• Decent space for four inside
• Boot well shaped and easily accessed
• Interior storage disappoints

As with the original Citroen DS3, if you want this car but are concerned about practicality, the five-door Citroen C3 might be a better choice.

There isn’t much storage in the cabin, though, and cupholders are conspicuous by their absence – the only one you’ll find is located between the front seats, but if you go for the optional armrest then it disappears. The only place you’ve got is the door bins, but they’re shallow in parts and won’t hold as much as you think.

The glovebox is laughably small too – while the lid is of a normal size, opening it reveals half is obstructed by a fuse panel.

The boot matches some of the more spacious, more traditional superminis that aren’t all about style, showing DS hasn’t compromised with its smallest model. You get a 285-litre boot space and 60/40-split rear seats. It’s significantly more practical than either the Vauxhall Adam or MINI Hatch.

There’s a bit of lip to heave things over, and the rear seats don’t fold flat, limiting outright practicality. If you’re used to using the back seats for shopping, the large doors are a bonus but can cause problems in tightly-packed car parks.

DS 3 Safety

• Lowly three-star Euro NCAP rating
• Autonomous emergency braking added
• No other driver assistance tech available

Although the previous Citroen version of this car had a five-star Euro NCAP crash test score when it was tested in 2009, the revised DS 3 hatchback was re-assessed in 2017 achieving just three stars under a tough new set of standards. Child occupancy and a lack of electronic safety systems hampered the result.

The DS 3 gets a couple of features the original Citroen DS3 lacks – low-speed automatic braking, and the SOS and Assistance Pack, which automatically calls emergency services in the event of an accident. No other advanced driver assistance or safety systems are available, though.