Champagne tastes on a beer budget

These entry-level small hatchbacks offer far more than you might expect for the money – but which one should a discerning buyer of modest means choose? Let's find out

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NEW

CITROËN C3

1.2 Turbo 100 Plus

List price £18,805

Best price £16,590

With an SUV-like shape, the latest C3 promises to be relatively spacious and practical, and it undercuts most rivals on price WITH ICONIC BRANDS such as Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton all calling France their home, it’s little wonder that the country is synonymous with designer fashion. In fact, even outside of fashion, it’s hard to imagine a French brand that doesn't place great emphasis on style. Cars makers Citroën and Renault are no exception, although they’ve always been very good at democratising this desirability, offering chic yet very usable cars for affordable prices.

The new Citroën C3 is a good example. It brings the previous iteration’s looks up to date with a squarer shape that makes it look like a halfway house between a conventional small hatchback and an SUV. Not only is that in vogue, but it also promises to give the C3 greater practicality than most other cars in its category.

Despite its sharper appearance, the C3 remains very well priced. In fact, in entry-level Plus trim and with a 1.2-litre petrol engine, it undercuts most of its rivals.

That includes our reigning Small Car of the Year, the Renault Clio, even if you go for the entry-level version of that car, in Evolution trim and with a 1.0-litre petrol engine. But can this striking new C3 dethrone the Clio, or is the latter still the one to go for in this class, especially if you're on a tight budget?

DRIVING

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

Each of our contenders comes with a turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine beneath its bonnet and both get up to speed in a respectable manner. Even so, the C3 has a slight power advantage that helps it to feel a bit more responsive than the Clio at low revs and nippier around town.