Review of the new Citroen C3 VTR - Long Term Test

The key to getting along with the Citroen C3 VTR is not to take its hot hatch pretensions too seriously. Let the bodykit and alloys worm their way into your consciousness and you'll start marking this car to some very exacting criteria. Treat them as just a bit of marketing floss and you'll get on a whole lot better with this car. By the time we returned it to Citroen, I had grown rather attached to a car that I'd previously sneered at as a sheep in wolf's clothing.

That's not to say it was without its faults. Citroen has come a long way in terms of build quality over the last decade but a key fob that falls into three pieces onto the road surface as soon as you take it out of your pocket doesn't create a good first impression. Nor does the fact that within 100 metres, I found myself turning the stereo up to drown out the twittering caused by the rear seat and parcel shelf. A quick spray of WD40 cured the squeaking and allowed me to concentrate on the car's other qualities, of which there are some admirable and others that are slightly more testing of your patience.

One aspect that needs a fundamental redesign is a safety issue. My route home takes me through some rather dark country lanes with a national speed limit. Flip the left hand stalk from main beam lights to dip when you spot an approaching vehicle and unless you strike dead centre of the wand it's worryingly easy to catch a glancing strike and switch the lights completely off. Disconcerting to say the least and it happened to at least two other members of the test team, so my own clumsiness can't be solely to blame.

"The C3 VTR is certainly better to drive than to look at"

Illumination issues aside, driving the VTR on rolling B-roads like this otherwise shows it at its best. The excellent 110bhp HDi diesel engine that's found beneath C3's snub nose barely puts a foot wrong. Okay, so it's hardly out of the blocks on the b of bang, getting to 60mph in 9.3 seconds, but to put that into perspective, it's still quicker to the benchmark sprint than an Alfa Romeo 147 1.6 and as fast as a 1.8-litre Audi A3. No equivalent Ford Fiesta or Vauxhall Corsa can get near it. The top speed of 118mph is evidence that the VTR has a good deal in reserve when travelling at usual motorway speeds, although a sixth gear would be make the engine a little easier on the ear. Refinement at speed is okay, the only drawback being some vibration through the metal-topped gear lever. The average fuel consumption figure of almost 63mpg gives the opposition little hope, whilst the 120g/km CO2 emissions are similarly admirable.

To put these figures in perspective, let's consider what that seminal hot hatch, the Volkswagen Golf GTI, could manage when introduced in 1977. The sportiest hot hatch drive of that day was good for 9.6 seconds to 60mph, a top speed of 108mph and an average return of 29mpg. These days, the least sporty of all the superminis looks to have that icon licked. How times change. Nobody would put up with thirteen-inch wheels for a start!

Taken in isolation, there's not a great deal wrong with the styling parts Citroen have selected for the VTR. It's just that they're on a C3. Imagine Natalie Portman cast as lead in an Aliens movie and you probably get the idea. The 16-inch Leopard alloy wheels are augmented by wheelarch extensions, body coloured side rubbing strips and a chromed exhaust pipe finisher. The front end has a revised bumper, a broader air intake and revised fog light housing while the entire bumper assembly at the back is VTR-specific. You have to take your hat off to Citroen. This car could have been a collection of parts from the options list but instead a number of bespoke components have been formulated exclusively for the VTR model. The interior has been given the sports treatment too, with a black leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob set, bolstered seats and a dark grey trim.

All of these styling accoutrements are mounted on the latest post-facelift C3 with its restyled nose and bigger air intake, more pronounced grille and far bigger chromed Citroen chevrons. More important are the alterations inside which include revised and markedly higher-quality dashboard and door panels. The stereo and ventilation controls look tidier and there's a more grown-up feel about the interior generally.

Air conditioning helps alleviate the unwanted side effects of all the C3 VTR's glazing, and there's also variable rate power steering, electric front windows and a CD player with steering wheel mounted controls. The interior is also adventurously styled - which makes a change from all the other makers who seem to be slavishly aping VW Group products. As a result, instead of a dull Teutonic cabin, we've got one that goes its own way, light and airy with low window lines and bold, sweeping curves. Safety features such as anti lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic brake assist, and four airbags are all standard. The ESP and traction control package was a very reassuring safety net.

The digital instrumentation is clear and easy to read and has a Saab-style 'black panel' that turns all but the most important functions off if you don't want to be distracted by them at night. More importantly, there are enough bins, cubbies and boxes to make locating a carelessly stowed bunch of keys the work of several minutes. The seats are very good, offering decent support and the optional full length sunroof was also popular with testers. The stereo is straightforward and effective, although I'd rather have a leather-trimmed gearknob rather than a metal ball which is freezing on cold mornings and sears your hand if you park the car in direct sunlight. Having been left permanently unsure if the car was locked by a previous Renault with keyless go, I was much happier with the C3's reassuringly loud clunk when the keyfob lock button was pressed.

The C3 VTR HDi is certainly a grower. Don't buy it if you want a cutting edge GTi hatch. Instead think of it as a smart turbodiesel supermini that has a couple of extra strings to its bow. It's not perfect but it offers a surprising amount of capability. Would I buy one? No, but I could see why someone else would.