Currently reading: 2016 DS 3 - prices and specification revealed

New DS 3 now on sale, priced from £13,995

Prices for the DS 3 hatch will start from £13,995, while the DS 3 Cabrio is priced from £16,295, DS has announced. The French car maker also announced a new range-topping spec, 'Performance Black', which costs £22,495 for the hatchback and is marked out by matt black paintwork and gold highlights.

Read our DS 3 review

Six spec-levels now make up the DS 3 range: entry-level Chic at £13,995, Elegance, starting at £16,395, £19,795 for Prestige, £20,795 for Ultra Prestige, and Performance and Performance Black priced at £20,495 and £22,495 respectively. The DS 3 Cabrio is priced £2300 above the hatchback all the way up the range, with the most expensive DS 3 Cabrio Performance Black priced at £24,795.

Although prices for the DS 3 have increased by £700, sources claim that the price hike reflects higher kit levels, materials and styling. 

The new DS 3 has made a significant step upmarket as part of the French brand’s push into the premium bracket.

The new DS 3 is based upon the same underpinnings as those of its predecessor, of which more than 390,000 examples have been sold globally since it was introduced as a Citroën model in 2010. However, the new DS 3 is a much-changed car, boasting a bold new design, enhanced connectivity and revised engine and transmission options.

The most significant design changes are at the front of the car, which wears the new DS corporate face, with chrome ‘wings’ that extend from a deep-set grille to the swept-back LED headlights. Farther back, the DS 3 retains some of the original car’s distinctive design features, including the floating roof and the shark fin C-pillars.

Topping the range for keen drivers is the DS 3 Performance, a sporty variant powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine that produces 205bhp and 221lb ft and emits 125g/km of CO2. It is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with shorter gear ratios than the standard versions and is also fitted with a Torsen limited-slip differential.

Read our DS 3 Performance review

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The suspension of the DS 3 Performance is lowered by 15mm, while the front and rear tracks have been widened by 26mm and 14mm respectively. It is also fitted with larger 323mm brake discs and Brembo calipers at the front, and 249mm discs at the rear.

The DS 3 Performance gets a raft of styling tweaks including a twin-exit tailpipe, carbonfibre side mouldings, different sill plates and black wheelarch extensions. Inside, there are bucket seats upholstered in leather and Alcantara with ‘DS Performance’ embroidery.

A further six engines are available in the range, consisting of three Puretech three-cylinder, 1.2-litre petrols with 81, 108 and 128bhp, a THP 1.6 four-cylinder petrol with 163bhp and a brace of BlueHDi diesels with 99 and 118bhp outputs. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and there is also the choice of a new automatic transmission.

Read our review of the DS 3 Performance Cabrio

Of this range, the Puretech 130 engine is available in the DS 3 for the first time. It produces maximum power of 128bhp at 5500rpm and peak torque of 170lb ft from 1750rpm. Combined fuel consumption for this engine is 62.8mpg and it produces a competitively low 105g/km of CO2.

The cleanest variant is the DS 3 BlueHDi 100, which produces 99bhp and emits 87g/km of CO2.

Inside, there are new trims and interior design schemes, but the biggest news is an upgrade in technology. The DS 3 gets a new 7in colour touchscreen that provides simpler access to all of the vehicle functions. There’s a simplified central fascia, with 20 fewer buttons. The system has Mirror Screen functionality, meaning compatible apps on a smartphone can be operated via the touchscreen.

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New driver assistance systems include front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and, for cars equipped with a manual gearbox, hill start assist.

The DS 3 Cabriolet features a retractable fabric roof that can be opened and closed at speeds of up to 70mph. The boot volume is unchanged from the previous car: 285 litres in the hatchback and 245 litres in the cabriolet.

As with the previous DS 3, the potential for personalisation is vast: more than three million combinations of roof, body, rear-view mirror housings, dashboard and gear knob can be selected. Customers can choose from 78 body/roof colour combinations for the hatchback and four variations of fabric roof for the cabriolet.

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Comments
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xxxx 1 February 2016

new

Autoharp used the term new 8 times, I'm still not convinced
Fox Terrier 1 February 2016

Dear oh dear oh dear!

The facelift doesn't seem to have gone down too well with Autocar readers if this comments section is anything to go by. And it's not difficult to see why. Just what were Citroen thinking!! I thought Saab's clumsy chrome spectacles on the last facelift of the 9-5 was bad; this takes it to a new level altogether. I actually thought the new Mini was a bit grotesque when it came out but it's actually growing on me. This won't.
MrJ 23 January 2016

How to ruin a design with a

How to ruin a design with a clunky and cumbersome nose job.

Fussy style over elegance is not an echo of the classic Citroen DS.

Do the Citroen suits really think we are convinced?

MrJ 23 January 2016

How to ruin a design with a

How to ruin a design with a clunky and cumbersome nose job.

Fussy style over elegance is not an echo of the classic Citroen DS.

Do the Citroen suits really think we are convinced?