My missus has a diesel one of these 14 plate, owned for 4 year and done 100k...not had one single problem with it. Timeless design and tax free. It's spot on.
I own a 1.6 HDI, so far traveled 100000 km without any issue, even no rattle, better than all the VW I experienced before. Most important: looking at it still makes you happy 😄
I have a DS3 from 2012. I LOVE her. Never failed me, always passes the MOT. I love the G force when I put my foot down on my 1600. My girl is cheap to insure and the only times I have called out the RAC they have sorted it in minutes. I LOVE my DS3
I test drove one when they just came out (in yellow/black combination as you do) and was very very impressed by it. Ten years on and the design still looks relatively fresh, which is really odd, given how adventures it is. I don't quite agree on the whole "picking custom colours will affect the car's resale value". I mean c'mon, this is a Citroen we're talking about here. If you're really worried about resale value, you buy a Toyota Yaris.
It does sort of affect the resale value. I saw one for sale with these really ugly brown leather seats and same colour centre console fitted the owner had opted for. So not all options are things all people will like. The basics like black are more agreeable with most people.
I have had my DS3 dSport for five years now and it is superb. It is as good as it was when I first got it even with 208k miles I now have on the clock.
Maybe I have been watching Hubnut for too long, but that review seemed to back up a lot of his positives about Citroen. Rides well, handles well, safe in an accident and parts are cheap. Sounds good to me!😁
The 'DS' button is linked to DS Assist, the recovery service - if it is still subscribed to. The button needs pressing and holding to ring the call centre. Same for the SOS button, press and hold and it ring the emergency services. Or, if the car is in an accident, it alerts the emergency services to your problem and sends out your coordinates. A great feature and quite unique for small cars.
Drove one to Ireland and back and it was so comfortable, just floated down the motorway effortlessly, the 1.2 PureTech is surprisingly good around town and on motorways, and excellent fuel economy
Hello again Matt. Just thought I'd let you know that due to this very informative video, I've now traded in my Pluriel & bought a 19 plate DS3 with 800 miles on the clock (ex-motability car)!! You were right about the performance, it's excellent & the auto gearbox is far superior to the Pluriel's. Thanks once again for your great channel & kind regards.
My brother, an avid Citroen fan, had one of these some years ago. It was a 1.6 diesel and I borrowed it for a full day and was impressed. Very good seats, excellent steering and roadholding, and quite quick, just like you’re saying. Small on the outside, a bit bigger inside.
Love them sold loads in the south as used cars. I even bought a bright yellow one it looked like a Big bumblebee and it sold 😂 with in 10days. Good to see you dude
I've had my 2015 dsport blue hdi for a year now and had absolutely zero issues with it. Best car I've ever owned. They certainly have a luxurious feel to them, lovely cabin, nippy economical diesel engine, zero road tax and costs me £200 a year to insure. Mine also has the facelifted front with the LED lights with dynamic scrolling indicators. I would highly recommend this car.
@@captainfpv6775 yes I still have it. Still a great car but have experienced some issues with it since my post a year ago. The adblue pump failed and had to have the adblue tank replaced, DS contributed 67% of the bill but it still cost me over £300, it's a very costly item if it fails. Also water pump leaked so had to have cam belt and water pumped replaced. Other than that it's been fine and I still love driving it as much now as the day I bought it. It certainly has a premium feel.
My wife drives a 2015 1,2 puretech 110bhp and she thinks its a great little city car and i have to agree. Fun to drive since it's so tiny and doing 55 mph feels much quicker than one would expect and decent handling too. Never have had any issues with it after three years. So if you want a tiny city car and only need two seats ( no one will wants to sit in the backseats ) it's a good car to check out. Cheap to buy and reliable ( so far ) with low running cost. My Audi has had more issues at about the same mileage and twice the cost of every thing. Surprised me and we're now looking at the new DS4 since we no longer need two cars ( pensioners ) and i really love the design of it! 😎
Far better than follow the sheep dreary fiestas, corsas run of the mill stuff. Great reviews, always watch them even if some cars don't really interest me. Keep up the hard work, hope next week you will be busy in the showroom.
Weren't they described as looking like a training shoe on a certain popular motoring programme once? Seriously though, before this review I wouldn't have considered one but now I am not so sure... Great review (as ever!). You have the knack of being objective and entertaining at the same time. Just the right balance of style and substance. Keep em coming.
Looked at one myself , I’m a driving instructor so all the super mini’s were on my radar when buying, When it came down to it I went with an F56 Mini Cooper , but the 1.2 110hp version of the DS3 was a very close second.. The reasons were rear visibility ,cup holders, and I found the DS harder to judge the width of initially (you’d get used to it as an experienced driver no problems but learners have enough to think about without adding a vague sense of where the car begins and ends to it) , This was of course a consideration as an instructor, the mini felt nimbler , more responsive , easier to judge gaps in, park and seats were more comfortable, with better lumbar support. If it were for me personally I might well have opted for the DS just to be contrary , it would have to have been the DS3 racing, the styling on them is imho really nice and a good alternative to the more traditional looks of the mini. Regarding Mini reliability ,my Cooper 1.5 T has been faultless , 50k miles in now and other than the servicing it’s been solid , which says something as both gearbox and clutch work hard on a driving school car...not sure the Citreon could take as much abuse but that pure conjecture I’ll admit.
Im not a big French car fan but i always like those. Im so glad i never got to listen to stormzy ... When i paseed my test back in 89... We had right on time by black box and paradise city by guns and roses they was the days
I actually had that dreary regular C3 as my daily commuter for a tad over three years (2010 to 2014), mostly because it was also surprisingly good and comfy at road speeds. It was also frugal (diesel) and aside a specific fidgety problem (solved by software update), it was also reliable. The mrs and I have had 8 Citroëns in the past and we feel they're A LOT more reliable cars than people generally think. I wanted to buy a DS3 instead, but the price difference between the two was awful here back then. Biggest drawback of the C3 was the other people on the road. Here, smaller and maybe a bit feminine car apparently invoked certain rage among other drivers, because I was dangerously tailgated at ANY speeds, shamelessly cut in corners and overtaken at insane places and the last nail in the coffin was when some idiot tried to overtake me on single lane roundabout. Soon after that I traded my C3 into much bigger sports saloon, and since then into big SUVs.
