Citroen C3 interior, tech and practicality

The Citroen C3 leans into its affordable positioning with a fairly back to basics interior – although some clever design details stop it feeling sparse.

We like the slickly integrated digital driver’s display, the myriad Citroen chevron patterns, the grey fabric across the dashboard, the white door bins and the unusual steering wheel. All in all, it’s a pleasant place to be. The little red tags on the doors that say things like ‘have fun’ or ‘be cool’ are a cute touch – you’ll either like them or think they’re a bit life-coach-y.

Soft and sofa-like seats are fitted as standard. You’re almost guaranteed to let out an involuntary ‘ahh’ when you sit in them for the first time. Whether it’s a short hop across town or a longer motorway journey, these comfy seats will make the trip better.

Visibility is pretty decent thanks to the C3’s upright stance and big windows. Rear parking sensors are standard and high-spec cars get a reversing camera.

Being a cheap car, it’s not hard to see where the money’s been saved. The door cards are big swathes of unyielding and scratchy plastic, one of the keys doesn’t fold away and entry-level versions come with wind-down rear windows. The Fiat Grande Panda manages to feel more expensive inside without costing extra.

On the petrol C3, the range kicks off with the Collection trim. Impressively, the top-rung styling features come as standard – you get roof rails, gloss black 17-inch alloy wheels, a contrast-coloured roof and colourful accent pops without having to go for a more expensive model.

Collection also features automatic LED headlights, auto wipers, air con, cruise control and lane-keep assist.

In line with the car’s simplicity elsewhere, the only other version available is the top-spec Max model. Opting for this version unlocks an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, climate control and wireless phone charging. Hybrid and electric cars in Max trim also benefit from front fog lights and the winter pack (consisting of heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen). We’re not really sure why these features couldn’t be fitted to a Max car with the standard petrol engine.

A growing number of cars try to put your whole life into the touchscreen, and it’s quite refreshing that the C3’s touchscreen gives you what you need and nothing that you don’t.

The home screen is simple, with tiles for essential features like media playback and phone connectivity. There are also sticky shortcut icons that give you easy access to these different areas. Because there’s not much to fiddle with and no vast settings menu, the touchscreen responds snappily and won’t distract you from the road.

Cars in the Max trim come with built-in sat nav, but all cars come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – if you’ve got a smartphone, you’ll probably want to stick with your familiar apps displayed on the car’s screen.

Instead of a big screen in front of the driver, the C3 features a slim display under the windscreen. This works really well, acting almost like a head-up display, and shows you need-to-know info.

Taking up just four metres of space on the road, you might expect the C3 to feel cramped inside. But that’s not the case: its tallness makes the interior feel roomy, and there’s enough legroom for an adult to comfortably sit behind another adult. There might be some compromise for taller occupants, but that’s to be expected in a car this size.

The rear seats are quite upright, but their squishiness means they should be comfortable enough on longer journeys. There’s just enough room to squeeze in a rear-facing child seat, although the Isofix points are behind zips that are a bit awkward and fiddly to use. It’s good to see seatback pockets and rear USB sockets fitted on every C3.

The 310-litre boot is about average for the class – it’s about the same size as a Ford Fiesta but rivals such as the Skoda Fabia and Renault Clio will fit more in. There’s a bit of a load lip to overcome but nothing unusual, and you do get a hook and a couple of tiedown points.

With the rear seats folded, you’ve got 1,188 litres of space at your disposal.