Citroen has revealed its new C3 in electric e-C3 format. The car has an SUV-inspired look, too, and it's set to be packed with technology when it arrives in Ireland towards the end of 2024.
New crossover look
The new C3 is a ground-up replacement for the existing model and it comes with a new look. It's still a small five-door hatchback, but it's taller and squarer than before, taking styling inspiration from SUVs.
At the front, the car is distinguished by its new, vertical "face" that incorporates the new oval Citroen logo and glossy black grilles. There are also front and rear lights inspired by the Citroen Oli concept car, which debuted a three-level light signature with one vertical and two horizontal lenses.
Overall, the new C3 is taller than its predecessor, at 1.57m high, giving it an extra 60mm of ground clearance compared with the outgoing car. Citroen says that will come in handy for tackling speed bumps and kerbs, while also raising the driving position for easier access and egress.
However, there's a definite nod to off-roaders in the styling, with black wheel arch cladding fitted to all models and decorative skid plates and roof rails adorning the more upmarket versions.
Citroen will also offer personalisation options aplenty, with a so-called "Color Clip" system allowing drivers to personalise their car at will. There are four coloured inserts positioned around the car, with two in the black bezels on the lower front bumper, and two in the panels behind the rear doors. Three colours are offered - Infrared, Lemon Yellow and Polar White - and customers can purchase a full pack or buy them all, then mix and match to suit their mood. And as the inserts come with a removal tool, they can be changed at any time without assistance from a dealer.
More space
Despite having much the same footprint as the outgoing model, the new C3 is designed to be more spacious than its predecessor, with an extra 30mm of headroom. Citroen is also claiming best-in-class rear-seat knee clearance, with "at least 20mm" more clearance than the class average. Similarly, the French company says rear passenger elbow room is 19mm greater than the class average, while front elbow room is 21mm greater.
Boot space has also improved compared with the old C3, though the 310-litre luggage space is not class-leading.
High-tech cabin
As well as prioritising space in the new C3, Citroen has given the cabin a high-tech look, with the highlight being the new Citroen Head-Up Display, which is slightly different to conventional head-up displays. Instead of projecting selected information from the instrument cluster onto the windscreen, the C3 goes without a traditional instrument display. Instead, the system uses a glossy black section at the top of the dashboard that reflects the information needed, meaning there's no duplication of data and the information is closer to the driver's eyeline. That system is combined with a new, smaller multi-function steering wheel that's reach and rake adjustable to ensure all drivers can see the new display.
They won't have any trouble seeing the new 10.25-inch touchscreen. Integrated with a dedicated Citroen app, the system will provide all the usual infotainment functions, with navigation and reversing camera systems all available alongside smartphone connectivity features and other media displays.
Safety tech will feature, too, with autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance all available alongside traffic-sign recognition and cruise control with a speed limiter.
Electric power
Citroen hasn't revealed all the powertrain options that will be available for the new C3, but it has confirmed customers will get the choice of petrol or electric power, with the e-C3 joining the range. While we don't yet know which petrol engines will be available - although we suspect the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder PureTech turbocharged engine will be included - Citroen has told us how the e-C3's powertrain will look.
At its heart is a 44kWh lithium ferro-phosphate battery pack, which feeds a 113hp electric motor. That allows the car to get from 0-100km/h in an adequate 11 seconds and hit a top speed of 135km/h, but more importantly, it'll cover up to 320km on a single charge according to the official WLTP economy test.
The battery will also offer 100kW rapid charging, allowing a sufficiently powerful charge point to top up the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 26 minutes. Charging at home using a domestic 'wallbox' will take just over four hours to achieve the same feat.
Focus on comfort
For the e-C3, Citroen is promising "zero noise, zero vibration and zero stress," as well as zero tailpipe emissions. Key to that is the inclusion of the Citroen Advanced Comfort Suspension system, which is designed to provide a "magic carpet" ride through the use of hydraulics to prevent jolts near the end of the suspension travel, theoretically improving the ride on uneven surfaces.
"Comfort is a key part of Citroen's DNA," said the brand's product and strategy director, Laurence Hansen. "It's very important to us because it's very important to our customers. That's why we have gone to extraordinary lengths to make the all-new C3 the most comfortable car in the segment with Citroen innovations like new versions of our Citroen Advanced Comfort Seats and - for the first time on C3 - our Citroen Advanced Comfort Suspension. When combining these with a new and unique "homelike interior" cabin concept, the all-new C3 will set new standards for occupant comfort, and continue to be a major differentiator for us."
Irish Citroen C3 pricing
While Citroen is clearly putting emphasis on comfort, the brand is also thinking about affordability. Although Irish prices and specifications have not been confirmed, Citroen is aiming for the cheapest electric e-C3 model to cost less than €25,000 in most of Europe. Even with VRT added, it should still come in well under €30,000 in Ireland. Unfortunately, buyers will have to wait until the very end of 2024 to get their hands on the new e-C3, so it's best to think of it as a car for the "251" registration period at the beginning of 2025.
Though not yet confirmed for the Irish market, Citroen is also working on a variant of the e-C3 with a smaller - i.e. more affordable - battery and a 200km range.