C3

CITROEN’S C3 represented a new wave of contemporary light cars that boasted big-car space, driveability and safety, that also included the Honda Jazz, Mazda2 and Ford Fiesta.

It was also the first sub-$20,000 Citroen passenger car in Australia.

That was for the 57kW/115kW 1.4-litre SX with a five-speed manual, and driving the front wheels.

More money bought you the Exclusive, glass-roofed Panoramique (until 2004), while an 83kW/150Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine endowed models fitted with Citroen’s slow-witted Sensodrive sequential-shift manual models from September 2003. From February 2005, the C3 XTR arrived, with a jacked-up body and SUV-like body cladding, and fitted with the 1.6/Sensodrive combination.

Other than the XTR, there really is no quirkiness to the C3, just a straight-forward MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension.

Other aspects of the mechanical package include variable assistance electric rack and pinion power steering, disc brakes all-round, 15-inch wheels and an economy-aiding kerb weight of just 1005kg for the base model.

For its size, the C3 has excellent luggage capacity - 305 litres with the rear seats in place and as much as 1355 litres with the rear seats removed.

Equipment levels include air-conditioning, dual airbags, remote central locking, six-speaker audio including CD, power windows and mirrors, while the Exclusive and 1.6-litre cars add anti-lock brakes and a host of other niceties.