Bought a 2017 1.2 PureTech as my first car and it was one of the best decisions I made. Literally ticks every box I wanted in a car and only exceeded expectations as I continued to drive it.
I own a 2009 model, 1.6 VTi 120hp, it is an amazing NA engine, I love the heated leather seats too. It is overall an amazing first car to have! Pretty useable even at higher speeds. I really recommend it to anyone for their first car, but make sure to get a NA engine not a turbocharged one, because they can be unreliable after they’ve run a lot of miles.
I drove a DS3 hire car in Lanzarote in 2013 and loved how smooth it felt. Glad I found this review as I always said I'd want to buy one when the prices come down as used. This positive review has helped me to know I'm not going for the wrong car, but I can't decide on this or a Mini Cooper SD. I prefer comfort so I guess an SD being 'rough' sounds off-putting.
I did drive a DS3 1.6 THP for about 5,5 years. A very nice sporty car to drive, still looking good imho. The 1.6 THP engine is a great engine when it works, but it’s huge realibility problems are infamous. Unfortunately i have experienced that as well.
Good review, I’ve had three DS3’s all have been reliable, never had any of the issues you mentioned! Best value small car around, most are well equipped, blue tooth, parking sensors, auto lights a wipers as standard on most models. Now got a 2015 165 THP, bought last November for 6k with 40k on it. Brilliant car, thinking about getting re-mapped....Buy one, you won’t be disappointed 👍
I have a 2011 1.6 diesel and it's a fantastic car to drive on any road, great fun through Sharp bends. Not sure about your claim that it will go wrong and bits of trim breaking, mine is still as new and apart from servicing and tyres it has not caused any issues. The seats are very comfortable and it's great cruising on the motorway.
Never known issues with French cars and trims falling off tbf. Seems to be a thing that German cars do. Fading buttons and armrests remind me of Golfs! The French always make pretty well screwed together cars.
@@neutralfan..1627 Hi no DFP issues so far. It' has FSH and does long journeys. Perhaps that is best with this engine. Fantastic car and still turns heads.
Until yesterday I had never heard of or seen these before here in Australia. When I checked the second hand prices they are super cheap, now I know why. If they have so many issues parts would be ridiculous in Australia. What might be cheap and easy to find up there in the UK would be several times more here (Probably 4 times more). Thanks for making this video, I appreciate your honesty 😀👍
I had a ds3 diesel for five years(40000 miles) with no issues whatsoever, nothing broke. Just service items, brakes, tyres and battery. Lovely car, thoroughly recommended.
Its amazing how many of these sold in Europe, around France, Spain and Portugal there everywere especially in cities. I always thought it had a nice sophisticated vibe to it especially in matt black with a tan roof.
These were great looking little cars when they came out,went toe to toe with the mini look wise, and had some nice colour combos, always worried about French cars, quite flimsy and cheapish interiors, but i have a wee soft spot for these.
Seriously thinking of getting one used to succeed my now ancient C3 mk1. That was surprisingly good for the money (and age) and 2016-2018 ds3 here is basically the same money, or cheaper, than entry level Polo of same age while better equipped and a lot more punchy and special.
I've ALWAYS hated Citreon's, but now cos I watch all your video's and we have similar likes/dislikes, I was quite surprised by it and tbf, it faired better than I expected! Maybe I won't "sneer" at the the DS3's when I see them, thanks Matt yet another quality review!!
Thanks Matt. Thought I’d watch this one before bedtime. My other half looked at buying a DS3 but opted for a 1.6 Suzuki Swift Sport 2014 3 door. No hot hatch by any means, more of a warm hatch but totally competent. We used to tow it behind our Motorhome before we traded it in for a brand new twin axle wobblebox back in 2016. The thing is I put her off a DS3 in favour of the Swift purely because Suzuki was more reliable than a french car. The thing is the DS is more of a looker than the 2014! Suzuki though. Looks alone won’t win the battle for reliability will it? Or will it? OK! It’s my bedtime. Need sleep but seems I’m getting addicted to your honest reviews. 👍
I'm on my 3rd DS3 as a driving school car. Previous 2 cars 150,000 miles no wear on buttons, no broken interior and no warning lights. Other than regular servicing and a clutch at 100,000 miles these DS3 are brilliant, current DS3 at 90,000 miles and the only warning light is for adblue which gives you 1500 to fix.
I own a citroen berlingo petrol 13 yrs old and I abs love it, quiet, comfortable, fast enough and so practical. Never had a single fault unlike many vws and fords have had. Iwill keep thistill it dies if it ever does. The ride comfort is almost on par with 2 cv
What I'm wondering about is whether the bad reputation of Citroen is just a thing of the past now and they're much better built than in the early 2000s, or maybe they just put more care into the DS3, or maybe I'm just lucky but I've had no issues with my DS3 at all. Sure I only did 50k miles in it, but it's all city driving and I've been driving mine every single day for the past 9 years and everything just works. The key works, the mirrors unfold perfectly, the satnav works, nothing rattles or squeaks, no warning lights on the dash. The only things that broke were the mechanism in the passanger seat to get in the back (which was cheap to fix) and the metal strap for the muffler rusted and fallen off and I didn't even notice untill the car went for it's yearly service (it was cheap to replace as well). Only the engine makes more and more noises every passing year but that's on the Germans so...
I had a ds4 myself and it was a fantastic car and very well speced and also got my mates asking what car it was.... My wife also still has the 2014 DS3 it's black with a pink roof and trim so that was her sold lol but she still loves it 3 years later and it does still look pretty nice especially after a clean up....which I need to do haha but all in they are good cars. So much so I'm thinking of getting another ds4 but the 2l diesel performance line edition as it looks really nice. And speced compared to a vw and looks better than say an Astra.
To mute the radio press both the up and down volume buttons at the same time. I have a 2016 DS3 Diesel and because it uses add blue it is ULEZ free and the road tax is zero. One of the best cars I've ever had, and God is it quick and nimble.
