It would be a dull world indeed if every car looked the same and few would disagree that Citroen has of late embraced this concept more comprehensively than most. Hot - or at least warmly - on the heels of the C3 supermini comes the C2, a three-door hatchback that blends convention with originality in a cheeky but functional package.

On sale from 19th September in the UK, the C2 uses the same running gear as C3 - though the wheelbase is 150mm shorter - and is built at PSA's Aulnay-sous-Bois plant to the north of Paris. It will sell alongside the C3 and C3 Pluriel and will equip Citroen with C2, C3, Xsara and C5 and C8, as well as Xsara Picasso and Berlingo Multispace as its mainstream offerings for the fleet sector.

With many fleets adopting a "no three-door " policy the C2 is likely to be shut out in certain quarters, but its size and frugality - together with Citroen's aggressive discounting policy in the UK - will undoubtedly bring it to the attention of user choosers and those with essential-user cars in local authorities and the health sector. A cashback offer has already been announced and there's also a year's free insurance on the VTR, so expect generous fleet terms.

There will be a choice of power plants at launch - three petrol and one diesel. The petrol units are 1.1 litre, 1.4 litre and 1.6 litre producing 61bhp, 75bhp and 110bhp respectively. Also offered is a 1.4-litre HDi common rail diesel producing 70bhp and delivering 111lb.ft of torque at 1750rpm. It's an inoffensive unit, though it is hard to understand why Citroen have not employed a more potent diesel unit when the car clearly sets out to capture a young-at-heart market. The diesel will have CO2 emissions of a miserly 108g/km of CO2, though UK company car drivers will still face an additional three per cent tax levy as it does not currently meet Euro IV emissions standards.

At 68.9mpg on the combined cycle, the HDi posts impressive fuel consumption figures while the petrol variants also impress at 47.88mpg for the 1.1, 46.31mpg for the 1.4 and 44.84mpg for the 1.6. CO2 emissions for the petrol engined cars are 141g/km, 146g/km and 151g/km respectively. Performance figures in the 0-62mph sprint range from 14.4 seconds in the 1.1 to 10.9 seconds in the 1.6, with the diesel in the middle at 13.5 seconds.

Top speed in the VTR is 122mph and it handles as you would expect from the Saxo VTR's replacement. Taut steering, an extremely composed ride and plenty of grip in bends are the vital ingredients when appealing to young buyers. However, transmission options are a little curious, with both the 1.4i and the overtly sporting 1.6-litre VTR available only with Citroen's SensoDrive semi-automatic transmission.

Steering wheel-mounted paddles control the up and down shifts, or it can be operated in full automatic mode. However, there is a pronounced pause and momentary deceleration in the up-shift and many drivers will be acutely aware of the sidelong glance of their passengers as they attempt to introduce a little smoothness into their gear changes. Most would make a better fist of it with a conventional manual gearbox.

Inside, the C2 offers accommodation for four passengers rather than the conventional five, with two individual seats in the rear, which can slide forwards and backwards or be folded for additional luggage space. The tailgate also opens in two sections. Load volume with all four seats in place is a mere 193 litres, rising to 879 litres with the rear seats folded. The use of interior space is clever and both rear seats can be removed to provide extra stowage space.

Citroen executives were keen to present the C2 as a potential tourer, but these dimensions suggest that it will be more at home in the city than on the open road. Inside, the C2 carries on the C3's funky theme, with bold use of colours and trim materials, while the fascia is carried over from the C3.

Prices start at £6,995 for the 1.1i L including a £500 cashback, and rise to £10,995 for the 1.6 VTR*.

Verdict:

C2 is certainly stylish and drivers can expect to stand out from the crowd in a way that few rivals can offer. Three doors and four seats may make it marginal in fleet terms, but the low price will appeal to user-choosers who do not face too many long journeys. SensoDrive on the VTR is too slow for the rally-style description used by Citroen, but the handling of the hot hatch certainly makes for an entertaining drive.

Tech spec:

Citroen C2 1.6 VTR

OTR Price £10,995
Cyl/cc 4/1587cc
Max power 110bhp @ 5750rpm
Max torque 108lb.ft @ 4000rpm
Top speed 123mph
0-62mph 10.9secs
Combined MPG 44.8mpg
CO2 emissions 151g/km

*(Editor Note: Ross Durkin was covering the British segment of the International Press launch for IrishCar.Com this week. No prices or specifications are yet available for Ireland.)