The C2 and C3, which took over from the three- and five-door Saxo respectively, were bigger, safer and ostensibly better. Yet rivals had grown up, too – and next to the excellent Renault Clio, Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Polo, the C3 felt rather… well, thin.

For one thing, gone was the surprising roominess Citroen had imbued in its small cars from the word go. Space in the C3 was at a premium. Even more disappointingly, while the ride was soft, it didn’t do enough to damp out bumps, and the C3 wasn’t much fun to drive.

A second generation did little to change things – no surprise, really, given it was based on the same platform as the first, although it was at least cheap to buy. And in 2016, Citroen released the third C3. Eyecatching styling marked it out, but reviews – and buyers’ reactions – were still lukewarm. 

Now, here comes a facelift, charged with trying to salvage the C3’s position as an also-ran. Has it any hope? It’s going to face an uphill struggle, given that this latest C3 is once again based on the same platform as the original – which has its roots in the Peugeot 206 of 1998. That’s right – most university students these days are younger than the underpinnings of this rather humble hatchback. 

Pros

• Cheap to buy
• Stylish both outside and in
• Decent-sized boot

Cons

• Bumpy ride
• Cramped back seats
• Lesser models lack key safety equipment

Under the skin

The big news, if you can call it that, is that Citroen has finally fitted its extra-squishy Advanced Comfort seats to the C3. Not much else has changed, though, apart from some model reshuffling and some cosmetic tweaks around the nose. Also, those swanky seats are only available on the two highest-spec models, Saint James and Shine Plus. 

At first glance, the entry-level cars are not badly equipped; LED headlights and cruise control are standard, but there are signs of parsimony; you do without alloy wheels or rear parking sensors on the two cheapest models.

Neither do you get autonomous emergency braking (AEB) on any version except the top-spec Shine Plus. Yes, it’s just another electronic driver aid, but AEB has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of a crash, and the fact that Citroen reserves it exclusively for those who can pay the most feels like the opposite of that égalité so valued by its countrymen. 

By comparison, most rivals give you AEB across the board these days; even Citroen’s sister brands Peugeot and Vauxhall provide some form of the technology on the cheapest 208 and Corsa. 

But all this spec trimming does at least make the C3 cheap. Right at the bottom of the range, the stripped-out You! version (yes, the exclamation mark is nauseatingly part of the badge) does battle with the Dacia Duster at only £12,995. 

It’s a big jump to the Sense at almost £16,000, but even this version is priced keenly; most like-for-like rivals cost more, and while the Skoda Fabia S can be had for less, it gets even fewer niceties and a gutless engine (although it does at least get AEB).

Even our test car, which sits right at the top of the range with the most powerful petrol engine, the most extensive spec list and an automatic gearbox, costs £20,945 – a good deal less than the equivalent version of one of those rivals. 

And whether you’re outside or within, the C3 doesn’t look or feel like a bargain basement proposition. Clever use of contrasting shades and textures means the stylish exterior is fashionable and catches the eye from whichever angle you approach it, while inside the theme continues, with thoughtful materials and colour choices making the C3 feel a world away from the dour greys of a Fabia or a Toyota Yaris. 

The softly softly approach

Are those new seats more comfortable? On balance, probably, but they are pretty soft, and that means there’s very little lower back support, which could prove wearing on a longer trip – certainly, after an hour-long drive, I was starting to feel a bit of stiffness setting in. 

The driving position is strange, too; the front seats feel forced back by an intrusive bulkhead, which puts you far away from the dashboard, so it’s a stretch to reach it, though the wheel at least adjusts quite far back to compensate.