We travelled to Gauteng to get a taste of the new Indian-built Citroen C3 Aircross. Will this keenly priced small crossover bolster the French brand’s standing in our market?

When you consider its tiny share of SA’s new-vehicle market, it’s hard to believe that the Stellantis Group is the world’s 3rd-largest car maker. Despite offering great products from European giants (Peugeot and Citroen), as well as the American brand Jeep, Stellantis’ monthly local sales figures pale in comparison to those of other manufacturers – not only legacy brands, but some of the Chinese newcomers as well.

There are various reasons for Stellantis’ slow sales in Mzansi. Some of the Group’s products could be better priced – importers are more at the mercy of the Rand’s exchange rate than local manufacturers, but Stellantis is not unique in that regard. Perhaps it has more to do with weak brand cachet – too many customers have been disappointed by “back, gone and back again” Citroen and have simply moved on.

“Citroen is making another comeback, but why should it succeed now?”, you may ask, but Stellantis SA has credible reasons to be optimistic about winning back some market share with the new C3 Aircross.

Not only does the newcomer compete in the hugely popular, even if tightly-contested, small crossover (compact family car) segment – it comes to market at a more affordable price point than its predecessor.

Allied with the aggressive pricing strategy adopted by Stellantis SA, the Citroen C3 Aircross is notably larger than its rivals (including Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Haval Jolion, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger), so expect the model to raise a few eyebrows!

What’s on offer?

The launch line-up comprises 2 derivatives, with a lower-spec, entry-level Plus variant (powered by a 61 kW/108 Nm naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine) joining the range towards the end of 2024.

For now, the Citroen C3 Aircross is available in Max 1.2T 5-seat or 7-seat configurations, both in automatic guise. We’re well acquainted with the model’s 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbopetrol motor and in this application, it produces commendable peak outputs for the small crossover/compact family car segment.

With 81 kW and 205 Nm driving the wheels through a 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, the pair of Max 1.2T 6AT variants share a claimed average fuel consumption figure of 6.3 L/100 km.

We’ll be mentioning price a few times in this piece, so brace yourself. You’d think that in a new vehicle that is priced around R350k, you would get a sparsely equipped cabin, but this is far from the case.

The C3 Aircross Max 1.2T 6AT comes reasonably well-appointed but some customers may find the lack of cruise control, a wireless charging pad and sunroof disappointing. Adding those items would have pushed the car’s pricing up and probably ruined the Citroen’s value proposition, it needs to be said.

Still, there’s a neat 10-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 7-inch instrument cluster, a reverse-view camera with park-distance sensors, aircon, steering wheel controls and, in the 7-seater we drove, and we counted no fewer than five USB ports dotted around the cabin.

If you’re looking for hard evidence that some items have been omitted to help keep the price down, you’ll find it in the safety department. Basic features, such as electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-hold assist, tyre pressure sensors and two airbags are provided, but adding additional airbags or some form of semi-autonomous emergency braking would have pushed the model’s price up considerably.

The cabin has a pleasant ambience, is neatly designed (with just enough French flair) and the interior feels reasonably well screwed together. There are some scratchy hard plastics in some places, but that can be said of virtually every model that is offered at the all-important budget end of this segment.

We spent most of our time behind the ‘wheel of a 7-seat derivative, which has a curious setup. With its 5+2 seat configuration, there’s very little space in the load bay to speak of, but when the 2 rearmost seats are not needed, they can be removed to free up 510 litres of utility space, which is handy.

With a wheelbase of 2 671 mm and an overall length of 4 323 mm, the Citroen C3 Aircross is one of the biggest vehicles in its class and you’re unlikely to be disappointed with the cabin space that it offers.

What’s the Citroen C3 Aircross like to drive?

Our launch at Gauteng altitude highlighted just how effective this engine is, both in terms of driveability and efficiency. See, most of the Citroen C3 Aircross’ rivals are naturally aspirated and will lose about 17% of their peak power output because they operate in the thinner air upcountry. A turbocharged powertrain is far less affected by altitude-related loss and as a result, will not disappoint in terms of performance.

While Citroen did not state performance figures for the new model, we were impressed with the Indian-built C3 Aircross’ off-the-line and in-gear acceleration. The engine’s power delivery is smooth and its responses to inputs are pleasingly prompt. Coupled with the well-calibrated, smooth-shifting auto ‘box, the Max 1.2T is not found wanting in that department. As a bonus, the motor emits a pleasant rumble.

As far as the driving experience is concerned, it’s a different matter. Older Citroen models are renowned for having comfy – no, deeply cossetting – ride qualities (we still have fond memories of the C5 Aircross), but the C3 Aircross doesn’t quite live up to that legacy. Yes, those 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in plump rubber, but the ride never really settles into that ultimate comfort that Citroen is renowned for.

But considering the C3 Aircross’ pricing (R344 900 to R354 900 in July 2024), expectations need to be managed; it’d be unfair to judge the crossover’s damping harshly. For what it’s worth, the launch route included some badly degraded roads and our test unit coped with the harsh broken tarmac fairly well.

The C3 Aircross is being marketed as a small family SUV that will occasionally travel on dirt roads. To that end, it has an impressive ground clearance of 200 mm and, with approach/departure angles of 20.5 and 25 degrees respectively, it should have more than enough talent to hop onto (or over) kerbs.

Unsurprisingly, the steering setup is quite light, but that’s par for this segment. Again, prospective buyers won’t expect a direct, engaging setup with lots of feel, but at this price point, it’s more than acceptable.

Then there’s the fuel economy. Even though we occasionally required the C3 Aircross’ powertrain to work quite hard to execute brisk overtaking manoeuvres along the route, our test unit’s trip computer readout never eclipsed 7.5 L/100 km. Once, while driving on the highway, we saw it drop to 6.1 L/100 km.

How much does the new C3 Aircross cost in South Africa?

The new C3 Aircross is sold with a 5-year/100 000 km warranty and a 4-year/60 000 km service plan. Stellantis SA also guarantees that it will provide an owner with a courtesy car if their vehicle is in the dealership for longer than a certain period.

Verdict

We expect that the C3 Aircoss will quietly become Citroen’s bread-and-butter model over the next few months and it’s easy to see why. As a reminder, the outgoing Spanish-built C3 Aircross is smaller and retails for substantially more money. This newcomer is bigger and undercuts its Euro sibling with ease.

The Citroen C3 Aircross does have its faults, yes, but at this price, they’re not deal-breakers. With prices starting from R345k, the model does far more right than wrong. It has a punchy yet efficient powertrain, delivers an acceptable driving experience, and comes equipped with a sufficient number of features to satisfy most customers shopping in this segment of the market. We’ll observe its progress keenly.