DS 3 Review 2024

DS 3 At A Glance

2/5
Honest John Overall Rating
A typically left-field take on the small SUV from Citroen’s premium spin-off brand DS.

+Quirky crossover. Petrol-only power. Stylish interior.

-Poor rear visibility. Noisy engines. Small boot. Infotainment system is slow and awkward to use. Top versions are very expensive.

Insurance Groups are between 16–22
On average it achieves 81% of the official MPG figure

DS rebranded this car as the more simply titled DS 3 from its previous DS 3 Crossback name. It remains a compact crossover that competes against the likes of the Ford Puma, French rival the Peugeot 2008, the value-focused Skoda Kamiq, and the Volkswagen T-Roc, which is some set of rivals to deal with. To do this, the DS 3 takes a quirky approach to style while also concentrating more on comfort than most others in this class. Read on for our full DS 3 review.

A rival to the Volkswagen T-Roc and MINI Countryman, the DS 3 is a crossover SUV that should be on your shortlist if you want to stand out from the crowd and feel like you are driving a premium machine. It’s likely to be much rarer than mainstream alternatives, offering quirky styling, eager engines and even an electric version, which is reviewed separately as the DS 3 E-Tense.

In typical DS fashion, the DS 3 is far from flawless. The cabin is cosy, with a slim front windscreen and thick pillars that create quite a snug feel. That said, there’s a reasonable amount of space, but it ranks poorly in the back compared to rivals. 

The standard infotainment screen is the same as that used across other PSA models, and it's a bit frustrating to use. It's slow to operate and having to navigate menus to perform simple tasks such as adjusting the temperature of the climate control quickly becomes annoying. 

The good news, though, is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard even on the cheapest models, meaning you can use apps on your phone for directions rather than use the car's own irritating navigation system.

Buyers can choose from a three-cylinder petrol engine with either 100 or 130PS. The diesel engines have been dropped from the line-up.

The PureTech 130 suits the car well. It’s a little noisy in a typical three-cylinder manner, but that adds to its character. While the entry-level engine is available with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 130 version comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

This is fine for gentle driving but can occasionally be caught out if you plan a sudden overtake or want quick acceleration onto a roundabout. 

Ride quality is on the firm side, especially with larger wheels, but it does feel quite agile for a crossover. Fling it around a corner and it'll respond well enough, although the steering is fairly light and it leans considerably. It's at its best around town where the eager engines add to the fun of darting in and out of traffic.