I can throw in some information here (as i own one) and was generally curious what people would say in 2020. IF you drive a left hand drive car, you get a full size glove box, it's simply smaller in the RHD car because they couldn't be bothered moving the electrical stuff. With the cup holder, IF you get a DS3 with an arm rest, there are NO cup holders at all. He mentions a lot of stuff breaking, in mine and other peoples opinion (local clubs), that is not true. Had my car since 2016 where it had done 55.000km, it's now on 233.000km and still going strong with 200km a day. I have had to replace an alternator, cabin blower and recently a belt tensioner, that is it (and of course usual service as brakes ect.). mind you that's the 1.6 hdi, which is pretty much bulletproof. The 1.2L petrol was known for burning oil and many had to have their engines replaced on warrenty, this however should be fixed on the newer models. A major issue on all DS3s though is that the mirrors rattle loose, rubbing on the paint outside causing it to go away and rust can start to form. Tightening the mirrors can resolve this temporary, some have put a rubber gaskets between the mirrors and the door itself.
@@rohitgurung1248 Hard to say, since it depends on so much. For me it was the following. Alternator: 1600€ (due to having start&stop) Blower motor: 810€ Belt tensioner and belt: 160€ The mirrors, if not tightened or with some protection, will gnaw into the paint, requiring a full repaint of the doors.. That all depends on the mechanic taking the doors apart and the paint shop. Can say i'm now almost at 300.000km without any issues since last time i wrote here, besides regular oil service ect. ;)
The 1.6l engine is a very reliable one now, it has been used in peugeot 308 t9 and no reported issues. It had issues with timing chain on previous generation but it is now used in 308, 3008,5008 and other peugeot/citroens, good little engine now nice and spritely. I prefer it to the 1.2 3cyl
Thanks for doing this Matt, it's good to promote a brand whilst pointing out the naff bits , overall a good town car ,there is a Citroen dealer near where I live, so I see a lot around. 😎
Drove and owned Citroen cars for thirty years bought them cheap at auction because they where French and had the stigma of unreliability ... but never had any real major mechanical horror stories my wife is a convert ( Nissan licker ) and just traded in her 2010 C3 1.6 hdi 100K without issue but was due a change as never off road for a used ex mobility car 3 years old C4 Cactus with 789 miles on diesel automatic with free road tax ... in this modern day its worth a punt it was too good an offer to refuse ... only time will tell ? Never owned or driven a German car I just think people are brain washed with the so called reliability they have with Vorsprung Durch Technik till they go wrong and cost ££££ to fix
Don’t ask me why, to this day I have no idea what I was thinking, but in 2007 I bought a c4 Picasso 2.0 hdi VTR + I test drove it and was impressed with the solid feel and tech etc, got a great deal on a new one - and put 50k on it in a year, now it never broke down but after that 1st year it had so many rattles, squeaks and creaks I just couldn’t stand it, by the time I could get out of the lease I’d given it to the mrs and was driving around in a 1997 base model Audi A4 with no a/c and no remote unlocking, but I’d happily drive that all day every day over the c4 and that’s kinda my issue with Citroen.
1.6 HDI is the most sold car in our country. Very reliable. Its a diesel with a turbo, simple. Lower it 35 mm and some 18" wheels, it will look amazing.
I rented a couple of these when they were relatively new. Both diesels. Really liked the first one. Second one was a bit rubbish. 5 speed box as opposed to the other ones 6 and rattles from both doors.
I rented one of those in France and it was a pretty smooth ride on the highway (much better then Fiat 500 or VW Up). I liked the robot transmission. My only issue was a screaming rear wheel ball bearing, considering the car had only 18k kilometers, that's a bit tough. But nonetheless a pretty cool car I enjoyed.
Funnily enough we were in the market for a new second car back in 2003 and the C3 (DS predecessor) was on the list of possibilities. We went to a Citroen dealership in Newcastle and while looking around a brand new display model the sun visor and glove box lid came off in my hand. We did off at the speed of many antelope before being given a bill. Although Citroen do “pen” a nice looking if somewhat eccentric car they seem to be made from spit and papier-mâché so wouldn’t even accept one as a competition prize. Being French they Come with a free white surrender flag which fit like a glove in the glove box😉
Citroen have made some of the most outstanding cars in automobile history where they went others followed now, just offering drab cars in a strapless evening dress
Had 3 ds3 never had any of the problems you mentioned, cracking little cars, had the diesel, 1.2 and now the preformance can't fault them, the new ds3 is more SUV like
My mrs got one of these on a 61reg a few years ago. Not sure on the exact spec but it was a 1.6hdi 90hp. Felt like way more it was very nippy. But she didn't keep it long. Kept chucking black soot all over the back of the car all the time, it was at the garage countless times and they couldn't fix it. I told her not to buy that particular car as they had another and it bit her on the arse. Shame really, it was comfy, quiet, economical, well equipped and quick enough and drove nice. She swapped it for a gen 1 bmw 116d, bloody awful another overrated BMW to be honest. Now had a 17reg focus st line 1.5tdci, cracking car, have a look. Very good for the money
had mine new in 2015 , the Puretech 110 engine is brilliant , loads of torque and frugal . It's let me down once in 5 and a bit years . Spark plug of all things !Still the best car i have ever had and i like French cars . Thinking of the new Peugeot 208 next just for that engine .
Question when you drive down to Spain which way do you go , we normally go down with our motorhome and just saunter down however at the end of July we are going down by car and I have never done that before thanks , And keep up the go content we love it
I wondered what these are like so thanks for filling me in. Unlike you I have a soft-spot for French cars. I wanted to buy Mrs Twit one......but she wanted an Audi A1 🙄
Tell your college that the advertisement for that car is wrong it says it’s done 15000 miles but also says it’s done 18000 miles👍, great video never the less 👍👍❤️
My friend has a older one of these like a 2012 and his reverse sensors have stopped working and just make the sound of when your too close to something but that's the only problem he's had with it pretty nice cars too
Unreliable 1.6 petrol engines? I have one with that engine and a friends Mrs has a Mini with the exact same engine, totally reliable and pretty economical. The high performance Turbo engines with 156bhp have been known to have a few issues, granted.
Also, how you handle them.. warm up and drive long enough to clean the engine... Also, I do think driving it fast it asks to much of the car.. driving to slow will get the rpms to low.. I think best is somewhat in the middle.. I think about doing a chiptune, then the car will get 190hp... think the mid level torque will be better..
