Citroen C3 Aircross
Citroen India, has made its entry into the Midsize SUV market with the launch of the C3 Aircross, starting at an Introductory price of Rs 9.99 lakhs (Ex-Showroom) for the Base “You” variant. The Citroen C3 Aircross will be available in three variants You, Plus and top of the line Max.
The Prices for the Plus and Top Spec Max variants are yet to be announced. The Bookings for the C3 Aircross are now open with a Token amount of Rs. 25K with the deliveries to start from October 15.
Citroen C3 Aircross: Powertrain Details
Citroen C3 Aircross will be powered by a single, 1.2 Liter Turbo Petrol Engine producing a Peak Power of 110Hp and 190Nm of Paek Torque. This Unit will be mated to a 6 Speed Manual Gearbox. There will not be any Automatic option in the beginning. It’s worth noting that internationally, the C3 Aircross also comes with a 6 Speed Torque Converter Automatic Gearbox, which is expected to be offered on the India Spec model in the future.
Citroen C3 Aircross: Exterior Design
In terms of Design, the C3 Aircross bears Citroen’s signature Chevron Logo integrated into the front Grille and shares signature LED Daytime Running Light with the C3 and eC3 models. Unlike its hatchback counterparts, it sports a distinct front Bumper with Fog Lamps positioned within the Air Intake Housing.
However, it’s important to note that the C3 Aircross uses Halogen Head Lamps, whereas the competition in this Segment, now offers Full LED Head Lamps as Standard. Citroen C3 Aircross rides on 17” ‘Quadratic’ Alloy Wheels and features traditional lift-up Door Handles, in contrast to the modern pull-type Handles seen on models offered by competition.
Citroen C3 Aircross: Interiors
Inside the Citroen C3 Aircross, the Dashboard layout closely resembles that of the standard C3. It boasts a 10.2” Touchscreen Infotainment System with Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The Dashboard also houses a 7” Digital Instrument Cluster with a unique layout compared to the C3 hatchback. The SUV also includes a Front Center Armrest, though it’s attached solely to the Driver’s Seat. Other features to be offered in the Top Spec Trim, include a 4 Speaker with 2 Tweeters, Keyless Entry, Manual AC, Roof-mounted Rear AC Vents and a Reverse Camera.
Citroen C3 Aircross: Safety Features
The C3 Aircross offers three variants: You, Plus and Max, positioning itself in a highly Competitive Segment where it will go head-to-head with eight other models, including the Honda Elevate, Kia Seltos and Maruti Grand Vitara. One notable aspect of its Pricing Strategy will be its aggressive positioning, although it lacks some premium features like a Sunroof, Wireless Charging, Ventilated Seats and 6 Airbags.
But, Citroen C3 Aircross, maintains a strong focus on Safety, offering 2 Airbags as standard, ABS with EBD, ESC, Hill-Hold Assist, TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and Reverse Parking Sensors.
Citroen C3 Aircross: Competition
The Citroen C3 Aircross competes with entry-level variants of several popular Mid Size SUVs in India, including the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and the newly launched Honda Elevate.
It would be interesting to see how Citroen India positions the C3 Aircross in this highly competitive segment. Aggressive Pricing would be the sole saviour for this upcoming Mid Size SUV.
