CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS
10 October 2018 We’re sad to see comfortable small SUV leave fleet
Crossover has starred with its comfort and space over six months in our hands.
OUR Citroen C3 Aircross will soon be leaving the Auto Express fleet, so it’s time to say goodbye. I’ll be sad to hand back the keys, because getting into the small SUV has started to feel like settling into a favourite armchair.
When we took delivery of the car in April, senior reviewer Sam Naylor told me it was the most comfortable model in its class, so I was keen to see what he meant; and the Citroen crossover didn’t disappoint in that department.
The seats look and feel bigger than average, partly because they’re wide and flat, more like a designer chair than a traditional car seat. They are well padded and still supportive, despite the unusual shape. The chairs in our car are finished in black with white stitching, along with some attractive black and grey houndstooth cloth, which I’m a big fan of and have praised in previous reports.
I haven’t used the armrest much, because it just gets in the way when I’m driving in town and changing gear, but my husband (who does most of the long-distance driving) loves using it when cruising on the motorway.
While it isn’t the most engaging car to drive, the same criticism can be aimed at many of the C3 Aircross’s rivals. So in a class of models that are lacking driver appeal, this total focus on comfort is what makes the Citroen stand out. It doesn’t try to do what it doesn’t need to and for simply pottering around town it’s so much more important for the car to be comfy.
It’s also very spacious and there is plenty of room in the two front seats; my husband is six foot two inches tall and hasn’t had any problems either as a driver or passenger. We’ve also carried three other people with no complaints from the back, although we haven’t used all three rear seats for longer journeys.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, the boot has easily swallowed large bags and suitcases, and with the seats folded the chair for our photo shoot here fitted with room to spare.
When I picked the car up from the dealership, I was told to download the My Citroen app to my phone. I haven’t used the software much, but it does have some good features: My Citroen tracks your fuel economy and also provides links for updating your mapping and the C3’s dash-mounted touchscreen.
The app’s dashboard warning lights page could be particularly useful for newer drivers. It explains all the alerts that might appear and offers some advice on what to do if they light up.
The C3 Aircross has definitely shown itself to be a great car during its time on our fleet. I like the fact that it stands out from the crowd, with its funky styling and bright orange paint finish, and it has proven comfortable, practical and reasonably economical.
WHEN Sonia Williams got a new job as a sales consultant four months ago, a search for a new family car began. Her 12-year-old hatchback was growing long in the tooth, and was struggling to keep up with the family of four’s active lifestyle.
“My new job meant I have to split my time between being at home and visiting various companies across the country,” Sonia said.
Sonia and her daughter Millie are also active in the outdoors, as is her partner Nigel and his daughter Harleigh. “We also needed a car that would have plenty of space for outdoor and camping gear, and which could also carry bicycles. A seven-seater was high on our search list,” Sonia explained.
Safety and reliability were crucial in the search, too, which is why Sonia and Nigel spent much of their time looking at new cars.
Having found the car she wanted in the awardwinning Volvo XC90, Sonia then looked into the Volvo Selekt Approved Used Car programme. “The service looked incredible,” she added. “It was like getting the reassurance and reliability of a brand new car for far less. I couldn’t believe how comprehensive the Volvo Selekt Approved Used Car programme is.”
Volvo’s programme comes with a vast amount of features to put used buyers at ease. Each car goes through a rigorous 100-point check that is conducted by the company’s trained technicians, and the ECU receives a software upgrade, too.
However, what really drew Sonia to an XC90 R-design D5 with just under 8,000 miles on the clock via Volvo Selekt was the excellent back-up the scheme provides to customers.
“The MOT test cover was really important,” Sonia explained. “With the new, tougher MOT tests, knowing that Volvo has this cover is such peace of mind.”
Even if your Volvo Selekt Approved Used Car will not face an MOT test for more than two years, it is covered for the majority of items which may cause a test failure. These include everything from lamps, suspension joints, throttle bodies and the braking system.
“The car comes with the remainder of the original manufacturer’s warranty, and with all the checks and upgrades Volvo Selekt offers, it’s the next best thing to a brand new car,” Sonia said. “I also really like the 30-day/1,500-mile exchange policy. I’ve got a month to decide whether I’m completely satisfied with the car and if it meets my needs, otherwise my Volvo retailer can exchange it for a more suitable model.”
Although her family has only just got the keys to the XC90, the reception has been good so far. Millie has been impressed with the space inside, while Nigel and Harleigh like all of the tech on board. Sonia has already started planning the next family outing.
A NEW addition to our fleet arrived this week, and it’s one we’ve been looking forward to for a while: the latest Volkswagen Polo.
The German supermini is a firmly established contender in its class and we’ll see how it deals with daily life in our team’s hands.
On our first drive out of the office car park, we were instantly impressed by the Polo’s smart looks and peppy 1.0-litre engine, as well as its highquality interior and comfy seats.
We were all ready to get stuck into the small car’s infotainment system (above) on our first trip when it threw up a hiccup: the screen didn’t turn on.
After a short time driving, it finally booted up and worked as normal, although we’ve been left hoping that this doesn’t happen again at a more inopportune moment.