Nailed it on the head matt styling is great, and I love the look of this car. Pug and Shitroen nailing the design recently. I genuinely hope they sort the other shit out - mainly reliability.... cos I'd have one of these in a minute. I still maintain the only French car I would ever have is a renault, but recently Pug has been upping their game. Time will tell if the 3008 is a decent 2nd hand buy.
In the old days the USP of Citreon's was the ride. Can't imagine what the ride will be like with those over-sized wheels. Get rid of those and put a proper 1.6 8v engine in and I might consider it.
Nice review, interesting little car. Does anyone know if the clutch on the 1.2 manual petrol is light? We are looking at getting one to replace a mini one 1.5 petrol that has a heavy clutch hence its going soon!
I found this review very interesting. A DS3 seems like the natural progression to the ageing Pluriel I have, but I had no idea that DS Automobiles existed. Quick look on Autotrader and there are quite a few for sale but all seem to have only a 1.2 engine. I was just wondering Matt if, in your opinion, the small engine would give a reasonable performance coupled with an automatic gearbox, as I can't drive a manual? Once again, a really good and informative review. Also, if you've now been able to re-open your showroom, I hope you do as well as you deserve to! Kind regards and thanks for a great and humorous channel!
Citroen are obviously trying to go down the same road as Toyota and Nissan and now Seat with their Cupra badge more profit for a few extras, I like the look and style of this D's 3 and wonder what it would be like in automatic, Citroen did bring out the Pluriel sometime back which was a throw back to the old 2CV, keep on entertaining us thanks Pete
i like the slant from auto makers, on having a GT or SUV for the weekends and a small compact city car for the daily commute. Cheap on fuel and annual charges, including Insurance. However in New Zealand, diesel vehicles (and any vehicle that uses a fuel that isn't taxed at source (electric)) have to pay Road User Charges (RUC) based on weight and axle configuration. The fuel is not taxed at source unlike Petrol or LPG. So on the DS at 70mpg thats 3.36l/100km. Diesel in NZ is $1.14 per litre and a whopping $7.30 in RUC per 100km (Upto 3500Kg GVM). That works out to $11.13 per 100km. That $11.13 in a petrol car would have to use 6.47 l/100km (43.7 mpg @ $1.72/litre) to be as expensive. The 1.2l petrol one would use way less that that, and so, is a cheaper option in NZ. The high cost of the road tax (RUC) makes owning a fuel efficient city car pointless here unfortunately. So we use bigger cars as the cost of ownership is no worse that small cars. Government tax systems in each country defines what we drive. (safety rating, CO2 emissions, GVM for example)
What are your tips when buying a second hand ds3 petrol version? I prefer one with some more power under the hood....I have a Peugeot 206 GTi from 2003 know with 130hp
My missus has a diesel one of these 14 plate, owned for 4 year and done 100k...not had one single problem with it.
Timeless design and tax free.
It's spot on.
I own a 1.6 HDI, so far traveled 100000 km without any issue, even no rattle, better than all the VW I experienced before. Most important: looking at it still makes you happy 😄
Do they make the cars better in their home market 🤔?
Hi. Any updates? How was your car performing in next years? I am thinking about buying ds3
The French diesel engines are usually pretty reliable. The petrols use a wet timing belt though which might be an issue (like it is on Fords).
I have a DS3 from 2012. I LOVE her. Never failed me, always passes the MOT. I love the G force when I put my foot down on my 1600. My girl is cheap to insure and the only times I have called out the RAC they have sorted it in minutes. I LOVE my DS3
Is it the 1.6hdi?
I test drove one when they just came out (in yellow/black combination as you do) and was very very impressed by it. Ten years on and the design still looks relatively fresh, which is really odd, given how adventures it is.
I don't quite agree on the whole "picking custom colours will affect the car's resale value". I mean c'mon, this is a Citroen we're talking about here. If you're really worried about resale value, you buy a Toyota Yaris.
Actually, in most markets, the DS3, like the Mini and the Fiat 500, retain a high resale value, quite unlike the Toyota Yaris...
It does sort of affect the resale value. I saw one for sale with these really ugly brown leather seats and same colour centre console fitted the owner had opted for. So not all options are things all people will like. The basics like black are more agreeable with most people.
I have had my DS3 dSport for five years now and it is superb. It is as good as it was when I first got it even with 208k miles I now have on the clock.
What engine does yours have?
1.6 DSport 118BHP, it now has 258,000 on the clock!@@axnn1
Maybe I have been watching Hubnut for too long, but that review seemed to back up a lot of his positives about Citroen. Rides well, handles well, safe in an accident and parts are cheap. Sounds good to me!😁
The 'DS' button is linked to DS Assist, the recovery service - if it is still subscribed to. The button needs pressing and holding to ring the call centre. Same for the SOS button, press and hold and it ring the emergency services. Or, if the car is in an accident, it alerts the emergency services to your problem and sends out your coordinates. A great feature and quite unique for small cars.
Thats right. I've since discovered that when it started dialling a helpline. Confusingly theres also an SOS button
Drove one to Ireland and back and it was so comfortable, just floated down the motorway effortlessly, the 1.2 PureTech is surprisingly good around town and on motorways, and excellent fuel economy
Hello again Matt. Just thought I'd let you know that due to this very informative video, I've now traded in my Pluriel & bought a 19 plate DS3 with 800 miles on the clock (ex-motability car)!! You were right about the performance, it's excellent & the auto gearbox is far superior to the Pluriel's. Thanks once again for your great channel & kind regards.
Very good! I like the DS3. Theyre always good sellers so I cant be on my own
i love how you demonstrated the not fitting car manual glove box situation 3 times, as if there was hope for it to eventually find its way in
Who cares the car is ace to drive 😊
My brother, an avid Citroen fan, had one of these some years ago. It was a 1.6 diesel and I borrowed it for a full day and was impressed. Very good seats, excellent steering and roadholding, and quite quick, just like you’re saying. Small on the outside, a bit bigger inside.
Love them sold loads in the south as used cars. I even bought a bright yellow one it looked like a Big bumblebee and it sold 😂 with in 10days. Good to see you dude
Haha good stuff. You would'nt lose that in a hurry!
