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

Alpine A290 and Renault 5 get rally-style body kits from exhaust icon Milltek
Milltek Alpine A290
News

Alpine A290 and Renault 5 get rally-style body kits from exhaust icon Milltek

The A290 and R5 don’t have an exhaust to upgrade, so Milltek has turned to modifying the bodywork
10 Jul 2026
MST Mk1 Evo is an extreme Ford Escort road rally recreation
MST Mk1 Evo front
News

MST Mk1 Evo is an extreme Ford Escort road rally recreation

MST’s Mk1 Evo is a tarmac rally weapon that only vaguely resembles a Ford Escort
7 Jul 2026
The Honda NSX has made a brief return, courtesy of... Italy
Italdesign Honda NSX Tribute
News

The Honda NSX has made a brief return, courtesy of... Italy

With Honda's blessing Italdesign has created an ultra-limited tribute to the original NSX based on the bygone hybrid supercar, and we've had a first l…
11 Jul 2026