SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


We drive Citroën’s quick and cute 2015 DS3 e-THP 120 kW Sport

Fun; without being obnoxious

Posted: 23 october 2015

The numbers
Price: R329 900
Engine: 1598 cc, DOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder, turbopetrol
Power: 120 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 Nm between 1750 and 5000 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 7.5 seconds
Maximum speed: 218 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.7 l/100 km
Tank: 50 litres
Boot: 285 – 980 litres
Warranty: 3 years / 100 000 km; with roadside assistance
Service plan: 4 years / 60 000 km

The world is filled with fast little four-door hatchbacks. That’s because your average buyer, craving social acceptance, always chooses a family box with four doors, a reasonable boot and big-car conveniences. Oh, and a bit of “go” as well, if at all possible. Red-painted Italian brake calipers would be cool too. Three-door sporting machines designed for purists, on the other hand, are much scarcer.
 
They’re intended for personal or couples’ use only. Because there’s only one or two of you, boot size is probably secondary. The back seat is for those rare occasions when one is absolutely obliged to ferry a third or (horrors) fourth individual for short distances. That’s why it’s deliberately a little crowded back there and the glassware is fixed. One doesn’t want plebs getting too comfy, does one?

You will notice, too, that greater attention is paid to the comfort and needs of the principal occupants. Doors are always wider, supposedly to ease access to the rear, but it’s actually so that (ahem) bigly-boned users can get in and out more comfortably.

In the case of Citroën’s DS3 Sport it also means leather sports chairs with comfortable, yet not cloying, support; elevation adjustment for both because the co-pilot is an equal partner; leather trim on the gear knob and door panels; an upgraded sound system; automatic climate control; combination Xenon and LED lighting; 17” black alloy wheels with 205/45 R17 tyres; eMyWay satellite navigation, and rear parking sensors.

The basics aren’t overlooked: six airbags; ABS brakes with the usual aids; ESP and traction control; onboard computer; electric parking brake; automatic wipers and lights; cruise control with speed limiter and powered front windows and mirrors.

Then, because we all become a little jaded over time, the engineers threw in a five-kilowatt power boost that added about four km/h to its top speed, while leaving maximum torque output and its zero to 100 km/h sprint time unaltered. It’s happily quick and responsive, a little firmly suspended but not harshly so and, while not obscenely fast, is fun without being obnoxious.

Interior fit and finish is neat and overall build quality is very good, so while its price may seem a little steep at first, one needs to bear in mind that it’s competing with the likes of other luxury, personal three-doors. Consider the Audi A1 1.8T Sport, BMW 120i, Volkswagen Beetle 1.4 TSi Sport and the MINI Cooper “S” hatch - with which it shares its engine. They all cost more, produce similar power and perform much the same as this one. But only the Beemer has a bigger boot; not that we’re really concerned about that, are we?

 In the interest of full disclosure, the DS’ boot loads at upper thigh level and is about 20 cm deep. It’s usefully square, carried three apple boxes (the fruit variety) side-by-side comfortably without needing to raise the cover, is equipped with a light and two lashing rings and carries a spacesaver spare under the floorboard. The rear seatbacks split 1/3:2/3 but do not fold completely flat.

In his quest for truth, your big-boned tester tipped and slid the driver’s chair forward and squeezed into the back. On scales of one to ten, in which seven is interference level, he rated head- and knee room at six each but gave foot space, under the driver’s chair on its lowest setting, a solid eight. Three belts and head restraints are provided, as are a pair of seatback pockets and small side bins. Getting out again was do-able, but not as easily as on your average small four-door.

The front seat area boasted an armrest that’s slightly too high and gets in the way of the hand brake, but incorporates a useful little compartment for smaller items. We eventually swivelled it up and out of the way. Other storage consists of four open trays, the usual little French glove box and narrow door bins.

The six-speed manual shift lever was easy to reach and its action smooth and slick. Pedals are well spaced and the built-in footrest easy to get at. Oddly, or perhaps the car’s designers think as we do, only the front passenger rates an overhead grab handle.

Not everyone will love this little French hatchback, but it’s not designed for everyone. It’s made for singles and couples who want a car that’s quick, fun, solid and comfortable. Boring responsibilities may crop up occasionally but they can be dealt with – just not too often, mind.

Test car from PACSA press fleet

We drove the previous DS3 Sport in 2010. The review is here

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
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