KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Citroen C3 Aircross is the only mid-size SUV from the Frech automaker in India
- The C3 Aircross comes with a 1.2-litre turbo-charged petrol engine
- Comes with a price range of Rs 9.99 lakh to Rs 14.33 lakh (ex-showroom)
The French carmaker Citroen launched its first mid-size SUV, the Citroen C3 Aircross for the Indian market in September 2023. The C3 Aircross was launched in the highly competitive mid-size SUV market with an attractive price tag of Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The brand initially launched the manual transmission version and earlier this year the brand launched the automatic transmission variant as well. The Citroen C3 Aircross comes with its own set of positives and negatives. In this article, we'll have a look at the pros and cons of the C3 Aircross mid-size SUV. Moreover, you can be a part of our 91Wheels WhatsApp channel to get the latest auto updates.
Watch the detailed video of the Pros & Cons Citroen C3 Aircross below.
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Pros
Design
Citreon C3 Aircross is based on the same platform as the C3 hatchback. Along with sharing the platform, it also shares some design elements with the smaller C3. The design of C3 Aircross gives it a bold look and a bigger stance. The brand has used curves and creases on the side profile which looks good, the contrast colour on the bumper, and ORVM with the dual-tone option looks premium. The rear of the SUV gets curvy tail lamps which also look good on the SUV and enhance its rear profile. The glass on the C-pillar is designed to blend with the rear windshield, creating a wraparound effect. The side profile also gets a muscular design for the 17-inch alloy wheels.
Dimensions & Interior Space
The C3 Aircross is the widest SUV in its segment with a width of 1,796 mm. It is also the highest SUV among its rivals with a height of 1,669 mm. With the width and height, the SUV feels bigger and offers good space on the inside. It comes with a wheelbase of 2,671 mm which is again one of the longest in the segment. It comes in 5 and 7-seater configurations. The interior of the SUV offers immense room on the front as well as on the second row. Moreover, the third row feels a bit cramped for adults.
The C3 Aircross comes with 5+2 Flexi Pro seating as well which adds to the practicality of the cabin. With the Flexi Pro seat version, the owner can remove the third-row seats individually to create more space in the back. The boot space of the C3 Aircross is 444 liters in the 5-seater variant and 511 liters in the 5+2 variant.
Ride & Handling
Citroen C3 Aircross is one of the most sorted SUVs in terms of ride and handling. The suspension is tuned in a way that will offer you immense comfort inside the cabin. It absorbs almost all the undulations of the road with ease. The 17-inch wheels also help in offering good ride quality. The suspension tuning and damping is well suited for your daily runs and it offers a comfortable ride throughout. On highways, it tends to bounce up a bit but that too is manageable. The handling of the SUV is also tuned well, like the C3 hatch the steering response is well tuned, it feels light if you are driving in the city at lower speeds, it weighs up at higher speeds, and gives you confidence.
Peppy & Fuel-Efficient Engine
Citroen has equipped the C3 Aircross with a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 110 PS of power and torque ranging from 190 Nm (MT) to 205 Nm (AT). Now, if we look at the rivals, they offer a bigger engine but the edge C3 Aircross has is the peppiness and fuel efficiency. The turbocharged engine gives some vibrations when at idle because of the three-cylinder configuration but when it gains speeds and revs up the vibrations are well-managed. The engine gives a good initial pull, the SUV crawls in traffic without any accelerator input, the middle-range performance is strong, and the high range will not disappoint you either. The efficiency of the engine is also decent, it gives a claimed mileage of 17.6 kmpl with the 6-speed torque converter AT gearbox and 18.5 kmpl with the MT gearbox. The AT in the real world gives a mileage of around 15-16 kmpl on highways and the MT gives near about 16-17 kmpl.
Only Mid-Size SUV With Removable Third Row Seating
The C3 Aircross is the only SUV in its segment to come with a 5+2 seating configuration. The brand calls it a Flexi Pro seating configuration, with this configuration customers can get a more practical cabin. The third-row seats are easily removable and can be removed separately according to the needs of the owner. It can be turned into a 7-seater, a 6-seater by removing only one seat from the third row, and a 5-seater by removing both third-row seats.
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Cons
Fewer Features As Compared To The Rivals
The Citroen C3 Aircross falls short in terms of feature offerings. The SUV comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital instrument cluster, and connected features, among some other features. However, it misses out on a lot of features as compared to its rivals such as a sunroof, ventilated seats, automatic climate control, centre armrest, electrically foldable ORVMs, LED headlamp, auto-dimming IRVM, six-airbags, and others. Even the top-spec variant does not get any of these features.
Bit Overpriced Considering The Feature Offering
The feature offering on the Citroen C3 is not as appealing as its rivals. Considering the features, the SUV feels overpriced for the top model which costs Rs 14.33 lakh (ex-showroom). Some of its rivals like the KIA Seltos, Hyundai Creta, MG Astor, and others offer more features in the mid-spec variants which come nearly at a similar price tag as the top model of the C3 Aircross. This is one disappointment that can deter some buyers.
Cabin Ergonomics Could Have Been Better
The cabin of the C3 Aircross is well laid out but some elements are not ergonomically well. For instance the ORVM control is given on the lower right hand side of the steering column which needs some effort and time to get in your muscle memory. To adjust the ORVMs, you need to reach out to the control switch to control your ORVM, the placing of this control switch on the door pad would be a good addition. Secondly, the door pad on the driver side only gets the control for front windows and the rear window controls are placed in the centre area behind the handbrake lever, this ins another ergonomic issue which might create bit inconvenience for some owners. Moreover, the SUV currently has only a driver's side armrest. Adding a center armrest instead would be a welcome improvement.
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Verdict
The Citroen C3 Aircross is one of the most mechanically sorted mid-size SUV available in the Indian market. It does fall short on features but it offers good space, good ride and handling, and a big boot space. If you are someone who don't prioritize features in your car but want a mechanically sorted SUV, the Citroen C3 Aircross should be in yout considerations.
