Citroen C3 test drive since 2009 hatchback

Citroen C3 and VW Polo. Will we play Petank?

Citroen C3. Price: 640 500 rub. On sale: since 2010
VW Polo. Price: 593 000 rub. On sale: since 2010

The Citroen headquarters claim that their new C3 is able to hit the most demanding client. Perhaps this is so. But how to check? Yes, very simple. It just needs to be compared with the classmate of the year. Namely, with VW Polo. Who, like not, is able to dot and!

Test pillets
Oleg Kalaushin, 40 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience 22 years, personal car - Renault Logan
Maxim Fedorov, 32 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience 6 years, personal car - Ford Focus II

The Citroenovites are true to themselves. What a new car is already in the account, and the style is the same petank. Petank is such a national game in France. The purpose of the game to throw the ball as close to another, a larger ball of a male, which is a reference point. The concept of C3 became this point in 1999. Since then, Citroen throws his C3 as close as possible to the conceptual model in whose forms the ball prevailed. Is it good? Maybe. But only from the point of view of the layout. Visually, it is quite difficult to make a rounded shape of an elegant even for the most skilled master. In this regard, the new C3 against the background of Volkswagen Polo does not look enough. He is Staten, even a few musculist due to expanded wheeled arches, but not as lean as Polo. The latter, on the contrary, is too sinewy. And to everything else, it is also self -confident. Otherwise, what is such a look at the sultity of? However, the arrogant muzzle of the German is now excusable to him. After all, it became a car of the year in Europe. But C3 regalia has not yet got. And that means, in the battle for the consumer, he should have something more than the original appearance.

Something more perhaps more, this is what Citroen boasts in the first place. There is absolutely no need to walk near cars with roulette to understand who prevails in size. C3 is noticeably higher than his German opponent. Not so noticeable, but still there is priority in width. The Frenchman failed only in length. However, Polo has not gone near this indicator: the difference is only 2.9 cm. And the wheelbase of cars is almost equal. The superiority of C3 in terms of dimensions allowed him to significantly surpass Polo in the volume of the trunk. In the usual position of the seats in Citroen, the cargo volume is 300 liters, while the Polo 280. The difference is even more noticeable if the seats in both cars are folded. In this case, we are no longer about 20 additional liters, but about 168. At the same time, the organization of the luggage compartment itself still liked Polo more. The presence of an underground, which, if desired, can not be equipped, allows you to keep the trunk in a more tidy state.

In general, the neatness and organization in Polo are manifested in everything. Be it ergonomics or the selection of materials. The quality erected to the cult, perhaps, so one phrase can characterize the interior of VW Polo. There is nothing superfluous and a lot of everything you need. Whether it is a flap of lighting the second row of seats or hooks for clothes on ceiling handles. Only the huge Stapkan ash, which can be pulled out and put in place, was surprised only when DSG’s robotic gorge is positioned. Incomprehensible sizes and logic. But, as they say, there is a hole in the old woman. The interior of Citroen is also not bad, but here the desire to appeal, and not take root in preferences. The salon is replete with jewelry, whether it be an arched visor with gaps or a huge wave -like insert on the instrument panel that imitates winged metal. The pseudo -sports steering wheel with a flattened lower part, which, given the merits of the Citroen rally team, is also quite appropriate here. However, having flown themselves to beauty, the designers completely forgot about the little things, from which something large is formed. There is nothing to hang a jacket or jacket in C3. However, they can not be removed: the climatic installation will not allow you to store even on the most sultry day.

And what about the cars with a place for passengers? According to this indicator, the VW Polo and Citroen C3 are approximately equal. There are no special complaints about landing on the front row. As they say, everything is at the level of world standards. As for the second row, it is still more spacious in Polo (the smaller trunk is affected). And first of all, this applies to a place for the knees. Yes, and here's another thing: for both the German and the Frenchman, the third is quite fair. You can put him there only if you decide to quarrel those who will sit for you.

We did not succeed in picking up exactly the same cars for comparison. But knowing the love of our compatriots for cars with automatic transmissions, we took a 1.6-focus Citroen with a 4-speed automatic transmission and a 1.4-liter Volkswagen with a 7-speed robotic DSG. The difference in the power of these engines is quite large, as many as 35 horses in favor of C3, but we still put these cars in one row. They put, leveled and gave the go -ahead. As expected, the first hundred was exchanged Citroen, but Volkswagen did not poke his nose into Nigrola. Its result was only worse for a second. It is likely to be a more progressive box on C3, it would have broken Polo, and so insignificant superiority with a significant difference in power. Where Citroen would turn out to be, have Volkswagen properly powerful motor, and it is difficult to imagine. But such a motor is not put on Polo. And it’s a pity, because with his controllability he could well deal with him. Citroen also steer well, but the settings of its electric power challenge seemed too loyal. The electric hydraulic power system is responsible for strengthening the rotational moment. And this prefix allows you to pour the steering wheel with the weight that is so necessary for jewelry at high speed: Polo goes along the highway, like an iron, surely and accurately. But in Citroen there is more comfort due to more tolerant of irregularities of the suspension.


Volkswagen Polo
The new Volkswagen Polo surpassed his predecessor in dimensions, but this did not prevent him from being 7.5% less by weight. This absurdity is explained simply: in the design of the new car, high -strength steel was used, which in turn also did not slow down to affect the strength of the body to twist.

Driving
With such an insignificant engine volume, the car shows very good dynamic characteristics, at height and controllability.

Salon
Builds with high quality execution. However, you can call it spacious with a stretch. The feeling of the elbow is literally felt.

Comfort
Despite the tougher suspension settings, driving on poor roads does not turn into torture.

Security
In the database 2 airbags and ABS.

Price
Reasonable.



Citroen C3
C3 is one of the most compact cars in the classroom. However, this compactness in no way affected the comfort of the driver and passengers. Plus, the car is able to please the owner and a fairly voluminous trunk. Well, those who lack charm can order a huge windshield, smoothly passing into the roof.

Driving
The car shows good dynamics and quite moderate fuel consumption, but the suspension still deserves the greatest praise.

Salon
It is as spacious as possible within such small external dimensions.

Comfort
Not a limousine, of course, but it may well make it possible to the extent of a passenger sophisticated in this matter, and the driver.

Security
Four airbags, ABS, ESP additional option. The price is quite adequate to the image.


Our verdict
No doubt, Volkswagen Polo is good and well deserved the title that he now wears. The car was really successful, not without reason the version of the next, truly folk car, Polo Sedan was made on its base. However, Citroen C3 is also not bad. According to some indicators, he even surpasses his classmate (capacity, comfort, dynamics). So, he will have many admirers. In addition, pettanka tournaments become popular in our country. And who, if not the French, be the main consultants there.


Author: Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov
 

A source: Magazine 5 wheel [August 2010]