Citroen C3 Aircross
Stylish crossover driven on UK roads for the first time
CITROEN’S line-up became a little more crowded with the C3 Aircross. Sitting next to the C4 Cactus at roughly the same price point, the C3 Picasso successor is more practical and funky to look at. But until the more car-like Cactus arrives this year, buyers face a tricky decision at the dealer.
Still, if you’re going to offer two cars in a single segment, it’s best to make it an SUV. Crossovers are continuing their march up the sales charts, with new arrivals such as the Kia Stonic, SEAT Arona and Hyundai Kona all launching in the next few months.
We first drove the C3 Aircross last month (Issue 1,492), but now we’ve got the car in the UK in its more popular petrol guise.
Alongside some of the more ‘me too’ offerings in the crossover class, it’s clear Citroen has its own ideas about small car design. Many of the Aircross’s details are borrowed from the C3 supermini, but it’s around 160mm taller, with a more imposing front end and chunky cladding. The interior gives the same vibe, with an airy feel and comfortable (if unsupportive) seats. It feels built to last, but many of the plastics are hard and scratchy. Feel spec offers lots of kit, including a seven-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. It should be easier to operate on the move, however.
If there’s one area where the Aircross makes the C4 Cactus look a bit redundant, it’s versatility. Where the Cactus features a fixed one-piece folding rear bench, the Aircross’s seats split 60:40, and also slide back and forth to offer more boot space or legroom. Space is good, although the panoramic glass roof on top-spec cars eats into headroom. However, the luggage bay is bigger than in every rival at this price.
While you’d be right to assume that the Aircross would drive much like the C3 hatch, Citroen has firmed things up a bit to stop the tall body swaying too much in the bends – and has done so with reasonable success. The Aircross keeps body movement in check unless you push really hard, and while the steering is light, it is at least accurate.
Our volume-selling Puretech petrol is as strong and torquey as always, and claimed returns of 56.5mpg are competitive in this class. Our only real complaint is the baggy long-throw five-speed manual gearbox, which is a traditional Citroen trait.