Citroën C3 Pluriel (03-10) - Review

Review by Parkers on
Last Updated: 17 November 2008
The C3 Pluriel is a fairly cheap way of getting into drop-top motoring, offering quirky looks low running costs. The roof has plenty of versatility and can be slid back in sunroof mode, retracted fully for a convertible or the you can even remove the roof bars altogether to turn it into a roadster. However the problem is that this has to be done by hand and there's nowhere to store them on board. Not exactly useful if you're caught out in a shower. It's dull to drive too with overly light steering and vague controls while the interior feels built to a budget with a lack of refinement. In June 2008 the model was given a subtle facelift along with interior tweaks and improved standard equipment levels.
2.5 out of 5

Other Citroën reviews

4 out of 5

Safety

The C3 Pluriel is one of the safest small convertibles around with a four-star Euro NCAP rating - the same as the standard C3. The roof arches and windscreen pillars are reinforced with aluminium and steel respectively, providing roll over protection for all passengers. All models are fitted with ABS, braking assistance and driver, passenger and front side airbags, while there are Isofix anchor points in the rear. The fabric roof is also lined with metal strips to keep thieves at bay.

NCAP Test

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  • Adult Occupant Rating

    4 out of 5

  • Pedestrian Test Rating

    2 out of 5
2 out of 5

Reliability

Owners of early Pluriels have been plagued with roof mechanism issues, leaks and gearbox problems, though later models seem to have overcome these issues. The interior plastics look and feel flimsy, so cabin durability may be an issue.

Car check problem points

Body

Check for roof leaks.

Engine/Gearbox

Issues with the performance and reliability of SensoDrive gearbox.

Other

Plenty of reports from owners of roof and window leaks, especially with early cars. Recalls: defectively assembled brake linkage lever, incorrect tyre pressure labelling on early cars and that for a slow returning accelerator pedal.