Why do I like the Citroen DS3?

I really like the DS3.  Every time I see one go past I smile and say to myself, "wow, what a cute car"!  The fact that I would even consider owning one is what really freaks me out.  You see, I generally don't like French cars.  I don't like their styling, their lack of reliability, their suspiciously cheap prices and the way they tend to depreciate; like melted ice cream.  I also don't like hatch-backs.  So why do I go against all my usual rules on this and like it?

Citroen have really done a great number on this car.  Yes, it might deprecitate fast but it is cheap to being with - finance options start at under £99 a month if you just casually enter a search on google.com -  making it affordable overall.  A similar search for a BMW 1 Series gives you almost double that - £189 per month or above.  But there are many cheap cars out there so that can't be the only reason.

Maybe it is the way it reminds me of a Mini - Citroen offer different coloured roofs just like the Mini.  The styling, silhouette, lights and slant of the A and C pillars is very reminiscent of the Mini too.  Citroen clearly think that by taking the blueprints for a Mini and slightly stertching a few of the corners they will end up with a good looking car.  And, well, they are basically right, actually.  I knew that my teachers were just being closed-minded when they told me not to copy homework (Newton sort of thought the same thing really).

And it is festooned with shark part analogues, making it look mean and macho.  This appeals to the primal, limbic portion of our brain to make the car look thrilling and exciting.  These design details can be seen on other cars; the fin shaped aerials on BMW 5 Series and the shark gill-like side grills on Peugeot 407s.  Must be a good design idea, then.

Yes, the DS3 has good handling and a reasonable engine for the price (even if I would still be worried about the reliability of the unit as time goes on) but this is not what makes me like it.  If I really wanted good handling I would get a roadster, or any of a number of other small hatchbacks; like the better equipped Ford Fiesta, for example.

Really, I dont know the reason why I like them.  It must be because of the complete package, but then again it might be just because of the snazzy looks.  I don't know.  All I do know, is that out of all the other French cars out there that I would never touch, for some reason, the DS3 is the only one that I would actually cough up my own money for.  Maybe.