Citroen DS3 1.6 THP DSport review

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Citroën DS3 1.6 THP 155 DSport First Drive

Test date 21 January 2010 Price as tested £16,800

: Interior quality is much improved over the C3, but there's still some work to do on lower materials

What is it?

It depends on your outlook. Were you feeling particularly uncharitable you might view the DS3 as little but a three-door version of the Citroen C3 supermini.

Citroen, however, would rather you saw it as more than that. The DS3 is the first in a line of 'DS' models that will, in status (and price), sit above the regular model (the workaday C3 in this case).

So this three-door-only supermini-sized variant features neat design touches you won't find on the regular C3, an interior constructed from higher-grade materials and a different chassis set-up. There's more soundproofing too, to add to the premium feel.

Think of the DS3, then, as a rival to the Mini, Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo Mito. Eyeing the success of the 500 and Mini, Citroen has given the DS3 a vast range of options and accessories to match. So although prices start at around £12,000, it's possible to spend £18,000 upwards on a DS3.

What's it like?

More than just a three-door variant of a Citroen supermini; that much becomes obvious quickly. The DS3's cabin is tastefully finished and most surfaces carefully finished, although Citroen has done nothing to alter switchgear and the cockpit's lower surfaces are ordinary.

It's spacious, too. Because the DS3 is based on a 'proper' supermini (and because it's not forced to follow a retro styling theme), the DS3 has more boot and rear seat space than its similarly fashion-conscious rivals.

Our test car was kitted with a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, very similar to the one you'll find in a Mini Cooper, albeit with a different output: 154bhp at 6000rpm and 177lb ft at 1400rpm. It drives through a six-speed gearbox, and it's nice that neither engine nor gearbox is traditionally Citroen-like in feel. The 'box is precise and slick, while the engine does its best work at the top end, yet pulls well from the mid-range onwards and makes a willing noise throughout the range.

The ride and handling don't feel like a recent Citroen supermini either and, though Citroen might not thank me for saying it, they're all the better for it. The ride is firmly supple yet well controlled; it's far less soft than than a normal C3 but, conversely, because the body doesn't rock and the roll rate is slowed, I'd argue that it's actually a more comfortable experience overall. The seats are more supportive too.

The DS3 steers nicely. Slightly worryingly, Citroen says it has damped it thoroughly to suppress kickback, but as it turns out, weighting is good and consistent, and it's accurate, too.

Handling is tidy rather than stupendous, but it's engaging enough. Limits are respectable; initially it'll understeer, of course, but there's some playfulness in the chassis if you give it a lift or a bung. A Ford Fiesta Zetec S would shade it for engagement, but the DS3 would give a Mini Cooper a run for its money, which is no mean feat.Should I buy one?

Maybe. We've only tried the fastest one so far and it was well equipped, so it's worth remembering that it's a nigh on £18,000 car, which is a lot of money for a small Citroen. However, the range starts far more cheaply and, pace apart, you get the same experience. Residuals are predicted to be in line with its rivals.

It's not an easy journey for a company to decide it's going to 'do premium', and my hunch is that it'll take Citroen a little while before consumers are prepared to engage with it as they might with a Mini. But the DS3 is a thoroughly positive start, a genuinely good product and quite a tempting one. One thing I'm certain about: it's a heck of a lot more than just a three-door supermini.