High Peak Autos It was disgustingly horrible the colour it was bright yellow but it was so cheap it was on real
I've had my 2015 dsport blue hdi for a year now and had absolutely zero issues with it. Best car I've ever owned. They certainly have a luxurious feel to them, lovely cabin, nippy economical diesel engine, zero road tax and costs me £200 a year to insure. Mine also has the facelifted front with the LED lights with dynamic scrolling indicators. I would highly recommend this car.
Do you still have it ? My daughter has just looked at that model today.
@@captainfpv6775 yes I still have it. Still a great car but have experienced some issues with it since my post a year ago. The adblue pump failed and had to have the adblue tank replaced, DS contributed 67% of the bill but it still cost me over £300, it's a very costly item if it fails. Also water pump leaked so had to have cam belt and water pumped replaced. Other than that it's been fine and I still love driving it as much now as the day I bought it. It certainly has a premium feel.
My wife drives a 2015 1,2 puretech 110bhp and she thinks its a great little city car and i have to agree. Fun to drive since it's so tiny and doing 55 mph feels much quicker than one would expect and decent handling too. Never have had any issues with it after three years. So if you want a tiny city car and only need two seats ( no one will wants to sit in the backseats ) it's a good car to check out. Cheap to buy and reliable ( so far ) with low running cost. My Audi has had more issues at about the same mileage and twice the cost of every thing. Surprised me and we're now looking at the new DS4 since we no longer need two cars ( pensioners ) and i really love the design of it! 😎
Far better than follow the sheep dreary fiestas, corsas run of the mill stuff.
Great reviews, always watch them even if some cars don't really interest me.
Keep up the hard work, hope next week you will be busy in the showroom.
I hope so! Thanks for watching
Weren't they described as looking like a training shoe on a certain popular motoring programme once?
Seriously though, before this review I wouldn't have considered one but now I am not so sure...
Great review (as ever!). You have the knack of being objective and entertaining at the same time. Just the right balance of style and substance.
Keep em coming.
Thanks! I appreciate it :)
Looked at one myself , I’m a driving instructor so all the super mini’s were on my radar when buying,
When it came down to it I went with an F56 Mini Cooper , but the 1.2 110hp version of the DS3 was a very close second..
The reasons were rear visibility ,cup holders, and I found the DS harder to judge the width of initially (you’d get used to it as an experienced driver no problems but learners have enough to think about without adding a vague sense of where the car begins and ends to it) ,
This was of course a consideration as an instructor, the mini felt nimbler , more responsive , easier to judge gaps in, park and seats were more comfortable, with better lumbar support.
If it were for me personally I might well have opted for the DS just to be contrary , it would have to have been the DS3 racing, the styling on them is imho really nice and a good alternative to the more traditional looks of the mini.
Regarding Mini reliability ,my Cooper 1.5 T has been faultless , 50k miles in now and other than the servicing it’s been solid , which says something as both gearbox and clutch work hard on a driving school car...not sure the Citreon could take as much abuse but that pure conjecture I’ll admit.
Great review Matt. I'm on my 4th Citroen and i love it! The key to trouble free Citroen motoring is maintenance!
Im not a big French car fan but i always like those. Im so glad i never got to listen to stormzy ... When i paseed my test back in 89... We had right on time by black box and paradise city by guns and roses they was the days
Haha and Fine Young Cannibals
Nice friends reference, I respect that from a man
Haha cheers
High Peak Autos where everyone knows your name?
I have one my self, and I love it. 1.6 e-hdi is surprisingly good on fuel, as you said, and it’s so comfortable and easy to drive. Would recommend ;)
I actually had that dreary regular C3 as my daily commuter for a tad over three years (2010 to 2014), mostly because it was also surprisingly good and comfy at road speeds. It was also frugal (diesel) and aside a specific fidgety problem (solved by software update), it was also reliable. The mrs and I have had 8 Citroëns in the past and we feel they're A LOT more reliable cars than people generally think. I wanted to buy a DS3 instead, but the price difference between the two was awful here back then. Biggest drawback of the C3 was the other people on the road. Here, smaller and maybe a bit feminine car apparently invoked certain rage among other drivers, because I was dangerously tailgated at ANY speeds, shamelessly cut in corners and overtaken at insane places and the last nail in the coffin was when some idiot tried to overtake me on single lane roundabout. Soon after that I traded my C3 into much bigger sports saloon, and since then into big SUVs.
Bought a 2017 1.2 PureTech as my first car and it was one of the best decisions I made. Literally ticks every box I wanted in a car and only exceeded expectations as I continued to drive it.
I can tell you’ve got a soft spot for this car! 😁 Great review again. 👍🏽
Thanks
Gordon Ritchie yeah, it’s called a swamp 😂
Thanks. for giving one of these cars a review, cheep and cheerful but economical, great car!
I own a 2009 model, 1.6 VTi 120hp, it is an amazing NA engine, I love the heated leather seats too. It is overall an amazing first car to have! Pretty useable even at higher speeds. I really recommend it to anyone for their first car, but make sure to get a NA engine not a turbocharged one, because they can be unreliable after they’ve run a lot of miles.
I drove a DS3 hire car in Lanzarote in 2013 and loved how smooth it felt. Glad I found this review as I always said I'd want to buy one when the prices come down as used. This positive review has helped me to know I'm not going for the wrong car, but I can't decide on this or a Mini Cooper SD. I prefer comfort so I guess an SD being 'rough' sounds off-putting.
I did drive a DS3 1.6 THP for about 5,5 years. A very nice sporty car to drive, still looking good imho. The 1.6 THP engine is a great engine when it works, but it’s huge realibility problems are infamous. Unfortunately i have experienced that as well.
Well over 50k now Matt - good for you!
Thanks!
Still can’t get over the renault wind you did a while back, when this lockdown is over I shall start looking to buy one. 😁
Good review, I’ve had three DS3’s all have been reliable, never had any of the issues you mentioned! Best value small car around, most are well equipped, blue tooth, parking sensors, auto lights a wipers as standard on most models. Now got a 2015 165 THP, bought last November for 6k with 40k on it. Brilliant car, thinking about getting re-mapped....Buy one, you won’t be disappointed 👍
I quite fancied the rare Ds3 racing which had 207hp, but was too expensive at the time, compared to the normal c3, the ds3 appeared more reliable.
