All the engines in the DS3 range are economical and even the top 1.6-litre THP emits just 155g/km of CO2 – impressive for a turbocharged engine with 150bhp. Citroen DS3 emissions are obviously better with the diesels: all three engines emit less than 120g/km of CO2, but special mention goes to the zero-rated VED models with less than 99g/km – look for e-HDi or BlueHDi versions.

It looks sporty, but Citroen DS3 running costs are among the most affordable. Already good value to buy, all the engines return strong fuel economy – the HDi units being especially frugal – and are inexpensive for routine maintenance, though major repairs can be expensive. Timing belt intervals on diesel and 1.2-litre models are generous at 10-years or 120,000 miles.

Insurance rates are low – the entry-level 1.4-litre DSign is group 12, so insurance quotes should be competitive even for younger drivers (the DS3 was selected by many driving schools). Citroen servicing is affordable too, although the dealers don’t have a great reputation for quality and often perform badly in owner satisfaction surveys.

Citroen DS3 reliability

More often than not, this has been the weak link in Citroen cars, but the firm made significant efforts to improve its fairly poor reputation for reliability and build quality. Citroen DS3 reliability has largely been impacted by issues with the Prince petrol engine timing gear and teething troubles with the early 1.2-litre: it certainly feels more robust than previous Citroens, especially inside.

Not an indication of reliability, but a sign that some components may not be up to spec, the Citroen DS3 has been subject to 29 recalls in the UK. These don’t affect every year and model, but include degraded timing belts on the 1.2-litre so it’s important that the work has been carried out. From July 2023 outstanding recalls may be shown on the printed MOT certificate as well as at the bottom of the online MOT history check.