Citroen reveals stylish new C3 Aircross

THE new Citroen C3 Aircross has been officially revealed ahead of its arrival in showrooms in November. It’s the latest in a line of French cars to make the transition from MPV to SUV, indirectly replacing the ageing and unfashionable C3 Picasso.

Following the lead of the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, both of which started life as MPVS, the new C3 Aircross ditches the Picasso’s frumpy MPV styling for a desirable SUV body. Citroen insists it will not lose its spacious and modular interior, claiming the new Aircross is a “people-minded SUV” inspired by customers. It’ll rival cars like the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur.

First seen in C-aircross guise at the Geneva Motor Show this year, the concept car has remained almost entirely intact. In fact, the only notable change to the exterior appears to be the removal of Citroen’s Airbumps, which debuted on the C4 Cactus in 2014. The front end, split lights, grille and scuff plates are unaltered, while even the four-spoke wheels are similar. It’s the same story at the rear, where the 3D-effect taillights are near enough unchanged. These pictures also give us our first look at the new badge, while contrasting door mirrors, roof bars and C-pillars complete the look.

Citroen is offering the C3 Aircross with a choice of 90 trim combinations and five interior colour schemes. Inside, there are flashes of colour on the wheel, dash and centre console. Buyers will be able to spec these to their taste, in everything from Metropolitan Grey to Urban Red, as well as ‘Hype Colorado’ – a premium spec with more soft-touch materials and half-leather seats.

A large seven-inch central screen sits within the dash, with a row of chunky buttons below. The air-con, phone and media controls are buried within the infotainment’s sub-menus, just as they are in the Cactus. A rotary Grip Control dial is optional on highspec cars for added traction, while all-season tyres are also included on these trims.

Practicality remains key, and Citroen says the Aircross is the most spacious car in its class. The rear bench slides back and forth, allowing passengers to prioritise boot space or interior room, boosting the load area from 410 litres to 520 litres. Fold them down and the 1,289-litre boot trumps the Juke’s volume by 100 litres. The front passenger seat folds flat, too, to help carry longer items.

A choice of petrol and diesel engines will be offered. The entry model is the Puretech 82 petrol, although a more powerful Puretech 110 is likely to take the lion’s share of sales. A 128bhp version is also available, while two diesels will also appear at launch – the Bluehdi 100 and a Bluehdi 120.

The diesels are manual only, while an EAT6 auto is an option on the Puretech 110. Specs haven’t been announced, but the car is likely to be priced on par with the C3 Picasso and just above the C4 Cactus, with a starting figure of around £15,000.

Trims will be revealed nearer the launch, but the Touch, Feel and Flair specs are expected to be carried over from elsewhere in the range. Options will include a head-up display, Active City Brake and Park Assist. Keyless go and a reversing camera will also feature, as well as wireless phone charging, Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

“C3 Aircross ditches the Picasso’s frumpy MPV styling for a desirable SUV body, but with a spacious, modular interior”