I have a confession to make. I'm an unashamed Citroën fan. I have been since I was a young boy and my dad took me to visit a friend who had just imported one of the first Citroën ID19 models to South Africa.
The Citroën looked like a spaceship alongside my dad's dowdy black Humber Hawk and my mom's even more dowdy black Morris Oxford.
It had suspension that raised or lowered itself, headlights that looked around corners and its steering wheel but one spoke. It was light years ahead of anything else then on the market.
Over the past 50 years Citroën has created some extraordinary cars - the Light 15, the indestructible 2CV, the amazing ID/DS and the complex and exasperating Maserati-engined SM, but towards the end of the last decade the company lost its way.
Its identity almost disappeared when it merged with Peugeot to create the PSA group but over the past five years the group has realised that Citroën's oddball nature was part of its attraction and some of the more recent Citroën models show the flair that made the company such an important part of motoring history.
For instance, if you look closely at the roof line of the C3 you can see traces of the iconic 2CV, while the baby C2 is everything a Citroën should be - funky, cheeky and just downright quirky with its odd-shaped window lines. Judging by the number of C2 and C3 models on the road, South African is enjoying Citroën's return to its roots.
New on our market is the C3 1.4 HDi turbodiesel, the subject of this week's test.
One of every two cars sold in Europe is a turbodiesel but here in South Africa such engines' popularity is only beginning to grow. The biggest problem has been the quality of diesel fuel but that's been overcome so expect to see an increase in diesel-car sales.
The C3's engine is a 1.4-litre, eight-valve with the latest common-rail, direct injection technology. Power output is a mere 50kW at 4000rpm but far more important is the torque figure - 150Nm from 1750rpm. The C3 was the first Citroën to be fitted with this engine, a PSA Peugeot Citroën/Ford joint development.
It's a featherweight at only 98kg, something made possible by extensive use of aluminium alloys and composite materials.
The first time I drove the 1.4 HDi I couldn't help but think what a gentle car it was. I know it's hard to think of a 1005kg box of metal, plastic, glass and rubber to be gentle but that was my impression. The engine is so quiet and the gearchanges so smooth that "gentle" is the first word that comes to mind.
Cosmetic changes
It's a comfortable ride (a hallmark of French cars) and soft seating only adds to the sensation of being cossetted, but the lack of lateral support emphasised the already obvioius amount of lean through corners.
Apart from the addition of the new HDi engine, the latest C3 has been given a number of cosmetic changes: there's a new front bumper, the grille has larger chevrons and the tail lights have been redesigned with a crystal centre.
The interior has new door panels, upholstery and fascia and the steering column is now adjustable for height and reach.
The C3 also has a high level of standard equipment: power door mirrors, front-loading CD/radio player, central locking, air conditioning, self-igniting headlights and speed-sensitive windscreen wipers.
Remarkably good
So who might buy a C3 1.4 HDi? Well, you can count the speed merchants - top speed is 165km/h and 0-100km/h takes all of 14.8sec but if fuel economy means a lot to you (and these days it surely should!) then the car is most certainly worth a closer look.
A C3 1.4 HDi returned an incredible 3.5 litres/100km in the 2005 economy run. I didn't get anywhere near that but the fuel computer generally read between 4.5 and five - and that is still remarkably good.
SUMMARY
If your life is spent mostly in traffic then the C3 1.4 HDi, at R129 995, is just what you need. It's easy and gentle to drive, has all the safety and convenience features you could ask for and if you need a little extra speed, a quick prod on the accelerator will kick the torquey engine into life, no matter what gear you're in.
It's comfortable, practical and roomy. If you're the kind of person for whom a car is just a means of transport then the user-friendly C3 will suit you down to the ground.