Citroen C3 Pluriel

Three-door hatch meets roll-top sunroof meets full convertible. The Citroen C3 Pluriel is weird. And even after a few years on sale, we’re not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing.

• Comfort

  There's a bit of wobble through the structure on tarmac with acne, but really you're talking about slow and sedate with a bit of wind-in-the-hair action. The roof is fiddly and slightly annoying even though the idea is a good one.

  

• Performance

  Only one model with the Pluriel: a 1.6 petrol with 83kW. Not particularly brisk to 100km/h (12.6 seconds) but the Pluriel is more about cutesy cruising than outright speed. The ‘Sensodrive' semi-auto on the larger-engined version is a bit last-generation now.

  

• Cool

  Slightly more cool than a wart. Unless you're 18.

  

• Quality

  Similar to the C3 in quality terms, could be better, could be worse. Plastics aren't the best in the world, but Citroen builds to a budget and that's why you can afford it in the first place so you can‘t complain.

  

• Handling

  The Pluriel is C3-based but feels more nautical, probably in an effort to mitigate the roof chop and resulting lack of structural integrity. Though it's in no way bad for a front-drive hatch-cum-tent, you won't be making too many spirited attacks on local hairpins.

  

• Practicality

  Technically seats four people, but space in the back is tight and the boot is tiny at 137 litres. That proves to be a problem when you want that full convertible feeling; the huge removable roof bars can't be stored anywhere in the car, so they have to be left at home. Then you can't put up the roof without the bars, so you get wet if it rains.

  

• Running costs

  Gets 6.6L/100km. Should be no more cumbersome to run than the equivalent hatchback.