MOTORING: DS3 An ADI favorite: Citroen DS3 The Citroen DS3 has proved a popular car with driving instructors across the UK for a long time now, and here’s why... “THERE’S an elite of superminis that has been steadily growing over the past few years, swelling from just the Mini to now include the likes of the Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo Mito, with the Volkswagen Beetle playing a supporting role, Citroen now wants to join this exclusive club.” Established as a major player in the mainstream of superminis with its C1 city car, C2 and recently introduced new C3, the French firm knows how to make affordable small cars, but has it rediscovered the chic of Citroen’s past to mix it with its premium rivals. Citroen has revived the DS badge for its new supermini, though it’s quick to point out the DS3 does not wallow in nostalgia the way its rivals do. There will also be additional DS models in 2011 to complement the range and augment the C4 and C5 line-ups. There’s certainly nothing retro about the looks of the DS3, which is neatly styled and stands out from the crowd. It’s based on the new C3, but don’t be fooled into thinking the DS3 is just a three-door version of the C3. For starters, rear seat space is more restricted, though the boot is bog for this type of car. Also, the DS3 is a much sportier proposition, which is immediately apparent as soon as you slink into the driver’s seat. The driving position is noticeably lower set than a C3’s and the dash, though largely borrowed from the C3, is stylish and the build quality is reassuringly high, something Roadtest by Alisdair Suttie THE INSTRUCTOR l www.ukdic.co.uk