Skip advert
Advertisement

DS 3 review - Does French hatch match a Mini for fun? - Design

A car first, now a brand, the DS3 is Citroen’s spin-off that’s aiming at the premium players

Evo rating
Price
from £13,995
  • Entertaining drive, fine styling, interesting interior and plenty personalisation makes for a fun Mini rival
  • The Mini does everything a little bit better

It might not be the newest premium hatch on the block, but the DS 3 still looks fresh, helped by a mild facelift in 2014 and further revisions when the model became a standalone DS product.

The reverse shark's fin on the B-pillar in body colour piercing the blacked out pillars is a neat visual trick, while DS uses LED lights to tremendous effect to create a distinctive face at the front and very cool 3D-effect tail lights. The scope for personalisation is vast, while the DS wheel choices are all distinctive. There’s even the option to colour-code the ignition key.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Squat proportions, extremely neat detailing inside and out and some clever surfacing and colour use continue to make the DS3 look fresh despite its age. The Performance models are neat, too - their colour schemes and trim appendages are among the more tasteful options in the hot hatchback class.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Toyota GR Supra Fast Fleet test – 11 months in Japan's Porsche Cayman
evo Fast Fleet Toyota Supra
Long term tests

Toyota GR Supra Fast Fleet test – 11 months in Japan's Porsche Cayman

With a 335bhp straight-six and rear-wheel drive, the Supra should be very much our sort of car. But after nearly a year on our fleet, did this prove t…
17 May 2024
Aston Martin Vantage 2024 review – the best Aston in years
Aston Martin Vantage 2024 track
Reviews

Aston Martin Vantage 2024 review – the best Aston in years

The junior Aston Martin has been thoroughly reengineered. It’s not so junior any more 
12 May 2024
Mandatory speed limiters to be fitted to all new UK cars in 2024
80mph motorway speed limit
News

Mandatory speed limiters to be fitted to all new UK cars in 2024

The use of mandatory speed limiters on all new cars was approved by the European Parliament in 2019, and they're set to come into force later this yea…
8 May 2024