Citroën unveils the big price of the small hybrid C3

Citroën opens orders for its C3 with 48V micro-hybridization at a price that isn’t likely to hurt the thermal version.

Citroën has understood that hybridization is in vogue. An engine often more virtuous and efficient than its 100% thermal counterpart thanks to electrification, but in the case of the C3, we have some doubts.

First of all, a 48V micro-hybridization honestly brings no significant gain in terms of performance aside from a slight and often imperceptible boost during acceleration. However, one can benefit from 100% electric comfort for parking maneuvers or when accelerating in traffic jams, but the limits of the battery are quickly reached. In short, it’s better than the 100% thermal option, but it doesn’t compare to a true hybrid. In the case of the C3, it is made up of a 48V Lithium-Ion battery that recharges during certain driving phases and a 100hp (74 kW) 3-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a new electrified dual-clutch ë-DCS6 gearbox, which incorporates a 21 kW electric motor produced in France.

The real advantage is elsewhere

The real issue is that with a mixed-cycle consumption of 5.3l/100km, the C3 Hybrid doesn’t perform much better than a C3 Turbo 100 with the same manual gearbox, which records 5.5l/100km. The same goes for CO2 emissions, with 121g CO2/km compared to 123g for the thermal version. Frankly, it’s better to focus on the ease of use of the dual-clutch automatic gearbox rather than on the positive ecological impact.

In terms of pricing, it’s definitely this gearbox that drives up the entry-level YOU PLUS price to 20,200 Euros compared to 17,700 Euros for the version with a solely internal combustion engine. For reference, in YOU trim, the C3 costs 14,990 Euros. In conclusion, while hybridization will certainly offer benefits in use, it’s up to you to decide if it really justifies such a price difference.

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