Seven-seater mobility in an affordable compact crossover is rather hard to come by these days. However, Citroën has just introduced the C3 Aircross and it ticks all the right boxes – it’s versatile, practical, attractive, and represents great value for money.
The additional seating capacity makes the C3 Aircross one of only a few seven seaters at the price point while still offering attention-grabbing design, great performance, and the latest technology to make it much more than just a practical SUV. It is also available in a five-seat configuration.
The overall design
The attractive, muscular design of the C3 Aircross is the first thing that will catch your eye. Standout features include 17-inch alloy wheels, an assertive front face with a high bonnet, wide track width, a Y-shaped lighting signature and a double grille with lower skid plate to deal with varying road conditions and maximise cooling.
When viewed from the side, the muscular wheel arches and protective cladding emphasise the adventure-ready personality of the C3 Aircross, as does the 200mm ground clearance. The wide C-pillar adds strength to the body, while neat rear quarter windows add to the feeling of light and space for passengers. Windows and long rear doors enhance the feeling of height, light, and visibility, and allow easy access to the rear rows of seats.
There are four exterior colour options and six dual-tone roof combinations to choose from. And the good news is that metallic paint and the dual-tone roof option are included in the recommended retail price!
Comfortable, practical and versatile
The new C3 Aircross is manufactured in India and was developed for warm climates and harsh roads. In addition, it was tested extensively in South Africa to ensure it meets local driving conditions. Moreover, Citroën went to great lengths to ensure that all occupants are comfortable, and its list of standard equipment and technological features is not to be sneezed at.
The newcomer is quite roomy. The five-seat version offers adequate knee room for rear seat passengers and a 444-litre boot makes sure nothing gets left behind. The seven-seater version adds intelligent modularity for multiple uses, including a third row of two individual seats. These can be folded down or removed individually when the family needs to balance room for passengers with up to 511 litres of boot capacity. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be stuck in one of those third-row seats on extended trips, but for kids it will do just fine.
The seats are comfortable though, and a unique ventilation module mounted into the roof panel ensures all passengers are comfortable on those hot South African summer days. Thoughtful storage solutions throughout include cup holders that double as smartphone holders and USB ports.
The instrument panel features a unique soft-touch grain across the middle. A 10-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dash provides access to key infotainment and connected services, including Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Loads of fun to drive
The launch route took us around Gauteng on mostly tar roads and I was impressed by just how much fun the C3 Aircross is to drive. It’s nippy and very manoeuvrable and overtaking can be done with confidence.
This is mainly thanks to Citroën’s 1.2-litre tubocharged PureTech three-cylinder engine, which delivers 81kW at 5 500r/min and 205Nm of peak torque between 1 750r/min and 2 500r/min. Mated to a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission, the C3 Aircross delivers a combined cycle-fuel consumption of 6.3l/100km.
Plenty of safety features
Standard safety specification includes front airbags, ABS, EBD, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) on the turbocharged versions, a tyre pressure monitoring system, hill-hold assist, rearview camera and park distance control. It’s also worth mentioning that the underbody structure and approach angles have been engineered to ensure that New C3 Aircross SUV can tackle rough and uneven road surfaces with ease
Added peace of mind
If you buy a Citroën C3 Aircross you get the added benefit of the Stellantis WePledge programme which includes:
- Mobility guarantee for vehicles under warranty with OE parts and technical diagnostic unavailable within 48 hours.
- Security detail dispatched on request for people feeling unsafe in area of breakdown.
- Mobility guarantee for vehicles under warranty awaiting OE parts and OE technical support after 30 days at an approved repairer.
- Accident repair quality check certificate to assure manufacture standard.
Model line-up & pricing:
- Citroën C3 Aircross MAX 1.2T 6AT: R344 900
- Citroën C3 Aircross MAX 1.2T 6AT 7-seater: R354 900
*All C3 Aircross models are sold with a 5-year/100 000km warranty and a 4-year/60 000km service plan.
