IF THE idea of getting five cars for the price of one sounds too good to be true, that's probably because it is.

Citron claims that its C3 Pluriel is a hatchback, panoramic hatchback, open-top, cabriolet and pick-up all rolled into one. What is it? A Transformer?

While the metamorphosis from hatch to cabriolet is bona fide, you're a better man than I if you can detect any discernable difference between the panoramic hatch and open-top stages of evolution.

Similarly, isn't "pick-up" simply "cabriolet" with the tailgate down?

Then there's the issue of functionality. To call the process of removing the Pluriel's roof tricky is like calling Siberia a bit chilly or Celebrity Big Brother's Bez confused - a whopping understatement.

The folding canvas hood is straightforward enough as it is operated by an electrical dial above the driver's head. But thereafter things get trickier.

To go from panoramic to full-on open-top you need to be an expert in both the Japanese art of origami and heavy engineering.

And that's before you come to the point where the roof arches need to be removed.

This isn't too complicated to master, but once removed they'll have to stay in the shed because there's no room in the car. This isn't a problem if you live in the south of Spain, but if you live in Southend...

While the Citron bods use phrases such as "easily removed" to describe the C3's multi-faceted lid, the fact that there is an operation leaflet secreted in the boot tells a different story.

There are many high-tech and complex roof solutions on the market at present, but none that elicit such frequent referral to the instruction manual.

The unfortunate thing is that once the roof is wound back/concertinaed/removed (delete as applicable) the Pluriel is actually a great deal of fun. For the price of a standard family hatchback you can enjoy the wind in your hair and the bugs in your teeth, while at the same time getting decent fuel economy.

The cabin is a nice place to be as well, with body-coloured plastic trim, a two-tone dash and comfortable seats creating a nice ambiance.

Front passengers are offered plenty of legroom and space to move around.

It's a different story for those in the back, however, who suffer as a result of the proportionally large boot (in a car of this length there isn't room for a large boot and rear legroom).

Not only is the 1.4-litre HDi powerplant frugal, it also has enough shove to keep keener drivers entertained.

It's no open-top roadster, but most of the torque is available at under 2,000rpm, which makes it ideally suited to town driving or scooting along winding back roads.

However, this does nothing to alleviate the problem of body quiver while negotiating cobbled streets or pock-marked roads.

As a bit of fun for the weekend or simply a hatchback with a full-length sunroof, they don't come much more attractive.

For more information on the Citron C3 Pluriel, contact Viking Citron on 01256 697801 or log on to www.viking.citroen.co.uk