The sub-compact car was very well received by the market and, even in 2019, was still placed on the top 5 selling vehicles in its segment across Europe.
The first two generations were kind of conservative, but the third one has changed its exterior shape and has been improved with a bolder look.

The mid-cycle facelift has kept the model’s overall look but its stance has been improved. New LED headlights, new 17” alloy wheels, and bigger airbumps have also improved the vehicle’s look. The side airbumps protect the vehicle from small dents in parking lots. As some you know, in Europe, parking lots are small, designed for the cars of yesteryear.

Inside, there are numerous upgrades, all together with 11 active-safety systems and a new infotainment unit that can be connected to the Internet via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The revamped C3 also comes with a connected camera that can record and store automatically 90 seconds after an accident, to be used as a witness. It records 30 seconds before an impact and 60 seconds after.

Under the hood, Citroen brought new engines adhering to the strictest Euro 6 norms. It has two variants of the same turbocharged 1.2-liter three cylinder gasoline engine with 83 and 110 hp, respectively, and two 1.5-liter turbodiesels, which are offering 100 hp and 110 hp, respectively. The latter one is offered only with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The third generation of the Citroen C3 was shown in June 2016.
While it wasn’t a class-leader for the small-size segment, it was stylish and had some tempting equipment.

The French brand had made a name of itself for building small cars in big numbers. The Citroen styling has been always different from the rest of the car industry. Sometimes it was ahead of its competitors and sometimes it lacked inspiration. For the 2016 C3 though, it featured some interesting ideas for a daily driver into a crowded city.

The front fascia was the most intriguing, with its “eyebrows” of LED, daytime running lights, over the headlights. The headlights were sculptured deep inside the front bumper to protect them for small bumps in the parking lot and the fog-lights had colored rims around. From the side, the black plastic, protections against shopping carts, and door scratches may have been looked odd, but they did their job. After all, it was cheaper to fix the plastic than to replace the door. The rear, highly mounted, taillights were LED and well protected against small accidents.

Inside, the C3 had an airy appearance, with a low and flat dashboard. The infotainment unit featured a 7” touch-screen display, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car offered enough room for up to five passengers and a small trunk. While it won’t’ offer too much comfort for long journeys, it was enough for city trips. An interesting feature of the vehicle was a screen-mounted dashcam that could record the traffic ahead and share it on social media.

Under the hood, there were few engines and gearboxes available, including an automatic for selected engines.

For 2013, Citroen gave the C3 small hatchback lineup a small refresh, subtle yet elegant enough to get the car noticed again.
The changes make the car look a little bit like the bigger C4. The French have also added a strip of LEDs under the headlights to hint at their latest MPV, the Picasso. But perhaps the most appealing change made here is the introduction of a pair of PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engines with a 1.0 or 1.2-liter displacement. Both these engines came from the Peugeot 208 sister-car and the smaller of the two delivers CO2 emissions just below 100 grams per kilometer.

The second generation of the Citroen C3 was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motorshow.
It was built on the same PF1 platform, used by the French group since 1998.

With a new design and new features, the second generation of the Citroen C3 appeared as a completely new car. But the reality was that it was a new shape on an old platform, and fitted with the engines from the previous generation of the C3.

From the outside, the curved look of the car looked appealing for most of its target customers. Its headlights were inspired by a boomerang and the grille was moved completely in the bumper and apron. As an option, the car was fitted with the “Zenith” windshield that was extended on the roof. In the back, the taillights featured the same boomerang style but reversed. To protect them from small bumps in parking lots, these were mounted upper.

Inside, the dashboard design continued the flowing-line theme from the outside. There was a choice of chrome and black trim and a choice of upholstery styles, including leather. In the instrument cluster, there were two dials and an LCD between them. Citroen dropped the coolant temperature dial and replaced it with a small lamp, which was blue when the engine was cold and red when it was too hot.

For the engine compartment, the 2009 C3 was fitted with the same “Prince” engine family developed together with BMW and re-named as PSA TU engines. The C3 was available with a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes.

Citroen upgraded its C3 range for the 2005 year and brought new technologies for its five-door, small-segment contender.
Starting with 2005, all new cars sold within European Union had to comply with the Euro 4 norms and, since that was the most important market for the French carmaker, it had to adapt. But Citroen wasn’t concerned only about the emissions; it took into consideration the design as well.

While the exterior was still trendy among its customers, Citroen considered adding a refresh for the front fascia. Its grille received a new design with narrower gaps between the slats, while the lower bumper lost its two horizontal bars and showed a bigger, trapezoidal-shaped air intake. In the back, the 2009 C3 received new taillights with clear-lenses over the reversing light’s area. The small-segment vehicle featured black rubber strips over the bumpers and on the door panels depending on the trim level.

Citroen refreshed the car’s interior and installed a new dashboard with a redesigned center stack. Its audio system was improved as well. The French carmaker upgraded the materials for specific trim levels.

Under the hood, Citroen upgraded all its engines to comply with the Euro 4 emission standards and included a new 1.6-liter turbo-diesel engine. For specific versions, the carmaker offered an option for four-speed automatic transmissions, while the five-speed manual was fitted as standard.

Citroen saw the rise of the crossover segment and prepared a modified regular, small-segment C3, and made it look like an offroad-wannabe vehicle.
Honda introduced the HR-V’s first generation in 1998 and made people understand that they can drive on unpaved roads the same car they drove to their work and still get a decent fuel efficiency. The British carmaker Rover tried the same in 2003, but with minimal success. Then, Citroen introduced the C3 X-TR. It was a front-wheel-drive vehicle that promised a good ride on a country road and more confidence while parking in tight spots.

The French carmaker added black bumpers both front and rear and added a new set of side sills branded X-TR. As an innovative brand, Citroen installed a set of roof-rails, which the driver could install lengthwise or sideways. In the U.K, the car featured a standard panoramic glass roof, while the rest of the Europeans had to pay for it.

Inside, it was just a regular C3, but with fewer color options for upholstery. It featured flat seats at the front and a low center console. The center stack featured a silver aluminum trim made out of plastic, and the same went with the air vents.

Thanks to its higher ground clearance than the regular C3, the X-TR version offered more confidence when parking over a curb or passing through a flooded street. Those who used it in the winter appreciated the option for a limited-slip differential.

Following its tradition to have supermini vehicles in its lineup, the French carmaker prepared a successor for the five-door Saxo, overlapping it for a couple of years.
Citroen introduced the first generation of the C3 at the 2001 Frankfurt Motorshow, but its presence was shadowed by the 9/11 terrorist attack that happened during the press days of the motoring event. The car benefited from the second launch in December 2001 at the Bologna motor show and received more attention.

Its rounded shapes evoked the glorious past of the Citroen 2CV. The short front overhang and hood and the arched greenhouse were all part of the same theme. The carmaker chose not to make a three-door version for it, just like the 2 CV. At the front, the angular-shaped headlights and the slatted grille looked different than on its famous predecessor but followed the same rules. Its wrapped-around bumper sported black rubber strips, placed on the corners to avoid trading paint in parking. Citroen used other rubber strips on the doors for the same reason.

Inside, the car was surprisingly roomy for its size. Its arched roof allowed good headroom for all passengers, despite its high-mounted seats. The dashboard was created with curved lines, and the rounded instrument cluster featured a wide tachometer at the top while the speedometer was on a digital display in the middle of the instrument panel. Citroen installed an additional screen for the trip computer on the dashboard above the center stack.

Under the hood, the carmaker installed a wide engine choice, both gasoline, and turbo-diesel. All versions were paired to a five-speed manual, while selected versions were mated to an automated five-speed gearbox.