The Citroën C3 III (Internal code: SX), launched in late 2016 and facelifted in 2020, marked a radical departure from its predecessor's bubble-like design. Adopting crossover-inspired styling cues, including the distinctive 'Airbumps', it positioned itself as a funky, comfort-oriented alternative in the highly competitive B-segment. Built on the older PSA PF1 platform (unlike the Peugeot 208 II which moved to CMP), it prioritizes ride quality with its 'Advanced Comfort' seats and soft suspension setup. While it excels in urban comfort and personalization, its reputation has been severely tarnished by the systemic reliability issues of the Stellantis 1.2 PureTech and BlueHDi engines. Global Rating: A comfortable and stylish supermini that requires extreme caution on the used market due to w
The Citroën C3 III is a charming, comfortable, and practical supermini that is severely let down by Stellantis's disastrous engine choices. Buying a 1.2 PureTech is a massive gamble unless the timing belt has just been replaced, the oil strainer cleaned, and you plan to service it meticulously every 10,000 km. The diesels are excellent cruisers but are plagued by expensive AdBlue tank failures and the 1.5 BlueHDi's fragile camshaft chain. Buying Advice: If you must buy one, use the poor reliability reputation to negotiate a heavy discount. Look for a post-2022 model where the belt/chain issues were somewhat mitigated, or buy a used model where the seller provides invoices proving the timing belt (PureTech) or AdBlue tank (BlueHDi) has already been replaced with the latest revised parts.