would match the French for quality and beat it for reliability, certainly kills it for warranty.

The diesel I30 will also do 3.7 on the highway, not quite 4.4 combined but for the little extra consumption, at least you can fit people in the rear.

I30 1
C3 -0
http://www.importjap.com/blog ImportJap

Given my previous experience with Citroens, I’d probably go the i30 as well, Reckless1.
Andrew M

i thought there were a few small diesels matching the consumption of around 4.4L 100k now.

i also find that a lot of prius’s belong to government departments and im sure they only use them to put out a perception that they care about the environment. yep there is a lot more things that harm the environment than the automotive industry.
so do these government buildings turn all their lights off when they go home? hell that would be worse that leaving the car run overnight!!!!

and do all the private owners have solar power? hell that would be cheaper and better for the environment than a prius!!!
ah but that right you cant drive your solar panel round town to make people think you give a damn

sorry but i would never consider a car based on consumption, practicallity comes first and as reckless stated why not go an I30? well yes why not?
hell im even happy with 10L 100k because i get a car i can actually use and enjoy
Bavarian Missile

What are you doing on here in the morning? Thought you were taking next week off?

Your right about Prius’s just a perception I think ! Toyota have done a great job of convincing people there the car to save the environment!

I was told once that the amount of energy used to make a solar panel out ways what it can save the owner or the environment!
Andrew M

what better way to start a week off than take the fridy before too
Bavarian Missile

Very true !!
Darren W

Instead of buying a Prius get the best of both worlds. Get a C3 (or i30) diesel, run it on a biodiesel blend to further reduce carbon emissions and put the $10,000 saved towards rooftop solar panels. Immediate reduction in carbon emmissions rather than waiting 100 plus years for trees to grow and start taking up carbon. For the record neither car is very comfortable so I can’t put them on my shopping list…
Alec

Hendrik, I thought it was the C4 that was voted most beautiful European Car? Not the C3?
Tonyn

Audi have just released a A3 1.9 TDIe that does 4.2l per 100ks…. looks like the euro diesels are threatning the Hybrids, and at least the Euros look prettier then the prius!
ecoangel

TOM, sorry but you need to check facts: Diesel cars always produce less CO2 than Petrol cars – the C3 HDi is 110g/km in 1.4 format.

The Petrol 1.4 C3 model pumps out 148 g/km

This is down to the better thrmal efficiency of diesel – up to 50% (eg: 1.2 TDI in Audi A2 1.2 81g/km and 3L/100km) compared to petrol cars 30% at best.

Also Prius whilstt good around town is less good on longer trips – the 104g/km is based on a combiuned cycle including running on just electric so on a long journey it’s just a 1300kg 1.5L petrol car and CO2 /km goes up accordingly.
James Kally

Can’t trust the Citroen or any French cars as they have really bad reputation on reliability and dependability.
Eurogeek

James you may like to check the reliability rankings, here is one:

http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/man_index_2.html?apc=3128339010848601&searchtype=relindex

You will see that Toyota is now no better than Citroen as a brand in terms of reliability.

From my own experience with a Yaris and C3 – there was a problem with the Toyota’s CD player right after buying a brand new one. It took them some 6 weeks to replace it. I liked my Toyota OK, but I love my C3. Not only because of the 4ltr range of fuel efficiency, but the amazing zippiness and power esp. at high speeds on motorway – you keep accelerating on the 5th geer up the hill to overtake all the big petrol powered cars busy reducing their gears. It also has plenty of small gimmicks and drives like a limo. Yaris seems just very slow, plain, boring and wasteful compared to my C3. Not to mention that you have to service the Yaris every 10K kms and the C3 every 20K. To summarise: I found most of the reviews of the Citroen C3 just plain untrue (this refers to the HDi 1.6 diesel version).