With the DS3 Cabrio, your car life will instantly become more enjoyable.

The DS3 Cabrio is a rare convertible car that only Fiat’s 500 uses in 2024, which has a “canvas top” design.

What is a canvas top? Differences from regular DS3

Although it is an open car, the roof is made of fabric, so it can be opened as shown in the image.

I have an NC Roadster, and I can get a feeling of freedom that is comparable to that of the NC Roadster, and I can get it anytime, anywhere with just a switch.

Advantages of canvas top

Canvas tops have many advantages over ordinary convertibles.

The best part is that it can be closed at any time .

I ran for about 2 hours in the intense heat with the outside temperature approaching 40 degrees Celsius, but when it gets cooler, I can open it up and enjoy the breeze, and when I feel like I’m getting burnt by the sun, I can close it and cool off .

by closing the tunnel when it approaches . protect your eardrums You can also

Also, unlike convertible cars, which tend to be embarrassing if you don’t think about where you can open them, people around you won’t notice that you’re open no matter where you open them.

As expected, the feeling of freedom in all directions is a step down from that of a convertible car, but as an NC Roadster driver, I had no complaints at all.

On the contrary, since the NC Roadster with its canopy roof has a variety of comfort issues, the DS3 Cabrio, which has solid practicality and driving stability, seemed to be a complete upward compatible version of the Roadster. I think I’ll probably switch.

As a side note, it has a type of tail lamp that reflects multiple layers on the inside, like the Lexus LC500.

Even though the rear is so beautiful, the front lights have condensation on the inside.

Well, this is common in older cars.

Disadvantages of choosing DS3 for cabrio

mechanical risk

I saw a DS3 Cabrio for sale on Yahoo! Auctions, the only one with a non-moving roof.

The roof is motor-driven, but of course there is a risk of failure. Of course, there is a greater risk of leaks than with a regular roof.

I don’t mind buying it though.

Expensive & low number of balls

The regular DS3 is sold at a bargain price, but the DS3 Cabrio is generally more expensive and less available.

Usability of cargo space and second row deteriorates

It has two doors, just like the DS3, but because of the roof, the trunk opening becomes very narrow and the usability of the second row cargo area ends.

Personally, though, I think the fact that there’s now enough space to fold down the driver’s seat and sleep, and the fact that you can fit people in the second row if you want, makes it a huge improvement for an open car. plus.

Excuse me, but I thought the second row of a car like this would be empty, but when I sat down, I was surprised to find that there was plenty of space.

Although the trunk space itself seems to be inferior to the Roadster, the DS3 Cabrio completely wins in terms of usability as a vehicle.

Dissatisfaction I felt while driving

If it’s too hot, you won’t be able to ride comfortably.

The effectiveness of the air conditioner is quite uneven, so when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius and the sun’s rays are pouring in, the wind from the air conditioner is noisy and does not cool you down at all.

When I open the window, only hot air comes in, and even when I open the roof, I get burned by the sun’s rays and it doesn’t cool me down at all.

Let’s give up during the day on a midsummer day.

Air conditioner air volume setting too far apart

The air volume can be adjusted in eight steps in total, but it is not simply a matter of dividing the minimum to maximum into eight equal parts.

For example, at the 6th stage it is too hot, but at the 7th stage the air volume suddenly becomes noisy.

The actual air volume adjustment is in 4 stages. The air volume is adjusted like a large truck transmission, with 4 stages of high and low.

The design, which resembles the leaves of a four-leaf clover, is interesting, but in the heat of over 30 degrees Celsius, the wind noise becomes too noisy, which is inconvenient.

no cup holder

This DS3 doesn’t have a cup holder for some reason. It is a defect.

It’s actually located at the footwell for the second row behind the center console, but it falls over easily and is no longer usable.

This is the only way to stick plastic bottled drinks.

If it were me, I think I would try to forcefully add more screws.

It doesn’t come with a car navigation system, but it’s difficult to remove because the genuine audio system is half-heartedly linked to the vehicle.

There is a small liquid crystal display on the top of the air conditioner control panel, and a control panel on the bottom.

If this wasn’t divided into upper and lower parts, or if it didn’t work with the in-vehicle system, they could have forcibly cut it off and thrown an external car navigation system into the back.

In this situation, if you want a car navigation system, you have no choice but to use a smartphone holder.

Cup holders and car navigation systems are crap.

By the way, it’s good to be able to connect the genuine audio and Bluetooth, but it was also inconvenient that I had to press the “source” button twice to set up Bluetooth every time I started the engine.

The roof does not close automatically until the end

If you press and hold the button for a long time, the roof will move automatically, but it will stop just before closing.

It opens just as much as the sunroof.

Transmission adapted from left-hand drive specifications

When you saw this, you must have thought, “Left and right are reversed!”

This was developed by Mercedes-Benz with the aim of being the safest way to shift, and everyone started copying it after it expired.

If the left-hand drive version is used as is, the shift pattern may result in an accident.

I don’t really care because I got used to it right away.

Difficult to use because the sticks around the steering wheel are hidden

Perhaps it’s a virtue that they can’t be seen from the front, but the turn signals, wipers, cruise control, and audio stick are all placed toward the back, making them hard to see.