Out of curiosity if you’ve had 3 and neither have had issues. Why would you get rid to get another one.
I have a 2011 1.6 diesel and it's a fantastic car to drive on any road, great fun through Sharp bends. Not sure about your claim that it will go wrong and bits of trim breaking, mine is still as new and apart from servicing and tyres it has not caused any issues. The seats are very comfortable and it's great cruising on the motorway.
Never known issues with French cars and trims falling off tbf. Seems to be a thing that German cars do. Fading buttons and armrests remind me of Golfs! The French always make pretty well screwed together cars.
Any DPF issues?
@@neutralfan..1627 Hi no DFP issues so far. It' has FSH and does long journeys. Perhaps that is best with this engine. Fantastic car and still turns heads.
@@stephendigby4684 I've just purchased a ds3 where it's literally gone back to the dealership for a dpf regen ALREADY..
Until yesterday I had never heard of or seen these before here in Australia. When I checked the second hand prices they are super cheap, now I know why. If they have so many issues parts would be ridiculous in Australia. What might be cheap and easy to find up there in the UK would be several times more here (Probably 4 times more). Thanks for making this video, I appreciate your honesty 😀👍
Seat have now done something similar dropping the seat name from any Cupra model, Great review again
Thats right
I had a ds3 diesel for five years(40000 miles) with no issues whatsoever, nothing broke. Just service items, brakes, tyres and battery. Lovely car, thoroughly recommended.
I'd love to see you review a Saxo VTS / VTR. If you can find one that hasn't been crashed, stolen, or turned into rust.
Its amazing how many of these sold in Europe, around France, Spain and Portugal there everywere especially in cities. I always thought it had a nice sophisticated vibe to it especially in matt black with a tan roof.
The UK was/is its biggest market.
Daughter has one on the drive bang on review as always nice drive looks good inside and out very pleased with it
Good stuff
These were great looking little cars when they came out,went toe to toe with the mini look wise, and had some nice colour combos, always worried about French cars, quite flimsy and cheapish interiors, but i have a wee soft spot for these.
Seriously thinking of getting one used to succeed my now ancient C3 mk1. That was surprisingly good for the money (and age) and 2016-2018 ds3 here is basically the same money, or cheaper, than entry level Polo of same age while better equipped and a lot more punchy and special.
I've ALWAYS hated Citreon's, but now cos I watch all your video's and we have similar likes/dislikes, I was quite surprised by it and tbf, it faired better than I expected! Maybe I won't "sneer" at the the DS3's when I see them, thanks Matt yet another quality review!!
Thanks Matt. Thought I’d watch this one before bedtime. My other half looked at buying a DS3 but opted for a 1.6 Suzuki Swift Sport 2014 3 door. No hot hatch by any means, more of a warm hatch but totally competent. We used to tow it behind our Motorhome before we traded it in for a brand new twin axle wobblebox back in 2016. The thing is I put her off a DS3 in favour of the Swift purely because Suzuki was more reliable than a french car. The thing is the DS is more of a looker than the 2014! Suzuki though. Looks alone won’t win the battle for reliability will it? Or will it? OK! It’s my bedtime. Need sleep but seems I’m getting addicted to your honest reviews. 👍
I've always liked the Swift. I've had lots of them over the years
That DS button on the dash is for the assistance. Press it a few seconds to enable the call for assistance. Cheers, Matt.
I think you are far to honest to be a successful salesman. Love the reviews.
I'm on my 3rd DS3 as a driving school car. Previous 2 cars 150,000 miles no wear on buttons, no broken interior and no warning lights. Other than regular servicing and a clutch at 100,000 miles these DS3 are brilliant, current DS3 at 90,000 miles and the only warning light is for adblue which gives you 1500 to fix.
Mike L That’s good going considering what they’re being used for
I own a citroen berlingo petrol 13 yrs old and I abs love it, quiet, comfortable, fast enough and so practical. Never had a single fault unlike many vws and fords have had. Iwill keep thistill it dies if it ever does. The ride comfort is almost on par with 2 cv
Update on my 2017 ds3, 140,000 only problem was an adblue injector and a wiring problem on the adblue pump, fingers crossed and touch wood all good
Finally a video where I’m able to take a fairly good look at your watch! :D love the Rolex Explorer II Polar dial.. don’t care about the car tbh. :)
Nothing wrong with your eyes!
And your into your overdraft again because 😎
'The other tat they make ' 🤣🤣🤣🤣just like the kings new clothes...! Great review with the usual dry delivery...
Haha exactly
That front end looks like my mum when she sees me playing Minecraft
Hahah
I enjoy watching these reviews of cars we don't get in North America. Interesting little car.
Thanks!
What I'm wondering about is whether the bad reputation of Citroen is just a thing of the past now and they're much better built than in the early 2000s, or maybe they just put more care into the DS3, or maybe I'm just lucky but I've had no issues with my DS3 at all. Sure I only did 50k miles in it, but it's all city driving and I've been driving mine every single day for the past 9 years and everything just works. The key works, the mirrors unfold perfectly, the satnav works, nothing rattles or squeaks, no warning lights on the dash. The only things that broke were the mechanism in the passanger seat to get in the back (which was cheap to fix) and the metal strap for the muffler rusted and fallen off and I didn't even notice untill the car went for it's yearly service (it was cheap to replace as well). Only the engine makes more and more noises every passing year but that's on the Germans so...
I had a ds4 myself and it was a fantastic car and very well speced and also got my mates asking what car it was.... My wife also still has the 2014 DS3 it's black with a pink roof and trim so that was her sold lol but she still loves it 3 years later and it does still look pretty nice especially after a clean up....which I need to do haha but all in they are good cars. So much so I'm thinking of getting another ds4 but the 2l diesel performance line edition as it looks really nice. And speced compared to a vw and looks better than say an Astra.
To mute the radio press both the up and down volume buttons at the same time. I have a 2016 DS3 Diesel and because it uses add blue it is ULEZ free and the road tax is zero. One of the best cars I've ever had, and God is it quick and nimble.
I can throw in some information here (as i own one) and was generally curious what people would say in 2020.
