Citroen C3 Origin - Reliability and safety

Entry-level versions of the Citroen C3 Origin still get a good amount of safety equipment as standard, including lane-departure warning, speed sign recognition, LED headlights, six airbags and two ISOFIX mounting points. Top-of-the-range Max models are fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), driver attention alert, collision risk alert and Intelligent Beam headlights.

The C3 (as it was known before the name change to C3 Origin) achieved a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2017. That rating has since expired due to the testing criteria having gotten much tougher, so you might want to turn to newer rivals if safety is your primary concern, such as the Volkswagen Polo, which received a five-star rating in 2022 under more stringent criteria.

The Mk3 Citroen C3 (essentially the same car as the C3 Origin) came a respectable 17th out of 50 cars in our 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, ahead of the VW Polo and Vauxhall Corsa. 

The Citroen brand has been rising up through the ranks over the last few years. The manufacturer finished 13th out of 29 manufacturers in 2022's best brands poll, improving to 11th spot out of 32 in the 2023 results.

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Warranty

There’s nothing particularly special about Citroen’s warranty; it lasts for three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes soonest. This is just about standard for the industry, but some rivals – notably offerings from Kia, Hyundai and Toyota – offer much longer cover, at up to seven years in Kia’s case, and up to 10 years and 100,000 miles for Toyota.

You get one year of free Citroen roadside assistance as part of the package.

Servicing

The servicing intervals on the C3 are as conventional as its warranty; it requires maintenance every year or 12,500 miles, and Citroen offers a simple service plan for customers to help spread the cost.