Especially the operation of the cruise control. Instead of moving it up and down, press the button from the back.

It’s not a big deal once you get used to it, but why do you go through such trouble?

Jittery operation of multi-stage transmission

Movement is jerky at low rpm and in the creeping region.

If you are dissatisfied, you have no choice but to go for the manual.

Kickdown action lag

If you push it a little, it will move forward with a pleasant torque, but it will be troublesome when you want strong acceleration.

After you push the pedal down a lot, the acceleration gradually picks up and starts to pick up. It’s uneven and has lag, so it’s hard to ride normally.

If you don’t like this, you have no choice but to ride in manual mode.

Or rather, it was originally a MT-only model…

There’s going to be a fire in the engine room

I want you to see this.

Even though it only has around 10,000km, the sound-absorbing material in the engine compartment is peeling off.

It’s scary because it looks like it might start a fire somehow.

The engine room gets extremely hot

Although the displacement itself is small, the fate of turbo cars is that the engine room gets extremely hot even though it’s not being revved that much.

Burning heat at an alarming level. It gets so hot that I wonder whether I should open the hood every time to cool it down or drill a hole and make a duct myself.

It’s so hot that I feel like I’ll get burned just by opening the hood.

The latch for opening the bonnet is located at the foot of the passenger seat. There’s also a left-hand drive element here.

By the way, the Citroen and Peugeot marks are side by side.

The DS3 Cabrio switched from Citroen to the “DS Automobile” brand midway through, so there’s a simple story that it’s troublesome to search for it using the car sensor.

By the way, the under cover is not installed.

I feel a little behind the generation.

Acceleration from around 150km/h onwards is too slow

Although it is a turbo engine that provides powerful acceleration, it stops accelerating faster than a Prius from around 140km/h.

No matter how much I step on it, the speed doesn’t increase.

Although it has an excellent chassis, it seems that the acceleration performance in the absolute high speed range has become weaker after the engine was changed to a smaller engine.

In practical use, it runs smoothly and smoothly, so I have no complaints, but it’s a shame that the excellent chassis can’t be fully utilized.

Above is an image of the meter, but it has a hole like a two-story rear spoiler.

Also, the hands move like a wristwatch, which is cool, but they are a little small and hard to see.

Actual driving impression

It’s late, but I’ll write down my impression report as usual.

Some of the content will overlap, but I will summarize it here.

overall impression

Contrary to its stylish and elegant appearance, it has the feel of an authentic sports car like a Hachiroku .

Even when riding slowly, you can enjoy the direct ride feel of a sports car and the strong torque.

If you buy it as a sports car and drive it, it’s great because it adds comfort and practicality to the fun of driving, but if you’re looking for a car that’s relaxing and comfortable, you should be careful.

engine

The turbo provides solid torque assistance from the low rotation range, so it accelerates quickly even in the slightest of situations, making it feel very good.

Once you go into acceleration mode, you’ll be pushed forward like a jet engine.

It also has a lively sound like a sports car.

It tends to be sluggish in the high rotation range, but if you consider that it’s an engine with a lot of torque, you won’t have any complaints at all.

If I had to say, I’d say the acceleration performance from around 140km/h onwards is a bit weak.

transmission

The DS3 Cabrio was originally only available with a manual transmission.

An automatic transmission was added as a minor change.

It’s Aisin’s 6-speed AT, so it’s reliable, but it feels strange in its operation in the EV era.

It’s jerky at low speeds, and there’s a lag from kickdown to strong acceleration…

Thank you for just adding Automa.

I think people who care about these things will buy MT.

I would buy an automatic transmission because I want to drive with ease and elegance, but basically it is better to ride the DS3 with a manual transmission.

handling

It’s also sporty.

Basically, the handling is light and easy for both men and women to ride, but the roll converges at an early stage and the vehicle follows smoothly.

The handling makes it fun to drive.

What is surprising is the movement after the middle of cornering, where the turning time is long.

you think, “Is this a mid-engined car?” It has a turning characteristic that makes

It’s lightweight, compact, and has a short overall length, so it has solid turning ability and is fun.

Ride comfort/suspension

You should drive it thinking it’s a sports car.

Basically, it’s on the stiff side, but the reeds move firmly to a certain extent to make it follow the road surface.

It achieves high running stability while still allowing the vehicle to move to the extent that it does not go into unbearable territory.

It’s not as tightly controlled as German cars, but it lowers the speed range and doesn’t sacrifice comfort for everyday driving or long trips.

Overall, I can’t say it’s good, but it’s not at all unpleasant or bad .

By the way, the image above is the front suspension. The front is a strut and the rear is a torsion beam, and although there are no special mechanisms, it is a good setup that balances comfort and stability with a sporty feel.

You can see the beam that connects the left and right sides of the rear.

comprehensive evaluation

The concept of “I want to make a car that drives like this” is clear, so it’s perfect for people who want a sports car that’s not too unpleasant but is tough!

There’s also a manual.

Contrary to its stylish appearance, its authentic driving style betrays everyone’s impression of it.

I’m thinking of switching to this DS3 Cabrio around fall.