Faults:

Nothing of note has gone wrong with this car, but that should be expected with the low mileage it's covered.

Front bumper trim fell off.

Driver's door stay failed and had to be replaced.

General Comments:

To say the interior trim feels cheap would be an understatement. Body panels are also thin and you get a nice 'clang' reverberating through the vehicle when you close the door. Wind and engine noise is more than noticeable at speed.

Handling is bouncy and unpleasant on anything but smooth roads and motorways.

Seats offer no lateral support whatsoever, and I keep thinking my backside is about to fall off it when cornering. Headroom is exceptional for a supermini, with 3 inches to spare with my 6'4" frame.

Steering is excessively light offering no feel of the road, though the light steering makes parking a breeze.

But where the diesel powered C3 comes into its own is the economy. 50 mpg is no problem around town, on a decent run I regularly achieve economy in the mid 60s, and if I drive it very leisurely on the motorway, I can get that into the mid 70s. Coupled with a low tax bracket (currently £20/year), and insurance group (3) the Citroen is an exceptionally cheap car to run. With the new model out now, they are also going for peanuts on the second hand market, so if you can ignore its faults, this could be an ideal motor if you're on a budget.

Faults:

I had the fuel injectors replaced 5 months after buying the car, and they were not covered under the warranty, as they had corroded because of leaking window washers.

Just before Christmas, I broke down just coming off a major motorway; just lost all power and the engine light came on. After Christmas the AA came out and diagnosed a problem with the throttle, they got it going and I have now been waiting 2 days for the dealer to call me back. They keep saying they are too busy and do not return my many phone calls. I just want them to take a look at my car, I have young children and I am too scared to drive it.

General Comments:

I would never have a Citroen ever again.

Faults:

Ignition Coil failed after 6 weeks.

Alternator failed after 2 years (28k miles).

Air Conditioning is weak, does not get cold enough.

General Comments:

The car is very spacious and well designed. I really like the shape, and it is pretty good value for what you get.

Performance is not this car's strong point, but the engine does an acceptable job considering it's a 1.1 with only 60bhp.

Handling is a bit odd, because there is plenty of grip and good feedback, but the steering is too light and the high body rolls too much in corners.

The light blue seats mark easily and offer no lateral support, but they are reasonably comfortable on long journeys. The rest of the interior seems to have been stuck together with spit.

The car's thick A pillars make forward visibility poor when negotiating a junction.

The car is equipped with EBA - emergency brake assist. This slams on the brakes with maximum force if it thinks you are braking in an emergency. In practice it is very annoying, and has almost resulted in being hit from behind on a few occasions. Unfortunately this is fitted as standard to most Citroen vehicles.

Overall the car looks very good and performs reasonably well, but it has broken down twice in 24 months and although it is still under warranty, having it fixed for free does not compensate for being stranded at the roadside in the early hours of the morning.