Naza Euro Motors recently unveiled the highly anticipated Citroen DS3 in Malaysia priced at RM117,888 (on-the-road).
The DS3 was first previewed at the Kuala Lumpur Motor Show 2013 (KLIMS’13) and is the third model after the Citroen DS4 and Citroen DS5 to be launched by Naza Euro Motors following its appointment as the official distributor for Citroen in Malaysia in January last year.
With razor sharp styling and a visually-arresting design, the Citroen DS3 is a radical take on the compact urban vehicle and a contemporary breath of fresh air for the class.
Under the hood, the Citroen DS3 is powered by a 1.6-litre VTi 120 automatic petrol engine that produces 120 hp and 160 Nm of torque.
The front suspension is fitted with Macpherson Struts while the rear suspension is fitted with a flexible traverse beam. Other features include automatic illumination of Headlamps, LED daytime running lights, electro chrome rear view mirror, electrically folding and heating door mirrors and automatic digital air-conditioning.
From all angles, the Citroen DS3’s undeniable on-road presence and refreshing style is evident with stand-out elements such as the ‘shark fin’ B-pillar and sleek design of the front LED lights. An especially cutting-edge style choice are the seven available bi-tone roof colours that match the door mirrors with chrome base and are offset by chrome side rubbing strips. There are even multiple colours for the key fobs, colour-coded according to the car.
A cockpit-inspired driving position puts the driver firmly in control with a sports-styled instrument cluster featuring three conical dials, small-diameter wheel and low-slung, body-hugging seats. The Citroen DS3 delivers a nimble driving experience with a turning circle of around 10m also making it a surefooted companion for manoeuvring around cramped urban environments.
For comfort, the Citroen DS3 is equipped with a sophisticated HiFi audio system with an additional, third speaker located in the middle of the upper dashboard and an amplified subwoofer in the boot, an MP3- and WMA-compatible CD player, Bluetooth hands-free kit and Mistral Claudia leather seats.
The Citroen DS3 also boasts among the largest boot in its class at 385-litres, and for additional load capacity the 60:40 split-fold rear bench can be tumbled forward in a single, effortless movement.
Safety-wise, the Citroen DS3 is fitted with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Brake Assist (EBA) as standard on all models as well as an Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Passive safety is also top-level, with six airbags, three-point seat belts and ISOFIX anchor points in the rear side seats all fitted as standard.
The Citroen DS3 gets a range of driving aids, such as a cruise control/speed limiter and a gear change indicator that recommends gear changes to save on fuel and cut emissions. The Citroen DS3 was awarded a maximum five-star rating from the Euro NCAP crash safety test.
The Citroen DS3 comes with 17-inch Bellone black Diamond-tipped alloy wheels and is available in Red Rouge Rubi with Black Top, Red Rouge Rubi with White Top, White Blanc Banquise with Black Top, White Blanc Banquise with Blue Top, Black Noir Perla Nera with White Top, Blue Belle with White Top and Yellow Jaune Pegase with Black Top.
