Skip advert
Advertisement

DS 3 review - Does French hatch match a Mini for fun? - Engine and Gearbox

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

A diverse mix of engines and transmissions here; the DS3 comes with a choice of three, three-cylinder petrol units with 80bhp, 108bhp and 128bhp, and a pair of 1.6-litre turbocharged four-pots, a THP with 162bhp and the Performance with 205bhp.

The THP models are only offered with a six-speed manual, the same gearbox used with the 1.6 BlueHDi 99bhp and 118bhp four-cylinder turbodiesels. If you want an automatic gearbox, the sole option in the range is the 108bhp PureTech 110 - a six-speed unit.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The greatest shame with the more powerful petrol engines is that they don't sound that great: Neither is as smooth as that of its Mini rival and even the Performance model, in which you'd hope for a fruity exhaust note, it drones rather than barks. The three-cylinder units are more pleasant, thrumming smoothly along like most of their contemporaries, while the diesels are diesels - aural appeal comes second to a slug of usable mid-range torque.

If the greater performance isn’t enough to convince you into one of the more powerful versions then the quality of the five-speed manual’s shift might. It’s not the most precise movement across its gate and that's exacerbated by its relatively long throw. The six-speed manual improves things a bit, but it still lacks the quick accuracy of the best of its rivals. The auto is much better than it used to be, but the limited engine range means it may not appeal to many. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Audi RS3 v Toyota GR Yaris v Mercedes-AMG A45 S – car pictures of the week
Hot hatch test
Features

Audi RS3 v Toyota GR Yaris v Mercedes-AMG A45 S – car pictures of the week

In the latest issue of evo, we test three of the most sophisticated hot hatches on sale against each other on road and track – these are our favourite…
29 Mar 2025
Used Audi RS6 Avant (C7, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide – family-friendly supercar slayer from £20k
Audi RS6 – front
In-depth reviews

Used Audi RS6 Avant (C7, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide – family-friendly supercar slayer from £20k

Audi’s C7-generation RS6 may lack ultimate involvement, but it’s still a crushingly effective and desirable super-estate
27 Mar 2025
Performance Link Mazda MX-5 R300 review – an MX-5 with Honda VTEC power
Performance Link Mazda MX-5 R300 – front
Reviews

Performance Link Mazda MX-5 R300 review – an MX-5 with Honda VTEC power

A screaming 296bhp Honda VTEC engine and a full chassis upgrade package turn the NC-generation Mazda MX-5 into something altogether more thrilling
25 Mar 2025