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Citroen C3 Aircross Review - Quirky French Flair Joins The SUV Fight Club
India's mid-size SUV segment is getting crowded. For a while, it was just the Hyundai Creta and some oversized Mahindra fighting for the hearts and wallets of Indian customers.
These days, this segment is a proper warzone, with almost every carmaker duking it out for a share of the pie. The devil must be ice skating in hell, as even Honda's back in the fight with its version of a boxy SUV.
So what happens when the quirkiest French manufacturer currently operating on Indian soil - Citroen - decides to join the fight? So, does the Citroen C3 Aircross has what it takes to survive the SUV slugfest?
We headed to Chennai and the East Coast Road to drive this quirky French SUV and find just how the Citroen C3 Aircross performs on our roads...
Citroen C3 Aircross Review: Design, Interior, Tech & Practicality - Familiar French Quirkiness At Its Finest
The Citroen C3 Aircross is, at least where its looks are concerned, a stretched C3 hatchback on stilts. However, the C3 Aircross does have its own quirks that differentiate it from its hatchback sibling.
The C3 Aircross SUV, the second vehicle from the firm's C-Cubed formula for India, features the same headlamps and Y-shaped design for the DRLs and upper grille section as the hatchback.
The front design of the Aircross differs from the regular C3. The grille on the C3 Aircross extends lower than on the hatch. The large grille gets split by the section of the bumper housing the registration plate, and even lower down sits a silver faux bash plate and the circular fog lamps.
The sides of the C3 Aircross are a familiar site, and are the best place to observe the SUV's 200mm ground clearance. The flared-out wheelarches play host to the quadratic diamond-cut 17-inch alloy wheels.
The rear of the C3 Aircross SUV too has quite a few quirky bits, including the 3-D C-shaped taillights connected to the Citroen chevrons by black plastic strips, slightly raked rear windscreen and the chunky faux bash plate on the bumper.
Slip into the C3 Aircross and its front seats, and at first glance, you'll want to rub your eyes in disbelief as the dash (in two colours) is nearly identical to the one on the C3 hatch. The 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen is from the hatch, but the 7-inch driver's display is new.
And yes, that touchscreen unit still has hijinks and isn't the best in the segment. Thankfully, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity have you moving and bopping your head to the tunes filtering out of the speakers.
Just behind the heads of those in front sit a set of blowers for the AC setup that brings a lot of smiles to those who love the old Toyota Qualis. And while it keeps you cool, the blower explains the lack of a sunroof.
The front seats are decently padded and offer good back and under-thigh support, but they are too stiff for long drives. It is the same story for the rear seats (or middle row in the 5+2 seater), as the cushioning is not up to the mark.
The seats in the final row on the 5+2 seater variant are for kids, period. Adults will find knee and headroom lacking there. In this configuration, the middle row misses out on an armrest, which can be annoying with only two seated.
The 511-litre boot is the largest in the segment and can carry away a weekend's worth of bags and more. However, in the 5+2, this space does come down slightly. However, folding them into the floor when only carrying five people solves that problem.
The C3 Aircross also sports the French firm's MyCitroen Connect suite of connected features. The suite includes geo-fencing, fuel status checks, one-click and intrusion SOS alerts and others, which add up to 35 in total.
The C3 Aircross comes packed with a host of safety features, which considering that it comes in only one variant, sure is a good thing. The Citroen C3 Aircross sports six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill hold assist, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat anchors, rear-view camera and rear parking sensors.
Citroen C3 Aircross Review: Specs, Dimensions & On The Road Manners - French Turbo Fun For The City
The Citroen C3 Aircross measures 4,300mm long, 1,796mm wide, 1,654mm tall and has a 2,671mm long wheelbase. The SUV's boot ranges from 444 to 511 litres in size, depending on the seating configuration.
The Citroen C3 Aircross draws power from a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 108.4bhp at 5,500rpm and 190Nm of peak torque at 1,750rpm. The engine pairs up with a 6-speed manual gearbox and delivers a mileage of 18.5km/l.
On the move, this engine is a typical old-school turbo unit. Wait a bit, the turbo comes into play at around 2,000rpm, and you'll have good power to the 5,500rpm mark, after which it drops off again. The little turbo nutter is a tractable unit, and in third gear can take you from 20km/h to triple digits with ease.
The throws for the six-speed gearbox aren't too long, allowing you to shift up and down the ratios smoothly. The shifter, combined with the lightweight clutch pedal and steering, ensures moving around in city traffic in the C3 Aircross isn't a chore.
Dealing with bumpy and rutted roads doesn't both the C3 Aircross at all, with the French SUV ironing out the bumps with its softer suspension setup. However, this does come at a cost as the C3 Aircross isn't the best in the bends, with the rather noticeable body roll ensuring that you stay at decent speeds in the corners.
Coming to a halt in the all-new C3 Aircross is a quick affair. The brakes on the Aircross offer bite down well initially and help shed speed quickly, bringing the French SUV to a stop fast.
Citroen C3 Aircross Review: Verdict & Final Thoughts - French Quirkiness In Full Flow
The Citroen C3 Aircross lives up to the French firm's reputation for quirkiness with a wacky blend of features ensuring it stands out in a crowded segment of the Indian car market.
However, Citroen's decision to offer the C3 Aircross in only one 'Max' variant means it could be a hard sell for some customers unless the French firm pulls a fast one when it announces the price tag. Get The Citroen C3 Aircross for its quirkiness and if you can live with them.
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