Body & electrics

The three-door body featuring a ‘floating roof’ and what Citroën referred to as a ‘shark’s fin’ B-pillar was certainly distinctive, but the designer’s good work could easily be undone by the choice of colour. Not all of the thirty eight body and roof combinations were entirely tasteful, so the less extrovert were best sticking with the likes of red or yellow with a white or black roof.

As for the Cabriolet, that was essentially a full-length canvas sunroof (the roof rails and pillars remained in place) that could be operated at up to 75mph and closed in just sixteen seconds.

All DS3S were safe, though, with a five-star EURONCAP rating, Isofix rear seat mounts and six airbags. But colour choices aside there’s little to worry about today, so panels and bumpers just need a check for the usual battle scars along with peeling graphics and vinyl trim. Some early examples suffered with patchy paint quality but this should have been attended to under warranty, and ensure the Cabrio roof is undamaged, leak-free and operates smoothly.

As for the inside, it wasn’t quite as funky as the MINI or Fiat 500 but it was still a pretty stylish place to be. The various colour combinations added visual interest, and alongside some novel touches (such as an integrated air-freshener) the seats and dashboard had been designed to maximise interior space.

Passengers were certainly less cramped than in aforementioned rivals while the boot offered a useful 285 litres, expanding to 980 litres with the 60/40 split rear seat folded (the Cabrio had a still-handy 245 litres and a clever tailgate mechanism for easy access).

A few cheap-feeling plastics aside the cabin itself boasted broadly decent material and build quality but it’s inevitable that the earliest cars might be showing signs of worn seat bolsters and scuffed trim, and it’s worth ensuring that everything works and there’s no evidence of water ingress.

Faults with electric windows and infotainment systems are the main causes of complaint, but a thorough check of the gadgets is wise.

Lastly, DS3S had a key fob that matched the body colour – it might not mean anything sinister if it doesn’t, but worth asking the owner about all the same.