Citroen C3 Too Bare-bones? New Top-end Variant Should Fix That

• C3 hatch is currently offered in two trim levels: Live and Feel. 

• Its turbo-petrol engine is only offered in the top trim level. 

• C3 Shine will add features such as a rear washer and wiper and auto-folding rear-view mirrors to the hatchback. 

• New Shine variant to come at a premium over the Feel variant that costs Rs 7.38 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards.  

• Later, the eC3 EV should also get the additional variant and features. 

The Citroen C3 has a lot going for it, but it has been somewhat bogged down by it lacking some key features and amenities that we’ve gotten used to seeing in regular cars, such as a rear wiper and a reversing camera, these days. To remedy this, Citroen is likely to introduce a new top-spec Shine variant that’ll be much better equipped than the current top-spec variant, the C3 Feel. 

Shine variant to be better equipped than Feel 

For now, the C3 is offered in base-spec Live and top-spec Feel variants. Its feature highlights are a 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and a digitised driver’s display. Aside from these, the AC controls are manual and the safety kit is limited to government-mandated features.

Rear wiper and alloys in Brazilian C3

The new Shine variant should get a rear washer and wiper, alloy wheels, electric folding outer rear-view mirrors, rear defogger, push-button start-stop and a rear parking camera. Export-spec models already get these features, but the India-spec model is yet to receive them. 

But in our opinion, if Citroen is enhancing the C3’s premiumness, why not go the whole nine yards? The carmaker should also add three-point seat belts for all five passengers, connected car tech, ISOFIX child-seat mounts and automatic climate control. Such additions should make the C3 a better rival to the Tata Punch, a properly feature-loaded micro SUV. 

We expect the C3 Shine to be offered with both engine options, 82PS 1.2-litre naturally aspirated (NA) petrol unit and 110PS 1.2-litre turbo-petrol unit. Currently, the 110PS 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine is limited to the Feel variant. An automatic transmission option should be introduced in the C3, once again available in overseas markets, making it a better all-rounder. 

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The new Citroen C3 Shine variant will inevitably come at a noticeable premium over the current Feel variants, which cost Rs 7.38 lakh and Rs 8.25 lakh for the NA and turbo-petrol variants, respectively. The Citroen C3 rivals the Maruti Swift, Maruti Ignis and Tata Punch.

The C3’s electric version, the eC3 EV, will also get the new features added in the Shine variant. Currently it gets the same variant-wise features as the ICE C3.