Sunday 7th February 2016

DS 3 Performance launched

Not a Citroen and not a Racing anymore, but it is still 210hp and yet another hot hatch to consider

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Beyond its high price, limited colour choices and rather bizarre cabriolet version, the Citroen DS3 Racing was a decent little hot hatch. It was perhaps softer than expected from a car with a 'Racing' tag, but a little French fluidity down a British B-road is far from a bad character trait. It was also a stylish and very high quality little thing.

Whose idea was a black car in this studio?

Now the Citroen DS3 has gone, replaced by just a DS 3. The styling has been jazzed up inside and out plus there are trendy new specifications - anyone for a PureTech 82 Chic? - but the DS 3 we're interested in is the Performance.

It has the same 210hp 1.6-litre turbo as in the Racing, with 221lb ft also. Competitive figures for the class then, crammed as it is currently with the new Ibiza Cupra and Polo GTI, plus the now familiar 208 GTI, Renaultsport Clio and, you've guessed it, Fiesta ST.

As DS is apparently more interested in detailing the 'watchstrap' leather seats, the 'DS Connect Box' emergency assist and the 'eMyWay' nav, there are precious few additional details on the flagship. There is a Performance Black version available though, offering matt black paint for a £2K premium over the standard car.

Ah yes, the price. A DS 3 Performance can be ordered now from £20,495, putting it towards the most expensive end of the supermini hot hatch ranks. A Clio Trophy is costlier, as is the 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport, but the others are all available for less than £20K. Still, at least it isn't £23,100 like the Racing was, and there isn't a DS3 graphic in sight...

[Kookanoodles]

Most importantly, it now has a Torsen mechanical limited-slip diff like the 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport.

[Krikkit]

Kookanoodles said:

Most importantly, it now has a Torsen mechanical limited-slip diff like the 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport.

Sounds brilliant!

[Dale487]

eMyWay - Yorkshire sat nav?

[Mr2Mike]

Dale487 said:

eMyWay - Yorkshire sat nav?

Aye, tek t' next turn ont' gallock, thee daft bugga.

[GTEYE]

Nice enough car that the DS3 is, this is really a mild rebranding when after 7 years on sale we might have expected an actual new car?

[mnx42]

I have always liked the look of the DS3 and considered one when I was selling the C2. I took one out for test drive and thought it was...o.k. (ended up with a MY13 Swift Sport instead which I love). Its a bit disappointing it isn't more different to look at than the out going model but I'm sure it will drive nice enough.

[thespannerman]

Mr2Mike said:

Dale487 said:

eMyWay - Yorkshire sat nav?

Aye, tek t' next turn ont' gallock, thee daft bugga.

Tha's tekken't wrong turn, mek a u-turn ya silly git!

[Axionknight]

I considered a DS3 Racing until I found out about the frankly scary number of problems reported with the engine. No doubt that has been addressed but between that thought in the back off my mind and the available competition I'd be lodging my money elsewhere.

[itcaptainslow]

Dale487 said:

eMyWay - Yorkshire sat nav?

I laughed way more than I should.

[6pi]

Axionknight said:

I considered a DS3 Racing until I found out about the frankly scary number of problems reported with the engine. No doubt that has been addressed but between that thought in the back off my mind and the available competition I'd be lodging my money elsewhere.

The engine is a different version, although the base obviously remains the same. The issues of the old Racing should now be over.

[PunterCam]

GTEYE said:

Nice enough car that the DS3 is, this is really a mild rebranding when after 7 years on sale we might have expected an actual new car?

Still looks better than every other hatch on sale.. I love them when I see them, and always quite fancied one of the DS3 Racings. I'm sure it's a pretty decent little car too.

[itcaptainslow]

They're not bad little cars-IMO best in DSport spec with the 1.6 diesel engine. I ran a few as company cars-I found they were great up until about 7/10ths, but the chassis started to show weaknesses pretty quickly when pushed hard. The car struggled to deal with mid-corner bumps and to me felt like the centre of gravity was quite high for a small car. The 1.6 THP petrol engine had a big slug of torque but struggled when revved really hard. I also thought the Racing was set up wrong-it felt too stiff at the front and too soft at the back. An alternative hot hatch but not a patch on the Fiesta ST for driving pleasure.

They're certainly funky looking little things though and comfortable enough-a couple of friends and I drove one of my co. cars 900 miles across France in a day with no aches or pains to show for it.

[nonsso_Liamboults]

You can get some amazing second hand deals on the Racing now too!

[Jonno02]

Great; if you're in your early twenties and female.

[Mr2Mike]

Jonno02 said:

Great; if you're in your early twenties and female.

Really? Doesn't look any more girly than other hot hatch offerings.

[ToothbrushMan]

would it attract much new attention given that I dare say most ex-Racing customers wouldnt touch them with a barge pole now following all the engine issues/repairs. Not the 155 but the 204.

[Midlifecrisis71]

New badge, new nose, new LSD and wider track sort out the handling. I'd like to try one, looks less chavvy than the others. As a new brand launch it cant be bad to get in early for bragging rights