New Citroen C3: driven - On the road

This is no keen driver's car, but that's not what the C3 is about. It goes round corners smartly, way short of the alacrity of a Fiesta, but it's more geared for comfort than sportiness. That'll be reserved for Citroën's funky, Mini-rivalling DS3 three-door model, which is due to arrive a month or so after the C3.

The C3's ride nicely smothers potholes and the car has a gentle, refined manner on the motorway. The two engines we drove droned a little on the motorway and there was the odd thump through the rear suspension, but that's as much down to the overall quietness of everything else than to any major issues.

Of the two 1.6s, we were a little disappointed with the 120bhp petrol – it didn't have as much get-up-and-go as expected. The 1.6 90bhp diesel was good, but at an anticipated price of over £15,000 you'll have to do a lot of miles for the better mpg to justify the extra expense.