Citroën C3, e-C3

Reborn small car gains SUV-like looks but retains a low price On sale November Price from £17,790 (petrol), £21,990 (electric)

- Neil Winn

NOT SURE WHETHER to get a small car or an SUV? The new Citroën C3 could free you from your dilemma by letting you have a taste of both. Unlike its predecessor - which firmly planted its flag in small car territory - this fourth-generation model is taller and boxier, and features roof rails, underbody skid plates and two-tone paintjobs. If it weren't for its diminutive dimensions, it could almost be a rival for small SUVS such as the Jeep Avenger.

Better still, the C3's pumped-up looks haven't inflated the price. Citroën has kept pricing at small car levels by using new underpinnings that require 30% fewer components and therefore reduce production costs. The same applies to the electric version, the e-C3.

As a result, the petrol C3 starts at just £17,790 and undercuts our favourite small car, the £17,995 Renault Clio. Meanwhile, the e-C3's price of £21,990 makes it significantly cheaper than our favourite small electric car (EV), the £26,995 MG 4. And while Dacia's budget EV, the Spring, will cost even less (from £14,995) when it comes to the UK later this year, it's worth noting that the e-C3 is around 300mm longer and has more power, a significantly longer official range (199 miles versus 140) and a much more visually enticing interior.