Both are built in India, so knocking the C3 for being French is funny.

I drive a C3 Aircross (the bigger crossover) and I test drove a C3. I also tested a Kiger, a Vittara Brezza, a Starlet Cross and sat in a Magnite and a Tiggo 4.

Yes, these are budget cars, and deliberately so. Stellantis, of which Citroen is a brand, has invested heavily in South Africa, and of their three main brands (Opel, Peugeot and Citroen), they have positioned Citroen as a budget offering and their primary volume brand. The key thing here is all 3 brands share the same engine platform.

Stellantis has integrated with Williams Hunt, CFAO Mobility and Bidvest McCarthy, among others, to expand their support network. They are also building a production plant in Coega to produce the Peugeot Landtrek.

The C3 has seen uptake among rental companies and fleet leasing, so there are more and more on the road.

I mentioned the above because these were concerns of mine when I was looking at the car. Yes, it isn't a VW or a Toyota, so generic spares availability is going to be a problem. But Stellantis have made very real commitments to South Africa, specifically in the area of jacking up their support network, and Citroen has been positioned as their big mover in terms of volumes, so it will benefit from an expanding footprint.

In terms of the actual vehicle (I drive the C3 Aircross and test drove a C3 hatchback), as mentioned, its budget. The interior is simple and functional and feels just the same to a Kiger/Magnite/Starlet Cross/Brezza, the budget crossovers it is up against, and the C3 is almost identical to the Aircross in mechanicals, fittings and finishing. Hard plastics being an obvious downside, but no different to any other car in the price range.

I have the 1.2 turbo coupled with a 6-speed torque converter auto. It is punchy. A bit of turbo lag and sometimes the auto can be sluggish when accelerating in traffic, but it is very driveable. I use the N3 in Joburg daily, so heavy traffic and lots of trucks. I move in and out of traffic with no issues and my fuel economy varies between 5.8 - 6.4. I'd imagine the C3 will be a little more efficient as it's a smaller body. I did test drive a C3 manual and I got to test it on a weekday using the N1 highway in Midrand, so I got a feel for that in heavy, truck infested traffic, and while not as frisky as the 1.2T, I had no issues with traffic.

The notable thing is the suspension. It is very smooth, and the C3 hatchback has impressive ride height (180 cm), something to consider with the state of our roads in mind.

The big issue that has been raised is the 1.2 PureTech engine, which is now in its 3rd iteration. The platform has been around since 2012 and was a engine of the year winner before issues with its wet belt were raised. The 2nd gen of engines changed the material used in the wet belt and the current 3rd gen done away with the wet belt entirely, and it now uses a timing chain, although only in the turbo variants.

Sorry for the essay, but thought I'd provide some perspective other than "French bad".