DS3: MOTORING that has disappointed in previous small Citroens. It’s the same story when you pull away in the DS3. Citroen says it has spent a lot of time and effort fine-tuning the suspension and steering to give the DS3 an instantly more assertive feel than the DS3 to the way it handles and goes. More often than not, this type of claim from a car maker is more marketing than engineering, but in the DS3 it truly does feel more alert and eager than a C3. The engines are shared with the Mini, so the DS3 is off to a good start and there’s plenty of pep around town. On more, open roads, the Citroen feels every bit a match for the Mini and even deliver a much more supple ride over bumps and greater cabin refinement. There are three petrol engines to pick from, covering 95bhp 1.4, a 120bhp 1.6 and the turbocharged 1.6 packing 150bhp that turns the DS3 into a very creditable hot hatch. On the diesel front, buyers can pick 90- and 110bhp versions of the 1.6 HDi turbodiesel unit. The 90bhp model comes in standard form with 104g/km carbon dioxide emissions and 70.5mpg, but for exactly the same price you could has the 99g model. As the name suggests, the 99g DS3 emits just 99g/km of carbon dioxide to qualify it for free road tax and lower benefit in kind payments than its sister model. On top of this, the 99g model also turns in 74.2mpg combined economy to make it the ideal choice for many business users. Even the performance of the DS3 99g is reasonable, taking 11.5 seconds to cover 0-62mph where the standard 90bhp 1.6 HDi is only marginally quicker at 11.3 seconds. FAST FACTS Model: Citroen DS3 1.6 HDi 99g Engine: 1.6-litre turbodiesel Performance: 0-62mph: 11.5 seconds Top speed: 114mph CO2 Emissions 99g/km Combined fuel consumption 74.2mpg www.ukdic.co.uk l THE INSTRUCTOR