Citroën C3 hatchback - MPG, running costs & CO2

Despite the current trend for more and more manufacturers to go for hybrid or electric powertrains, Citroen kept things simple and stuck to proven petrol and diesel engines for the C3, keeping it as affordable as possible. With the diesel discontinued in 2023, the range merely consists of two petrol engines – they’re impressively efficient and shouldn’t cost too much to run. Meanwhile, purchase prices are pretty low and Citroen dealers are renowned for generous discounts. This could, however, have a negative impact on the car’s residual values.

Citroen C3 MPG & CO2

As frugal as the diesel was, the petrols are also pretty impressive. The least powerful petrol is the most efficient; the 82bhp version manages over 50mpg but emits 123-132g/km of CO2, giving it a middling BiK rating. The other 1.2-litre PureTech engine with 109bhp and a six-speed manual is actually more frugal on fuel, and it's this engine that we recommend if you can afford it as the extra power makes it much easier to keep up with traffic. 

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Specced with the automatic six-speed gearbox, the 109bhp 1.2-litre petrol C3 gets up to 48mpg, which isn’t too far behind the manual options, although its emissions are between 134-141g/km of CO2.

As of late 2023, the 99bhp diesel engine can no longer be chosen on Citroen’s configurator, and it’s unclear whether it will be making a return. It was the star of the fuel-economy show, however, with the 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine producing some impressive figures, as Citroen claimed up to 67mpg – similar figures to a Toyota Prius hybrid. The diesel's CO2 output and BiK band were also quite low (119-125g/km), and it occupies a slightly lower BiK band than petrol versions. 

Every version of the Citroen C3 hatchback is liable for the standard VED road tax rate from the second year of ownership onwards. 

Warranty

The Citroen C3’s three-year/60,000-mile warranty is pretty standard for the class, matching the likes of the Ford Fiesta, SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo, while the Honda Jazz has a 90,000-mile limit on its three-year cover.

It is, however, slightly behind some other rivals. For example, both the Renault Clio and the Hyundai i20 come with a five-year warranty, and the Hyundai has no mileage limit. The Kia Rio gets a very impressive seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, but the Toyota Yaris can come with up to 10 years of cover, making Citroen’s warranty look a little meagre.

Insurance

The 82bhp PureTech model is cheapest to insure, in group 13, while the 109bhp petrol is in group 22. The diesel BlueHDi is also in group 22, which is a similarly broad spread to rivals like the outgoing Peugeot 208, but still fairly high for a supermini.