DS 3 (2010-2019) Review

Pitching any supermini against the might of the MINI brand is a brave move, but the DS 3 pulled it off. It has managed this with looks that are distinctive yet not retro and an interior with more space than most of its premium rivals, though there has never been a five-door DS 3 of this generation.

Inside and out, there was vast scope for new owners to personalise their DS 3 with a wide range of paint options and contrasting roof colours, including some with textured effects. The cabin could be kitted out to a very high standard, making it feel rather luxurious, and the DS 3 Cabrio added a bit of open-air je ne sais quoi.

There is also an engine option to suit almost everyone, from frugal to downright rapid with the petrols and some fuel-sipping turbodiesels. Most will come with the easy-going manual gearbox, while DS also offered EAT6 automated manual that behaved like a sluggish auto ’box. 

There’s a DS 3 out there to suit almost every budget. However, we recommend seeking out one of the later models with the 130PS 1.2-Puretech petrol engine. It’s a great balance between offering enough get up and go to show off the sporty side of the DS without ravaging your bank balance when it comes to filling up with fuel and other running costs.

While DS offered this engine with its EAT6 automated manual gearbox, we’d stick with the standard six-speed manual that has a light, accurate shift and avoids the clunky action of the EAT ’box.

With these later DS 3’s, there were revised trim levels and our pick is the mid-level Elegance. It has 16-inch alloy wheels finished in black, LED rear lights, air conditioning, cruise control and a DAB radio with Bluetooth connection. It also comes with a 7-inch touchscreen, USB port and cloth upholstery.

The prime rival to the DS 3 is the MINI, which offers many of the same qualities of deft handling, plenty of engine options and even a cabriolet version. MINI offered an even more bewildering array of personalisation options, though the hatch and drop-top are not as spacious in the back seats as the DS3. Also in the premium sector is the Audi A1 and Alfa Romeo MiTo.

Others to consider are the Ford Fiesta that delivers big on driving pleasure, especially in ST form, while the Volkswagen Polo is classy and very capable. The SEAT Ibiza is another very competent supermini alongside the Renault Clio and Peugeot 208, which shares engines with the DS. 

Citroen and then the DS brand worked very hard to push up the quality of the DS 3 compared the more humble C3 this supermini is based on. This is very apparent in the cabin where much of the design is very stylish and appealing, backed up by materials that feel good to the touch and are easy on the eye.

Dig a little deeper and some cost-saving is apparent in the rough edges of some of the plastics. You’ll also notice some surfaces, such as the door panels, are finished in a hard plastic with cheap grain finish where rivals like the MINI have a more thorough approach.

Even so, the DS 3 is well put together and time has shown it to be resistant to the creaks and rattles in the cabin that have haunted so many French cars over the past few decades.

Earlier DS 3 models made do with a red-numbered digital display in the centre of the dash for the stereo and other onboard information. Simple and effective, it was beginning to look dated by the time the facelifted DS 3 arrived in 2015 with a 7-inch touchscreen in its place.

The new display uses DS’s Mirror Screen system to link up with your smartphone to access apps for music and navigation. As a result, it works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to suit most phones, but this was a £100 option with the DS 3 when it was new so be sure any used car you look at has this fitted.

The infotainment screen itself is just about big enough by modern standards and can be worked from steering wheel buttons for the important functions when driving. Using the touchscreen facility, it can be half a beat behind when responding to inputs, but the icons on the display are easy to read.

One complaint with the infotainment screen itself rather than the info or its tech is fingerprints seems to show up more on this device than others we’ve used in rivals. It becomes obvious in bright sunlight, so you need to wipe it clean regularly to avoid this distraction.

As a three-door only car, the DS 3 will always be at a disadvantage to five-door rivals such as the MINI and Audi A1 Sportback. However, it’s not as big a drawback as you might expect when comparing the DS to its three-door competitors.

The front seats tilt and slide forward to give decent access to the rear of the cabin, so adults can slither into the space. Once installed, there’s enough room for two adults to sit in reasonable comfort so long as those in the front don’t push their chairs all the way back.

For kids, there’s ample space and a third seat belt means it’s more practical than many three-door superminis, such as the Audi A1 that only comes with two rear belts. A brace of ISOFIX child seat mounts adds to the practical side of the DS 3, though fitting or removing a kiddy seat can be back-breaking work through the gap between the door pillar and front seat.

Younger children may find the rear quarters of the DS 3 a bit gloomy as their outlook is restricted by the thick central door pillar. Also, the upsweep of the window line further hampers vision out, though the rear seat based is raised compared to the front pair so back seat occupants can at least see forward reasonably well.

Move round to the back of the DS3 and the hatch version’s boot is middling for capacity at 285-litres, though the access through the tailgate is good. Flip the 60/40 split and tumble rear seat forward and you can free up to 980-litres of cargo volume. Again, decent but not great by the class standards.

The DS 3 was launched in 2010 with three petrol engines, made up of a 95 PS 1.4-litre and two 1.6s with 120- and 156PS. The 156PS unit was the same turbocharged engine found in the MINI Cooper and made the DS 3 a very acceptable warm hatch.

A pair of turbodiesels were also part of the mix from the start. Great on fuel economy, they are less impressive when it comes to refinement and performance, so only consider the 90- or 110PS diesels if cost-saving is your prime concern when choosing a DS3.

