Skip advert
Advertisement

DS 3 review - Does French hatch match a Mini for fun? - Design

A car first, now a brand, the DS3 is Citroen’s spin-off that’s aiming at the premium players

Evo rating
RRP
from £13,995
  • Entertaining drive, fine styling, interesting interior and plenty personalisation makes for a fun Mini rival
  • The Mini does everything a little bit better

It might not be the newest premium hatch on the block, but the DS 3 still looks fresh, helped by a mild facelift in 2014 and further revisions when the model became a standalone DS product.

The reverse shark's fin on the B-pillar in body colour piercing the blacked out pillars is a neat visual trick, while DS uses LED lights to tremendous effect to create a distinctive face at the front and very cool 3D-effect tail lights. The scope for personalisation is vast, while the DS wheel choices are all distinctive. There’s even the option to colour-code the ignition key.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Squat proportions, extremely neat detailing inside and out and some clever surfacing and colour use continue to make the DS3 look fresh despite its age. The Performance models are neat, too - their colour schemes and trim appendages are among the more tasteful options in the hot hatchback class.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

ZeroNine Ford Focus ST review – Ferrari 599 pulling power in a hatchback
ZeroNine Ford Focus ST – front
Reviews

ZeroNine Ford Focus ST review – Ferrari 599 pulling power in a hatchback

Leicestershire tuning firm ZeroNine has given the last-of-the-line Focus ST a new lease of life with a series of performance upgrades – and Ferrari 59…
14 Nov 2025
Used Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7, 2014 - 2020) review: the original hyper hatch for under £10k
Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7) front
Reviews

Used Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7, 2014 - 2020) review: the original hyper hatch for under £10k

We were always huge fans of the Mk7 VW Golf R. That its successor has never quite lived up to its high standards has only underlined how good it was
11 Nov 2025
Cupra Leon VZ TCR is a 321bhp VW Golf GTI Edition 50 fighter
Cupra Leon VZ TCR
News

Cupra Leon VZ TCR is a 321bhp VW Golf GTI Edition 50 fighter

The most hardcore Leon since the Sub8 of a decade ago comes with removable rear seats
13 Nov 2025