IF you drive a left hand drive car, you get a full size glove box, it's simply smaller in the RHD car because they couldn't be bothered moving the electrical stuff.
With the cup holder, IF you get a DS3 with an arm rest, there are NO cup holders at all.
He mentions a lot of stuff breaking, in mine and other peoples opinion (local clubs), that is not true.
Had my car since 2016 where it had done 55.000km, it's now on 233.000km and still going strong with 200km a day.
I have had to replace an alternator, cabin blower and recently a belt tensioner, that is it (and of course usual service as brakes ect.). mind you that's the 1.6 hdi, which is pretty much bulletproof.
The 1.2L petrol was known for burning oil and many had to have their engines replaced on warrenty, this however should be fixed on the newer models.
A major issue on all DS3s though is that the mirrors rattle loose, rubbing on the paint outside causing it to go away and rust can start to form.
Tightening the mirrors can resolve this temporary, some have put a rubber gaskets between the mirrors and the door itself.
Hi, for DS3 how much did it cost to repair or replace those things you mentioned up there?
@@rohitgurung1248 Hard to say, since it depends on so much.
For me it was the following.
Alternator: 1600€ (due to having start&stop)
Blower motor: 810€
Belt tensioner and belt: 160€
The mirrors, if not tightened or with some protection, will gnaw into the paint, requiring a full repaint of the doors..
That all depends on the mechanic taking the doors apart and the paint shop.
Can say i'm now almost at 300.000km without any issues since last time i wrote here, besides regular oil service ect. ;)
The 1.6l engine is a very reliable one now, it has been used in peugeot 308 t9 and no reported issues. It had issues with timing chain on previous generation but it is now used in 308, 3008,5008 and other peugeot/citroens, good little engine now nice and spritely. I prefer it to the 1.2 3cyl
Thanks for doing this Matt, it's good to promote a brand whilst pointing out the naff bits , overall a good town car ,there is a Citroen dealer near where I live, so I see a lot around. 😎
Haha thanks
Another great review Matt
...but don't expect anything else from you. ...always entertaining , informative & fun...cheers !
Thanks
I'm a Citroen fan and a High Peak Autos fan - make sense of that. Please review a Cactus :)
I quite like the cactus
@@HighPeakAutos What's not to like? (Don't answer that)
I always find the seats in French cars so comfortable.
Got myself the 1.6hdi version making around 150bhp and it’s great fun
Congratulations on 50k subscribers.
Thanks!
Drove and owned Citroen cars for thirty years bought them cheap at auction because they where French and had the stigma of unreliability ... but never had any real major mechanical horror stories
my wife is a convert ( Nissan licker ) and just traded in her 2010 C3 1.6 hdi 100K without issue but was due a change as never off road for a used ex mobility car 3 years old C4 Cactus with 789 miles on diesel automatic with free road tax ... in this modern day its worth a punt it was too good an offer to refuse ... only time will tell ?
Never owned or driven a German car I just think people are brain washed with the so called reliability they have with Vorsprung Durch Technik till they go wrong and cost ££££ to fix
Wow, you're missing out mate!
@@gilles4588
Sadly I believe what I don't have I just don't miss
Had nice things.. But people want to steal them and that makes me sad
Don’t ask me why, to this day I have no idea what I was thinking, but in 2007 I bought a c4 Picasso 2.0 hdi VTR + I test drove it and was impressed with the solid feel and tech etc, got a great deal on a new one - and put 50k on it in a year, now it never broke down but after that 1st year it had so many rattles, squeaks and creaks I just couldn’t stand it, by the time I could get out of the lease I’d given it to the mrs and was driving around in a 1997 base model Audi A4 with no a/c and no remote unlocking, but I’d happily drive that all day every day over the c4 and that’s kinda my issue with Citroen.
1.6 HDI is the most sold car in our country.
Very reliable. Its a diesel with a turbo, simple.
Lower it 35 mm and some 18" wheels, it will look amazing.
I rented a couple of these when they were relatively new. Both diesels. Really liked the first one. Second one was a bit rubbish. 5 speed box as opposed to the other ones 6 and rattles from both doors.
Good review, as per, even if it does look like a training shoe! All the best with getting back to the showroom if that's how it pans out ✊🏻
I rented one of those in France and it was a pretty smooth ride on the highway (much better then Fiat 500 or VW Up).
I liked the robot transmission. My only issue was a screaming rear wheel ball bearing, considering the car had only 18k kilometers, that's a bit tough.
But nonetheless a pretty cool car I enjoyed.
My only criticism is that there is a large A pillar together with another little quarter light pillar severely limiting vision.
Excellent review ! Best performer !
Thank you very much!
Plenty in the scrap yards 😉👌,I worked years ago with a bloke who thought the 2CV had a V6 engine. Keep up the good work 👍
That would be dangerous with a V6 😂
Funnily enough we were in the market for a new second car back in 2003 and the C3 (DS predecessor) was on the list of possibilities.
We went to a Citroen dealership in Newcastle and while looking around a brand new display model the sun visor and glove box lid came off in my hand. We did off at the speed of many antelope before being given a bill. Although Citroen do “pen” a nice looking if somewhat eccentric car they seem to be made from spit and papier-mâché so wouldn’t even accept one as a competition prize.
Being French they Come with a free white surrender flag which fit like a glove in the glove box😉
Hahaha
I bought a 2016 1.6 diesel ds
4 months ago
Love it
Have an early 2013 1.6 petrol ds3 for my first car and it is great love her to bits
Great review again. I have always secretly liked the look of these...for a lady of course.
Keep me coming Matt
Great review, would be interesting to see you reviewing megane 3 coupe
Citroen have made some of the most outstanding cars in automobile history where they went others followed now, just offering drab cars in a strapless evening dress
I largely hate Citroens however the DS3 is the exception. They are fresh, funky and fun and I would have one for sure.
Had 3 ds3 never had any of the problems you mentioned, cracking little cars, had the diesel, 1.2 and now the preformance can't fault them, the new ds3 is more SUV like
Still no issues? A click on buying the 1.6 thp 2018
@@sebastianrex8856 no still running great
How come are you reviewing all the cars that i've been looking at lately? o_O
Coincidence?