In 2011, Citroen rustled up the DS 3 Racing with a 204PS version of the 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine. It made for a rapid compact hot hatch, but it remained a rarity even though it could crack 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds.

A major revamp of the engine line-up came in mid-2014 with the arrival of the 1.2-litre Puretech petrol engines and new diesels that met Euro 6 emission regulations. The three-cylinder Puretech range started with an 82PS version that is sluggish beyond urban conditions. The 110PS version is a better bet, but our pick is the 130PS Puretech that is perky and fun to use. The 130PS version also comes with the slicker six-speed manual rather than the notchy five-speeder. It’s best to avoid the automated manual EAT6 transmission in the 110PS model.

The 1.6 BlueHDi turbodiesels come in 100- and 120PS power outputs. Both are easy on fuel, but we’d guide you towards the 120 model as it feels much stronger and makes a far better job of driving in town or on the motorway without much noise.

A 165PS 1.6-litre turbo petrol pitched up shortly after these other engines and was offered in higher trim levels. It also spawned the DS 3 Performance with its 208PS version of this motor that turned DS into a very rapid alternative to a Ford Fiesta ST.

If you value your hearing, it’s best to avoid the earlier 90- and 110PS turbodiesel engines in the DS 3. Neither is very refined and the less powerful version needs to be worked hard on the motor without much reward for your efforts.

Far better to pick either of the 1.6-litre petrol motors that come in 120 and 156PS forms, with the latter the best of the pair. Choose the 1.4-litre petrol and you’ll find it soon becomes rowdy when worked hard on out of town roads.

As for the later petrols and diesels, they are all much quieter and the three-cylinder 1.2-litre Puretech engines come with a thrummy, pleasing engine note.

The firm suspension in all DS 3 models means a lot of road noise is transmitted into the cabin and coarser surfaces can set up an unpleasant drumming inside the DS.

When the DS 3 was launched in 2010, it performed well in Euro NCAP safety tests, scoring well thanks to twin front and side airbags. A further pair of side airbags could be added as an option, while two ISOFIX child seat mounts were standard on the two outer rear seats.

Every DS 3 comes with ESP stability and traction control, while from the late 2014-on facelift some DS 3 models gained autonomous emergency braking to bring the car to a stop if the driver failed to notice a hazard. At this point, six airbags were also now included with all DS 3s, though the car was beginning to show its age as its Euro NCAP crash test rating slipped from five to three stars as the bar was raised higher for these benchmark tests.

The higher trim levels of DS 3 have rear parking sensors, which we’d recommend looking for in any version you consider. It takes the guess work out of reversing in a car with quite high rear window lines and they are especially helpful in the Cabrio models.

No DS 3 is fitted with a spare wheel, though it was offered as an option to replace the tyre sealant kit that was supplied as standard to get you to safety in the event of a puncture.

The DS 3 scored an impressive 9.43 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, making it one of the best-performing Citroen/DS models you can buy.

As a brand DS is too small to feature on its own, but taking Citroen's performance as a guide brings a less satisfying result - it finished 25th out of 30 manufacturers.

The style and looks of the DS 3 need not be out of the reach of younger drivers thanks to insurance that starts in group 10. This is for the DS 3 with the 1.2-litre Puretech petrol engine and in the lesser DSign trim level, though it will still be well equipped.

At the other end of the scale are the Racing and Performance models in group 36, while our favourite 1.2 Puretech 130 Elegance resides in group 21. That makes it easily affordable for most drivers with a few years on their licence.

Now that all DS 3 models are on the used market, vehicle excise duty will come in at the flat rate of £165 per year for those registered after 31 March 2017. This applies to versions that emit less than 99g/km as well as those with emissions above this mark.

Earlier models can enjoy free road tax if their emissions fall below 100g/km, though most DS 3s will attract an annual fee of £20 or £30 depending on the model. Pick the Performance version and the price for road tax rises to £165.

The DS 3 started off originally in DSign trim with electric windows and door mirrors, plus cruise control, while the DStyle added air conditioning, rear privacy glass and alloy wheels. The DS 3 DSport gained Bluetooth connectivity and bigger alloy wheels. All models have the trademark DS 3 ‘floating roof’ available in a contrasting colour to the main body.

The DS 3 Racing was a standalone limited edition hot hatch model with 204PS 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine. Other special versions included the DS 3 Pink in 2014 and DS3 Black Lézard in 2018.

In early 2016, the DS 3 range was updated with Chic as the entry model. It has 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, DAB radio with Bluetooth, USB port and 7-inch touchscreen. The DS 3 Elegance upgrades with rear privacy glass, LED front foglights, rear parking sensors, premium cloth upholstery, gloss black trim and the DS Connect Box that contacts the emergency services in the event of a collision.

DS 3 Prestige models have 17-inch alloys, two-tone roof colour, heated door mirrors, front parking sensors, automatic wipers and lights, and half-leather upholstery. This version also gains active city brake for added safety. The DS3 Ultra Prestige adds a reversing camera, leather seats and a DS monogram roof finish.

The DS 3 Performance has 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, uprated brakes and a limited slip differential to cope with its extra power. There are also DS 3 Black and DS 3 BRM Chronographes editions of this model.