Citroen C3 test drive since 2002 hatchback

Small demon

How, nevertheless, appearance is sometimes deceiving! Looking at these photos, it is hard to believe that in this angel there is something from the evil one. He is so round, so funny. Toy. I would like to hang him on the New Year tree next to the ball. Brilliant, beautiful, like a souvenir about him. Another female car? Seems.


And having met him, I understood everything. And pleasantly surprised. And imbued with respect. He is not toy. And not an angel at all. It is real and very alive, and is far from as simple as it seems. It just pretends to please everyone, and this is so difficult!
 
However, he succeeds. It may be wrong to start the article with the conclusion, but I really want to immediately refute the suspicion that Citroone C3 is a female car. The most correct definition for him is fashionable. Yes, it is conceived and executed in the style of unisex, but this is quite in the spirit of modern fashion, and in its natural habitat, which Europe is without a doubt, C3 will look quite harmonious. And we have?
 
And we have ladies ride on tiny cute cars. It is desirable that the color is brighter and a box of appliances. But the small Citroeon is special. At first I smiled, having seen serious uncle at the wheel of this angel. What are they doing there? It turned out to be pleasure.
 
The Citroenchik not only looks, but also goes! I imagine the bewilderment of drivers who observed a strange high car, which, instantly rebuilt from a row in a row, easily and at ease permeated the transport stream. Is it really possible to drive like that on such a car?
 
Not only you can, but I want to. The French endowed the machine with an amazing character. C3 should be talked about seriously, without a shadow of irony. The speech should be completed with something enthusiastic like: yes, this is how a car or a real Citroeon should drive!.


The machine, whose controllability is perfect, is bored by definition. As a person without flaws would look fake, so the absolutely correct car is not able to truly delight. Therefore, I hasten to inform you that C3 is imperfect. But just so as to be interesting.
 
It seems nothing special: the discharge of gas makes the car screw into the turn, and with the reverse action, it obediently straightens the trajectory. Classic manners of front -wheel drive machines. But everything that this Citroeon does is felt by the spinal cord so fast and unambiguous its reactions. The setting of the steering with an electro -hydraulic amplifier is very interesting: it responds softly to the movement of the steering wheel in the nearoral zone C3, even carefully, but it is worth turning the steering wheel stronger, and the car becomes sharp, almost aggressive. This allows you to feel equally confidently on the suburban highway and in the crowd metropolis. And the reactive effort accompanying manipulations with the steering wheel does not leave a feeling of lack of disabilities, the driver is always aware of what is happening with the wheels of the machine. When identifying Citroen's abilities for active driving, a very desire does not have a desire not to be modest at speeds, especially since the suspension is protected by the vestibular apparatus of passengers, not allowing a high car to be particularly fenced. Yes, the road relief is transmitted to the body in sufficient detail, but I think those who are at the forefront of driving are ready to come to terms with this.
 
The tactical and technical characteristics of the engine installed on our threek at first did not cause optimism: only 1360 cubes of the working volume and 75 forces. However, practice refuted the theory all horses work hard in the field of acceleration, and if they are not lazy and spurring them with a lever of the checkpoint, then Citroen demonstrates vigor and good dynamics. But it is worth losing vigilance, allowing the engine turning to fall into the lower range, and the car, a moment ago, exuded cheerfulness, worships. The brake qualities of the machine more than block the engine potential to find fault with anything.

  

When moving in the stream, C3 detects shortcomings in terms of visibility: the outer mirrors seem too small, and the internal shows mainly the head seats's head restraints. But these are all in particular, not overshadowing the joys of communication with the machine.
 
In fairness, it should be noted that many Citroeon C3 will appeal not even after the first trip, but to it. It’s enough just to sit on the driver's seat to finally make sure that the car is unusual. The two -color central panel immediately attracts the unusual combination of devices, the backlight of which causes it in the memory of the French alcatel. The main device is a digital speedometer. And although it is generally accepted that the numbers are perceived by peripheral vision worse than analog appliances, there were no problems with speed awareness.
 
But with a tachometer, everything is not so smooth. At first it seemed that it simply was not there, but after some time it was discovered under the very visor of the dashboard. A thin red line crawling on the right symbolizes the number of revolutions. You can get used to such a tachometer, but most likely you will not want to peer into the scale and interpret its data.
 
The deflectors of the ventilation system, which in the open position, have a globe with parallels and meridians, and in a closed target sank into the soul; Internal techno -arches opening doors and two glove boxes located one above the other. In general, the C3 Salon seems spacious and the Air Four crew members will not feel like canned food.
 
When I once again see a man at the wheel of C3, I will not smile. I understand him, he also saw a small demon. In addition, he is the one who can afford to stand out, and at the same time is not under the yoke of public opinion. So, he is truly free.
 

The car is provided by Auto Exis.
During the test, the car is insured by LLC SE-Center
 

Text: Kirill Brevdo
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 72/2002]