Good review as always, none biased
Thanks
My mrs got one of these on a 61reg a few years ago. Not sure on the exact spec but it was a 1.6hdi 90hp. Felt like way more it was very nippy. But she didn't keep it long. Kept chucking black soot all over the back of the car all the time, it was at the garage countless times and they couldn't fix it. I told her not to buy that particular car as they had another and it bit her on the arse. Shame really, it was comfy, quiet, economical, well equipped and quick enough and drove nice. She swapped it for a gen 1 bmw 116d, bloody awful another overrated BMW to be honest. Now had a 17reg focus st line 1.5tdci, cracking car, have a look. Very good for the money
had mine new in 2015 , the Puretech 110 engine is brilliant , loads of torque and frugal . It's let me down once in 5 and a bit years . Spark plug of all things !Still the best car i have ever had and i like French cars . Thinking of the new Peugeot 208 next just for that engine .
Question when you drive down to Spain which way do you go , we normally go down with our motorhome and just saunter down however at the end of July we are going down by car and I have never done that before thanks ,
And keep up the go content we love it
If you dont mind driving, I would go on the tunnel and drive alone the tolls through France
You could also take the ferry to Cherbourg and down from there. It depends on where you are going.
I wondered what these are like so thanks for filling me in. Unlike you I have a soft-spot for French cars. I wanted to buy Mrs Twit one......but she wanted an Audi A1 🙄
Tell your college that the advertisement for that car is wrong it says it’s done 15000 miles but also says it’s done 18000 miles👍, great video never the less 👍👍❤️
Thanks! I meant to remind him about that - I'll do it tomorrow
High Peak Autos ah ok, might confuse some idiot out there, there’s plenty of them and don’t want him to loose business 👍👍
My friend has a older one of these like a 2012 and his reverse sensors have stopped working and just make the sound of when your too close to something but that's the only problem he's had with it pretty nice cars too
Unreliable 1.6 petrol engines? I have one with that engine and a friends Mrs has a Mini with the exact same engine, totally reliable and pretty economical. The high performance Turbo engines with 156bhp have been known to have a few issues, granted.
Also, how you handle them.. warm up and drive long enough to clean the engine...
Also, I do think driving it fast it asks to much of the car.. driving to slow will get the rpms to low.. I think best is somewhat in the middle.. I think about doing a chiptune, then the car will get 190hp... think the mid level torque will be better..
Nailed it on the head matt styling is great, and I love the look of this car. Pug and Shitroen nailing the design recently. I genuinely hope they sort the other shit out - mainly reliability.... cos I'd have one of these in a minute. I still maintain the only French car I would ever have is a renault, but recently Pug has been upping their game. Time will tell if the 3008 is a decent 2nd hand buy.
I agree. I love the styling of the new Peugeot 308 and 508 - they look great
Had a Scenic a few years ago, would never buy French ever again. They suffer from BFO ( bits fall off ) too much for my liking
They age very quickly! Like a fat bird in a nightclub!
In the old days the USP of Citreon's was the ride. Can't imagine what the ride will be like with those over-sized wheels. Get rid of those and put a proper 1.6 8v engine in and I might consider it.
Pissing myself at the Gary Neville quip! Stylish, comfortable but will be uneconomic to fix past 6-7 years old I suspect......?
Haha thanks. They tend to last for 12 years or so then they're not really worth fixing
Nice review, interesting little car. Does anyone know if the clutch on the 1.2 manual petrol is light? We are looking at getting one to replace a mini one 1.5 petrol that has a heavy clutch hence its going soon!
Good review as ever!
Thank you
Great review as always. Really wanted to know what that button does but after a google, nobody knows!
I've since discovered today, if you press and hold it then it connects you to Citroens emergency assist
Cute little car....hope Citroen returns to the US.
The new DS3 now got 3 stars in Euro NCAP. It was uploaded in 2017.
Dave D'Video Maker that’s right but this model scored 5 back when it was tested
400 000 km and 10 years later, none of those parts broke apart:)
I found this review very interesting. A DS3 seems like the natural progression to the ageing Pluriel I have, but I had no idea that DS Automobiles existed. Quick look on Autotrader and there are quite a few for sale but all seem to have only a 1.2 engine. I was just wondering Matt if, in your opinion, the small engine would give a reasonable performance coupled with an automatic gearbox, as I can't drive a manual? Once again, a really good and informative review. Also, if you've now been able to re-open your showroom, I hope you do as well as you deserve to! Kind regards and thanks for a great and humorous channel!
Thanks! The 1.2 is pretty nippy even as an auto
Neighbour had one less than a year old. Spent more time in the garage fortunately under warranty. Pretty but still french build quality
Citroen are obviously trying to go down the same road as Toyota and Nissan and now Seat with their Cupra badge more profit for a few extras, I like the look and style of this D's 3 and wonder what it would be like in automatic, Citroen did bring out the Pluriel sometime back which was a throw back to the old 2CV, keep on entertaining us thanks Pete
Cheers!
i like the slant from auto makers, on having a GT or SUV for the weekends and a small compact city car for the daily commute. Cheap on fuel and annual charges, including Insurance.
However in New Zealand, diesel vehicles (and any vehicle that uses a fuel that isn't taxed at source (electric)) have to pay Road User Charges (RUC) based on weight and axle configuration. The fuel is not taxed at source unlike Petrol or LPG. So on the DS at 70mpg thats 3.36l/100km. Diesel in NZ is $1.14 per litre and a whopping $7.30 in RUC per 100km (Upto 3500Kg GVM).
That works out to $11.13 per 100km. That $11.13 in a petrol car would have to use 6.47 l/100km (43.7 mpg @ $1.72/litre) to be as expensive. The 1.2l petrol one would use way less that that, and so, is a cheaper option in NZ.
The high cost of the road tax (RUC) makes owning a fuel efficient city car pointless here unfortunately.
So we use bigger cars as the cost of ownership is no worse that small cars. Government tax systems in each country defines what we drive. (safety rating, CO2 emissions, GVM for example)
That seems a weird way to tax motorists
What are your tips when buying a second hand ds3 petrol version? I prefer one with some more power under the hood....I have a Peugeot 206 GTi from 2003 know with 130hp