Citroen C3

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At a glance

Who is this car for?

The comfort-first pick for a week in Ulcinj with daily slow-paced detours, Velika Plaža's Roman mosaics, the Krute hamlet above Tivat, the loop back through Pristan.

• Slow-touring couples
• Back-road explorers
• Renters prone to motion sickness

On Ulcinj roads

Behind the wheel

The C3 is the most comfort-biased small hatch you can rent in Montenegro, and on a multi-day Ulcinj hire that bias matters. The Mk3 version fitted with Advanced Comfort dampers uses progressive hydraulic bump stops, the same mechanical principle as the DS7 Crossback, to smother bumps that fidget every other supermini. The 1.2 PureTech 83 hp three-cylinder is slow and works audibly on the Rumija climb, and the five-speed manual has noticeably longer throws than a Clio's. In exchange you get the softest ride in the segment, cloth-upholstered comfort seats, and a cabin that is unusually quiet at the speed-tabled 60 km/h pace of the Pristan-to-Ada Bojana coast road.

On Ulcinj roads

Ulcinj is where the C3's ride quality finds its audience. The patched concrete seams on the dirt-overlaid access track to the central Velika Plaža parking strip slap through a firm-suspension hatchback; the C3 turns them into distant thumps. The cobbled approach in front of Pasha's Mosque, which chatters in a 308, rolls past quietly in a C3. For the wider coast drives, Ulcinj–Bar–Sutomore–Petrovac, the C3 is simply more restful than its rivals over a long week. It is the wrong car for Rumija urgency or for overtaking tour buses on the Sozina climb out of the coast.

Space and load

The 300-litre boot is among the smallest on this Ulcinj roster and the shape is less square than a Clio's. Two cabin-size cases plus a soft weekender fit; a full-size checked case needs a seat folded. Beach gear for two heading to Velika Plaža, towels, snorkels, a small cool-bag, a sun parasol, fits without planning. Hiking kit for a one-day Rumija saddle walk works with one rear seat folded. It is not the boot for a Komovi weekend with serious gear for two, and a family of four's luggage demands a step up to a Megane or 308.

Best journeys for this car

The C3's Ulcinj rental customer is the slow-tempo traveller, the retiree on a month-long Pristan stay who drives short distances daily but never hurries, the photographer basing in Stari Grad whose 200 km days are split across five stops between Stara Maslina, Valdanos and Ada Bojana, the returning visitor whose priority is being comfortable on the back roads rather than fast on the motorway. It also suits travellers prone to motion sickness on winding roads; the long-travel suspension noticeably reduces the head-toss on the 25 Rumija bends and on the descent from Stari Bar back to the coast. It is the wrong car for hurried itineraries or four-up cross-border drives.

Practical notes

Real-world petrol economy is 5.7 L/100 km in mixed driving, slightly worse than a Clio because the Citroën carries a touch more weight and the 83 hp engine has to work harder to maintain coast-road speeds against a summer southerly. The 44-litre tank delivers around 750 km between stops at the Jugopetrol on the Bar road. Parking is easy at 4.0 m, the Tabacina perimeter, the free overflow at the eastern end of Mala Plaža and the Hafiza Hadžibegovića hotel garages all accept it unchanged. The ride-height is conventional hatchback rather than raised; front-wheel drive on all-season rubber is fine year-round on the coast, and chains are legally required for winter Žabljak or Kolašin runs which the 83 hp engine will genuinely struggle with.

The verdict

Pick the C3 when you are renting for at least a week and comfort over every other spec is the priority. Skip it for any trip that values pace, load space, or sustained altitude work, the step up to a Stonic or the rational choice of a Clio answers those briefs better.

Inside the car

• Advanced Comfort Seats
• Bluetooth Audio
• USB Charging
• Lane Departure Warning