The SUV space - be it mid-size or compact, is getting quite competitive as almost every mass-market manufacturer offers its product in that segment. The latest one to join the tribe is a relatively new manufacturer, Citroen, with the new C3 Aircross. The brand will bring its mid-size SUV with its C-cubed program next year. C3 Aircross is India's fourth model after C5 Aircross, eC3 and C3. It is based on the CMP platform that also houses its smaller C3 hatchback. Despite having similar design clues to some extent, the significant difference would be the size of the car, as the C3 Aircross measures around 4.4m in length and even has a longer wheelbase of around 2.7mm, which is even longer than the Creta. Citroen C3 Aircross comes with two extra seats for the third row, which compromises boot space. However, one can remove the seats according to their convenience. We are currently testing C3 Aircross in Chennai today, and the detailed review will be out soon. So, stick to the TopGear website for the detailed report.
The C3 Aircross currently has only one engine and powertrain option. The 1.2- litre turbo petrol engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, puts out 108bhp of power and 190 Nm of torque. The automatic transmission option will be made available later. The company claims the C3 Aircross has an 18.5 km/l of ARAI-certified fuel economy. Comparing the efficiency figures, it stacks between MS Grand Vitara (21.1km/l) and the segment favourite Hyundai Creta (16.8km/l). Upcoming Honda Elevate has ARAI-claimed numbers of 16.1km/l.
C3 Aircross will be launched soon, and bookings will commence in September, and the deliveries will be made in October. I suspect the prices would be competitive and could rival the top-spec versions of sub-4m compact SUVs like Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV 300 and Maruti Brezza, along with the established mid-size SUVs from Koreans and Germans.
