The fourth-generation Citroën C3 (2024+) marks a radical shift for the French brand. Abandoning the traditional rounded hatchback shape, it adopts a squared-off, crossover-like silhouette. Built on the cost-effective 'Smart Car' platform (a heavily modified derivative of the Stellantis CMP architecture), it is designed to aggressively undercut competitors in pricing. Crucially for petrol buyers, this generation introduces the heavily revised 1.2 PureTech engine (Generation 3), which finally replaces the problematic oil-bathed timing belt with a robust timing chain. This resolves the biggest reliability dark cloud that hung over previous Stellantis models. While the electric ë-C3 grabs headlines, the petrol and mild-hybrid (MHEV) variants remain the volume sellers, offering excellent comfor
The 4th generation Citroën C3 is a highly recommended purchase (ACHETER), primarily because Stellantis has finally addressed the elephant in the room: the 1.2 PureTech engine. By switching to a timing chain, the new petrol variants offer peace of mind that was entirely absent in the previous generation. If you are buying the petrol version, the standard 1.2 PureTech 100 MT6 is the safest and most cost-effective bet. The Hybrid 100 is excellent for city dwellers wanting an automatic, though its complex dual-clutch system requires a leap of faith regarding long-term reliability. As with any first-year production model, expect minor software gremlins, but mechanically, this C3 is built on much sounder foundations than its predecessor.