The Citroen DS3 hopes to plug the deficiencies of the Mini with comfortable road manners and more sensible prices
Citroen's decision to revive the classy DS badge from the '50s should provide the Thai authorised agent with a new lease of life for the ailing brand in the country.
You see, ever since import duties were jacked more than 15 years ago, Citroen hardly stood any chance of taking the icing off the Thai mass-market car segment dominated by the Japanese.
And with no production facilities in this region, you can forget about a C3, C4 or C5 competing in price with the likes of the Toyota Yaris, Corolla or Camry. In fact, imported Citroens immediately meant doubled prices of intended competitors.
That's why you hardly see any of those aforementioned Citroens on Thai roads, with most of them merely being snapped up by well-off buyers who want something different from the crowd.
That's why the DS moniker should become handy for Citroen marketers in Thailand because it can help offset a certain model's high price with distinctive characteristics and some heritage to brag about.
Hey, if Mini can sell 400 imported cars a year with prices in the 2-3 million baht range, then why couldn't other brands have a go at this very emotional part of the car market?
We say emotional because a Mini has always been an illogical choice in Thailand with prices three to four times higher than a similarly sized Yaris or Mazda 2. You must really admire the successful brand marketing Mini has employed here.
And because promoting a brand requires lots of money, it remains to be seen how much Citroen is committed in building the DS name in Thailand. That's why Italy's reincarnation of the 500 hasn't really worked here.
For starters, at least, Citroen has got it right with pricing of the DS3, a direct B-segment competitor for the Mini Hatch. At circa 1.5 million baht depending on options, the DS3 is a good 500,000 baht cheaper than the cheapest Mini, the One.
Our test DS3 driven here this week is the basic one that dips just under 1.5 million. For a little more over that level, you can get 17-inch wheels, leather seats and automatic climate control.
You'd really need to look into the options and colours when weighing the DS3 proposition because the right trimmings would greatly compensate for a satisfying buy of a car with technical credentials that are highly likely to play second fiddle to visual aesthetics.
Some details that help lift the DS3's presence on the road are fin-shape panels on the car's sides, front LED lights and key-coloured roof, mirrors, side moulds and wheels.
Otherwise, the DS3 is very much the latest C3 _ if you've ever seen one in your life on Thai roads. So you could say it's quite a good thing that the Thai importer doesn't bring in the C3 to dilute the DS3's cocktail. That's also why the latest C4 and C5 aren't here _ the DS4 and DS5 are the next in the pipeline.
However, the DS3's cabin isn't as playful and bears more semblance to the C3 than the exterior. Unsurprisingly, colours are used to spice up the DS3's fascia, door panels and seat upholstery.
The DS3 is a proper B-segment hatchback, meaning that rear occupant space isn't that brilliant but more useful than the Mini's nonsensical quarters. Boot space is quite okay, although versatility is spoilt by the awkward position of the backrests when folded down.
Interior-wise, the DS3 isn't as much fun as to be in a Mini, but there's still enough visual appeal and, more importantly, better seat comfort and driver ergonomics. Just don't try paying attention to details like column stalks and window switches that reveal the car's origins.
Making the DS3 an easier car to live with is also confirmed on the move. It almost appears that Citroen has set its goal straight in trying to plug the Mini's deficiencies.
Sure, the concept of a Mini has always been fun-to-drive, so as to explain why the chassis has a firm set-up like in a go-kart. But it's common knowledge that many buyers don't need such a driving style and prefer an easier steer and more comfortable ride.
Here's where the DS3 makes the Mini's flaws pronounced. In the Citroen, the suspension is far plusher, glides over low-speed road imperfections with good compliancy yet yields sufficient body control at high speeds.
The steering is also lighter and makes the DS3 a doddle to use around town while not compromising too much at all higher up.
Boot space is just enough, but versatility is limited by seats that don’t fold down to create a flat floor.
Of course, the DS3 will never be as sharp to handle as a Mini, so you'd be able to note some roll in cornering and dive under braking, as such. But as a posh hatchback for urbanites, the DS3's chassis feels more balanced and sensible.
The same goes for the engine. Instead of selecting a firecracker off the engine menu from France, the Thai Citroen office has rightfully settled for the modest 120hp 1.6-litre petrol engine which is, in fact, shared with the Mini (due to a PSA Group-BMW deal).
There's just an ample amount of power for the DS3: neither lacking nor excessive. But what really lets down in the DS3's overall performance is its gearbox which, as ever, points to the stinginess of the French when it comes to technology.
Sure, the four-speed automatic does its job of transferring power to the road without letting any ponies loose on the run, but it feels too old fashioned in car that's supposed to attract fatter than usual wallets.
In-gear acceleration doesn't feel too swift or responsive, and the modest economy rating of the DS3 can be seen during highway cruising whereby the engine operates at quite high engine revs.
In other words, the automatic lacks a relaxed top gear.
The Mini's performance (for the 122hp Cooper priced higher by 700,000 baht) is very similar to the DS3's but is better resolved in economy and mid-range linearity due to a more relevant six-speed auto.
To many buyers, fortunately, performance may not be an issue in cars like these because all that's needed in accompanying funky looks is easy liveability and drivability.
These are exactly what's lacking in the Mini _ and present in the DS3. It would have been an entirely different story had we'd been talking about a hot hatch along the lines of the Cooper S.
If you happen to be one of those cat-walkers dissatisfied with the Mini's drawbacks, the French are now here to assist you _ with a price-saving enough to get you another Ecocar for daily use in your garage.
AT A GLANCE
Styling ............................... 8/10
If specified with the right colour and interior trim _unlike the blander combo in the test car _ the DS3 looks quite cool on Thai roads.
Performance ....................... 6/10
The 1.6-litre engine yields ample performance at real-world speeds, but it's the four-speed auto that feels so passe for an import.
Handling/ride ...................... 7/10
The DS3 has a comfortable ride, easy steering and adequate grip, even though it's not that entertaining to drive.
Practicality ......................... 6/10
As a three-door hatchback, interior space and boot practicality is just enough and not outstanding.
Safety kit ............................ 7/10
Braking and chassis electronics are there, although curtain head air-bags are missing on the passive safety count.
VERDICT ............................. 7/10
The DS3 is the newest alternative yet to the fashionable Mini that intends to make its rival's flaws pronounced. And Citroen's goals are right because such hatchbacks aren't supposed to be hard to live with and drive.
The DS3 will never be as sharp to handle as a Mini.
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Power122hp 1.4-litre inline-4 petrol-turbo
Gearbox7-speed dual-clutch automatic
Wheelbase2,469mm
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FIAT 500
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Power100hp 1.4-litre inline-4 petrol
Gearbox5-speed automated manual
Wheelbase2,300mm
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MINI ONE
Price 1.94 million bahtPower90hp 1.6-litre inline-4 petrol
Gearbox6-speed automatic
Wheelbase2,467mm
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VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Price 1.8 million baht (est)
Power104hp 1.2-litre inline-4 petrol-turbo
Gearbox7-speed dual-clutch automatic
Wheelbase2,537mm.
We thinkComing in February next year, the new Beetle promises to be less feminine than before but equally as Golf-like to drive.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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