TEST DRIVE: CITROËN C3 AIRCROSS
IDON’T always enjoy being in the centre of attention, but I had mixed feelings when people around me stare at the car whenever I drove it past a shop lot or in a residential area. Maybe it was more inclined to a pleasant feeling.
The car was the Citroën C3 Aircross, and just look at it; with Natural White paint topped with a striking orange accents, it is chic, cute and looks fun to drive.
It is quirky too.
The headlights on the lower front bumpers are square with the orange theme surround, the roof rails are kind of protruded or pointy at the front ends, and the 4Ever alloy wheels have four spokes, forming a cloverleaf-like shape.
You could drive up to a petrol station and get almost the same amount of attention as the other guy who is fuelling up his Ferrari 458.
WHAT IS IT?
Along with the more common C-segment sports utility vehicle (SUV), the smaller B-segment SUV or small crossovers is experiencing a steady market growth.
And the C3 Aircross is Citroën’s candidate for the lucrative market.
The car is based off the C3 hatchback, and is sharing the similar underpinning as the Peugeot 208 and 2008 SUV from the PSA family.
Of course, the Citroën C3 Aircross has to compete against the Renault Captur, the ever so popular Honda HR-V, the Subaru XV, and let’s not forget the Proton X50 and Hyundai Kona, which should arrive before the end of this year.
However, the car does have some key features up its sleeve.
The Citroën C3 Aircross is stylish, comfortable, has a punchy engine and is attractively priced.
On its front fascia, the C3 is equipped with halogen headlights on the lower section while the LED daytime-running lights (DRLs) are located at the upper part, an identical configuration to those on the Hyundai Santa Fe.
The chevron emblem is formed by two pieces of chrome strips that run across the width of the upper intakes, and seamlessly “wrapping” the LED DRLs.
This Natural White is one of the two body colours (another one is Soft Sand grey) that come with this orange accents around the exterior and interior.
If you don’t really fancy the striking colour, you can also settle for Breathing Blue or Passion Red for a more subdued look.
The styling of the C3 is pillared by a theme of rounded squares, found on the headlights, 3D effect tail lights, front grille, claddings on the front and rear bumpers, and the 4Ever alloy wheels.
This theme is carried on to the interior, where you will be able to spot these shapes on the air-conditioning vents, instrument cluster, one of the spoke on the steering wheel, cubby spaces as well as on the door cards.
Standard equipment here includes keyless entry, flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, seven-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six-speakers Arkamys sound system, navigation system, automatic air-conditioning, and two 12-volt sockets.
One unique feature that sets the C3 Aircross apart from the rest of the segment is the sliding and reclining rear seats.
Overall, I found myself digging the chic and stylish look of the car, both inside and out.
It just stands out on the road like Starbuck’s rare seasonal Toffee Nut Latte as opposed to the regular latte, cappuccino or Americano.
You get to choose between a line of petrol and diesel powertrains in the foreign markets, but our Citroën C3 Aircross is offered with the sole 1.2-litre Puretech engine making 110hp and 205Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The car is priced at RM110,140.69 on-the-road without insurance, which is RM10,000 pricier than the Pug sibling but is around the same price as the base Honda HR-V 1.8 E.
Warranty is a 3+2 years or 120,000km (whichever comes first), along with 24-hours roadside assistance.
THE DRIVE
A Citroën representative from Naza Euro Motors suggested that the car is comfort-oriented and from other reviews I read, they said the C3 Aircross did not ride very well.
What I found out, though, is that the car rode just fine, in fact more towards a positive side in this area.
Comfortable, yes, if you are sitting in the rear because the seats, despite being fabrics, offered a nice deal of plushness.
As the driver, the seat was not too bad either.
It was comfortable, supportive, and most importantly for the C3, stylish with black and grey combo together with orange insert.
The three-cylinder Puretech engine was plucky and never felt underpowered 95 per cent of the time.
It pulled effortlessly and strongly for city and highway driving, and when you are hard on it, it growled like an excited puppy.
Combined with the rather intelligent six-speed gearbox, I must say I honestly liked the powertrain for these kind of cars.
At highway speeds, the C3 Aircross was surprisingly refined and quiet too, even beyond national speed limit.
Also worth mentioning is how lively the steering feel was.
You get different sensations through your fingers under modest or hard acceleration, or when cornering.
In fact, this was one of the most communicative steering I have ever found in a long time.
Despite being very refined and quiet, the Citroën C3 Aircross is actually at its best when driving coolly out and about in town, entering tight junctions and getting your daily necessities done.
It was decently practical by being easy to get in and out of, and had a good cabin space for what it is.
There were certain areas could be improved on - for instance, the centre console between the front seats was not fully utilised.
The car featured an aviation-style parking brake that eats up some space - that’s all right, but perhaps the absence of rear air-con vents could be an issue.
VERDICT
As a whole, the Citroën C3 Aircross was certainly one of the most interesting modern cars I have driven with a lot of quirks and charming features.
It was also an easy car to live with, easy on your pocket (in terms of fuel consumption) and apart from stylish, it just looks bold and fresh.
There is nothing quite like it on the road and if you are the kind who appreciates individualism and brave enough to stand out from the crowd, the Citroën C3 Aircross is definitely worth considering.