Say bonjour and sacre bleu to Citroen’s wacky new C3 Aircross; the French carmaker’s latest shot at the small SUV sector.
The C3 Aircross replaces the outgoing C3 Picasso MPV and utilises PSA’s EMP2 platform shared with the upcoming Peugeot 2008 and the Opel Crossland X. This means it sits next to the Citroen C4 Cactus, which has push-out rear windows and a more minimalist, utilitarian emphasis.
The C3 Aircross will cross swords with the Nissan Juke, Toyota C-HR, and the Hyundai Kona which was also unveiled today. Linda Jackson, Citroen CEO, said:
“Bringing together all of Citroen’s expertise in cabin space, modular design and comfort, this people-minded SUV stands out in the B SUV-segment with its unique body styling. It has a different mind-set, a source of protection and adventure, consistent with the expectations of customers today.”
Features include 7.0-inch touch-screen, panoramic sliding sunroof, wireless phone charging, a full suite of driver assistance programs such as autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and speed sign recognition. A colour head-up display is also part of the C3 Aircross’s repertoire.
Engines range from a 60kW 1.2 three-cylinder to a 74kW diesel, available with either a six-speed manual or automatic depending on variant.
Scheduled to go on sale in Europe on November 1, there is no word as of yet of the C3 Aircross making its way Down Under, but we will keep you posted.
