Make no bones about it, the Citroen C3 is a stylish creation that drums to its own beat. With funky styling and innovative design elements, it's bound to appeal to the brave and creative souls.
The interior of a Citroen is always something to behold. It's bright and colourful and filled with a myriad of textures and lines to capture the imagination. The new range of Citroen products includes the Citroen C3 that carries over some of the design elements first seen in the C4 Cactus, such as pull strap handles and Airbump mouldings along the sides of the vehicle. A singular theme is also carried throughout, from the wheels to the gauges, creating one cohesive package.
With this fresh design approach comes the introduction of new technology, primarily in the infotainment sector. We're here to see how the C3 holds up against its direct competition.
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Citroen C3
Our Rating: 3/5
The recently release Citroen C3 is bound to appeal to the younger audience, particularly with its clever and exciting interior design. Complementing the interior architecture is a host of technology including a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
This semi-floating touchscreen houses a native operating system that allows for USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, allowing you to mirror your smartphone screen and take control of supported apps. Bluetooth connectivity and recognition of Apple CarPlay is inconsistent though and will sometimes require additional input from the device in order for the system to recognise it, despite having been previously paired. The system also defaults to radio when the ignition is switched off.
A singular rotary dial is the only tactile interface, other than the multi-function steering wheel, for input on this system. Six touch-sensitive buttons reside on either side of the screen for other shortcut functions, meaning that the eyes have to be diverted from the road in order to accurately locate them. Fortunately, the system does include a small ledge that allows you to rest your hand while trying to locate the necessary area of the screen that needs to be touched.
The menu system is relatively straightforward and pairing a device is simple enough. Functionality is limited in certain aspects and the unit doubles as the climate control interface for the vehicle.
Ford Fiesta
Our Rating: 4/5
The seventh-generation Ford Fiesta presents a well-rounded and attractive package that seems to defy age groups and demographics. It's as appealing to the younger audience as it is the more mature crowd, both make and female alike. Aiding this appeal is the attractive styling and the selection of convenience included in the offering.
On the infotainment front, the Ford Fiesta is fitted with, as standard, a SYNC3 touchscreen infotainment system. The system uses a 6.5-inch screen on Trend models while the higher-spec Titanium gets an 8-inch touchscreen and navigation as standard. The system is complemented by two rotary dials for volume/power and tuning functions while a row of buttons between the dials handles various other functions. A multi-function steering wheel houses additional controls for track skip, source and volume.
SYNC3 in the Fiesta will accept USB, Bluetooth and AUX input despite not having CD capabilities. This system is also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto equipped for screen mirroring and hands-free voice control of certain apps.
Menu hierarchy is a little convoluted and confusing at first but this is soon forgotten after spending a short amount of time with the system.
Much improved over earlier iterations of the SYNC system, SYNC3 is a capable and friendly companion that shouldn't cause too much frustration. We're not overly fond of the bright background of the menu, preferring it in its night mode.
Volkswagen Polo
Our rating: 4.5/5
The sixth-generation Volkswagen Polo takes a page out of the larger offerings from the German firm by offering a host of optional extras, over and above the purchase price of the vehicle itself. As such, Comfortline and Trendline models are fitted with the 6.5-inch Composition Colour system with the Highline receiving the 8-inch Composition Media system. The Composition Media system is an optional extra on the two lower-spec models.
The Composition Media system has inputs to accept CD, SD card, USB (x2), Aux and Bluetooth connectivity with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as MirrorLink for screen mirroring of your mobile device.
The 8-inch colour touchscreen is flanked by two rotary dials for volume/power and tuning functions and touch-sensitive buttons reside above and below these for additional shortcut functions. The multi-function steering wheel further allows interaction and control of the unit.
Navigating through the menu is relatively straightforward with only a few settings tucked away in obscure locations. The 8-inch touchscreen behaves in a similar fashion to a smartphone, allowing you to swipe between screens and rearrange menu icons/tiles for the most appropriate layout.
Navigation is not included in the Composition Media system but can be had by specifying the Discover Media Navigation system at the time of purchase.
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