SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8
This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here probably applies to the models you can get at home.
*To read one of our road tests, just select from the menu on the left.
*Please remember too, that prices quoted were those ruling on the days I wrote the stories.
When I began researching this car, one of the first things I noticed was that its engine output figures are identical to those of the MINI Cooper (without 'S'). There's a very good reason. It's the same engine, a naturally aspirated version of the 1,6 litre 'Prince' unit developed under a 2002 cooperation agreement between PSA and BMW. The parties did yet another deal in February this year, so we can expect more of the same in time to come.
Now that we have established that this 1 600 cc unblown Citroën and the plain Cooper are natural competitors, let's have a closer look. There is something of the MINI in DS3's frontal visage and in its general outline, almost the same aggressive face and a very similar almost-ovoid side view. The difference is in the details, with the Citroën being more modern in appearance and slightly longer, wider and taller. Wheelbases are almost identical, with the MINI's being 3 mm longer.
Inside, the differences are more marked with the DS3 having an altogether more modern and upmarket ambience and instrument layout. There's no huge speedo in the centre to impress the copilot, for instance. This is probably the right spot to mention that the DS (Different Spirit) is extremely customisable should the basics not be sufficiently stylish for your taste.
Exterior personalisation components include roof, body, rearview mirror housings and wheels. Inside, customers get a choice of dashboard strips, gearstick knobs and a host of other interior equipment with a multitude of colours, fabrics and materials. Our test car was white with a pale blue roof decorated with self-coloured graphics, while the interior was a mix of matt- and piano black, with an intriguing net design on the cloth-covered seats. The pale blue theme of the roof was repeated in the centres of the wheel caps and in a disc on the key fob.
Still on the subject of customisation, the DS3 Style comes in three varieties; basic, Design Pack and Techno Pack. Our car was fitted with the R12 000 techno kit consisting of rain sensor wipers, self-dipping rear view mirror, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, automatic air conditioning, electric folding mirrors and Bluetooth, including USB connector for music players. The USB connector in this kit is pleasantly unusual in that it plays and displays track information from WM4 files on Macintosh-centric iPods and MP3 files from flash drives with equal friendliness. There is an auxiliary minijack as well.
The R10 500 Design pack gives you a set of four 17" Bellone alloy wheels, rear spoiler with integrated brake light, aluminium drilled pedals and Sport seats in special fabrics.
Nitty gritty? The glove box has a big lid but it's tiny inside. Cool, though - there is an aircon outlet leading into it. The driver and front passenger have a really pleasant command centre, with everything where it should be and easy to use. The tall windscreen makes it easy to look for overhead signs, but could be awkward in hot and sunny weather, although the standard tinted glass should overcome most problems.
Seated behind a tall driver, back seat passengers need to spread knees and will probably bump their heads against the roof. Those who could realistically be comfortable back there have useful seatback pockets to stash their colouring books, however. The 285-litre boot is significantly bigger than the one on the MINI, while additional space with seatbacks folded is also greater. The spare wheel is a steel spacesaver unit.
So what's like to drive? You get the feeling of being hunkered down and glued to the road, while steering is quick and responsive. Like other unblown engines, power is not great at low revs, but once you get to about 2 500 rpm, it just builds in a rush up to red line at just over 6 000. Top gear roll-on from 90 km/h upward is good for a small engine like this, with gearing of about 3 500 rpm at 120 in fifth.
Twisty roads are where this car belongs. With an almost hypnotic rhythm of tap off, downshift, brake, turn, accelerate, upshift, let the revs climb, then do it all again, the DS3 gave me the most driving fun I've had in a small car since...
The DS3 is for players, close to the edge, who leave a little later, drive a little harder and deliberately get there only just in time. Is it as dynamic as the MINI? Not quite. The Citroën feels a little taller, a touch softer and less hardcore, but like certain other pleasant activities, there comes a time when comfort, ambience and just plain class are important too.
The numbers
Price: R199 000 basic or R211 000 as tested
Engine: 1 598 cc 16 valve Vti
Power: 88 kW at 6 000 rpm
Torque: 160 Nm at 4200 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 9,9 seconds
Maximum: 190 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: about 6,9 l/100 km
Tank: 50 litres
Warranty: 3 years/100 000 km
Service plan: 4 years/60 000 km
This is a one-man show, which means that road test cars entrusted to me are driven only by me. Some reviewers hand test cars over to their partners to use as day-to-day transport and barely experience them for themselves.
What this means to you is that every car reviewed is given my own personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every car goes through real world testing; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I am based in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa. This is the central hub of the KZN Midlands farming community; the place farmers go to to buy their supplies and equipment, truck their goods to market, send their kids to school and go to kick back and relax.
So occasionally a cow, a goat or a horse may add a little local colour by finding its way into the story or one of the pictures. It's all part of the ambience!
Comments?
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8