JOE’s Oisín Collins recently had the all-new Citroen DS3 Cabrio in his possession for a week, so here’s a look at how the sporty drop-top fared on Irish roads.
Car tested: Citroen DS3 Cabrio DSport 1.6L THP 155 6-speed manual
So, who would drive the Citroen DS3 Cabrio? Personally, I think the Citroen DS3 Cabrio is perfectly suited for any young couple (or singleton) that enjoys a nice exciting drive but also a comfortable one at that. It’s an incredibly fun car to be in, whether you’re driving it or not, and it oozes buckets of sex appeal, which might put off the older more mature driver.
The Drive
So how does it drive? Surprisingly well for something that has a foldable roof. The chassis is nice and stiff, which gives the driver a great feeling of control over the car and the extremely responsive steering gives you added confidence when you’re taking tight corners, regardless of your speed and whether the roof is open or closed.
Some cars sacrifice the drive for elaborate styling, but the Citroen DS3 Cabrio is the perfect mix of the two. You’ll be happy driving a nice little sporty motor around town and on open motorways, while your missus will love the stylish aspect.
The 1.6L THP 155 6-speed manual (tested) blasts out an incredible amount of power and there’s even a lovely little growl from the engine whenever you put your foot down. Anytime I sat into the DS3 Cabrio a big grin instantly spread across my face. It really was great fun, which is something that manufacturers often forget about when it comes to designing cars.
The Style
The single most stylish aspect of the DS3 Cabrio has to be its foldable roof. Now, it’s not like normal cabrios, because the entire roof doesn’t fold down and away into the boot, so you could say it’s more like having a giant sunroof. Having said that, it’s the perfect kind of drop top for Irish weather and opens/closes in 16-seconds flat.
Most cabrios usually take an age to fold down and with some of them you actually have to get out of the car to manually unclip various parts – which is what we call a first world problem. However, that’s not the case with the DS3 Cabrio. The roof can fold back even when your at speeds of up to 120km/h, so it’s perfect for the Irish weather when you’re on the M50 and the sun comes out of nowhere for a few minutes only to disappear back into the clouds.
The car really looks superb overall. The rear lights feature ‘3D LED Technology’ (pictured below) and the daytime running strips on the front give the car a certain ‘mean & sporty’ look about it during the day.
Sex Appeal
As I’ve said above (repeatedly) the DS3 Cabrio is beautifully styled and it’s not the typical ‘girly’ car you think of when you describe a “stylish drop top”. There are some aspects of the car that I didn’t quite like, such as the size of the boot’s opening – it’s like a letterbox – but other than that Citroen really made a beautiful little car with the DS3 Cabrio. The car is marketed as the ‘only 5-seater in its class’ and while you can fit three adults in the back, it’s a bit of a squeeze.
Some Stats
Price – €26,745
0-100kph – 8.2secs
Max Speed – 210kph
CO2 – 135g/km
The Verdict
If you want to feel the wind in your hair, but you happen to live in Ireland, then this is DEFINITELY the car for you. Also a great car for couples that have to share a motor and there’s certainly enough room for a baby seat in the back.
For more info check out Citroen.ie.
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