Cars Car reviews
Tinus de Jager
The last time I had this many stares and questions while driving a new model was when Newstoday tested the Peugeot 308cc. It seems as if French car makers are doing something right; especially if you are looking for a car that gets heads turned your way.
Citroën says the DS3 is distinctly anti-retro, despite taking its name from an icon of French car building. Yes, it looks different and it is “a multitude of vehicles that each person can create in his or her fashion”.
Exterior personalisation components include the roof, body, rear-view mirror housings and wheels. Inside, customers get a choice of dashboard strip, gearstick knob and a host of other interior equipment with a choice of colours, fabrics and materials.
Just a word of caution here … if you are someone that thinks a stud in your forehead looks great, get someone to help you pick and choose the colours and accessories … preferably someone without facial jewellery.
The inside has a distinct C3 feel to it, but with a bit more plastic. Things are laid-out well inside, there is a lot of space (both in the front and back seats) and the boot is huge compared to the Mini. At the price, a bit more attention to detail would have been appreciated … the glove box looks like it was slapped on as an afterthought.
More than looks
The DS3, however, comes into its own when you turn the key. The 1.6 THP puts out 115kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm at 1400. It’s fast. 0-100km/h in about 8 seconds. And a top speed of 214km/h. In the speed department, the DS3 brings a smile to your face.
But that does not matter much on the potholed streets of Melville. What does count is the suspension: “The chassis and running gear, with MacPherson-type suspension at the front and a flexible traverse beam at the rear, are the results of high-precision development work.
“Springing and damping have been developed to perfectly “read” the road, with excellent body roll control and impressive poise in corners, while remaining easy to handle.
“Bi-density shims on the rear axle effectively filter out road disturbances while ensuring excellent cross-wise stability.” That is what Citroën says.
What it means is that the DS3 is actually a very comfortable ride, even in South Africa. More so than the Cooper S.
Citroën service
One interested bystander asked where you could find one. The answer is, unfortunately, not at very many places. Citroën has closed a few of their service points around Johannesburg and, while they say they will now be working with Peugeot, this does not seem to be happening all that quickly.
Price: R255 000
