Citroen’s baby SUV faces the future
Citroen’s baby SUV has been given a new face for 2022, but little else has changed. Is that a bad thing? We don’t think so, because the C3 Aircross remains awonderfully quirky character.
OUTSIDE
The most obvious indicator that this is the new model is the rather elaborate front end that now boasts multiple layers of lights, chrome and weird angles. There’s quite a lot going on there, and it is a little much, particularly when compared to the last model’s cleaner look.
Still, it is definitely distinctive and the overall handsome little upright shape is endearing, and largely unchanged from the previous model.
Citroen still leans heavily into customisation with the C3 Aircross, with 60 possible exterior colour combinations available, thanks to seven body colours, four colour packs for the lower bumper trim and door mirror caps, and two roof colours.
INSIDE
Citroen has always known how to do an interior that looks very cool. But it also usually manages to make it a bit of a letdown by being a bit wonky in terms of layout, ergonomics and functionality.
And the C3 Aircross is no different in that regard, with fantastic seats that look cool and are also superbly comfortable (thanks to 15mm more padding, apparently) and an open and airy cabin, with amodern and attractive layout.
While the interior is surprisingly ergonomically sensible, it still has the same infuriating over-reliance on using the touchscreen for things like HVAC controls and the cheap, hard plastics drag things down. Oh, and while the fabric dash looks cool, it feels like it is made from cardboard underneath...
UNDER THE BONNET
The little 1.2-litre triple is a bit coarse, but characterfully so, so you really don’t mind it thrashing away under heavy acceleration. It is more than happy to rev, and gives its all when you ask it to.
CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS
Base price: $39,990 (Estimated Clean Car fee: zero band). Powertrain and performance: 1.2-litre turbo-petrol four, 81kW/ 205Nm, 6-speed automatic, FWD, Combined economy 7.3L/100km (source: RightCar)
Vital statistics: 4155mm long, 1630mm high, 2604mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 410-520 litres (rear seats slide), 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/50 tyres.
Safety: 5 stars (Source: Euro NCAP) Welike: Fantastically comfortable, excellent ride, characterful engine. Wedon’t like: Thirstier than it should be, transmission a bit sluggish.
While it’s surprisingly flexible and responsive, it’s not terribly economical for its size though, as both its eager nature and the modest power means you tend to thrash it everywhere. The six-speed transmission is a decent enough shifter, but is a tad sluggish in downshifting, adding to that need to push the gas pedal down a bit harder to get things to happen in a timely manner.
ON THE ROAD
The C3 Aircross has an absolutely fantastic ride (although not quite as good as the C4 we had awhile back) and is nicely agile on awinding road, with a delightfully responsive nature. It likes a bit of understeer if you really start pushing hard, but is generally benign, predictable and rather fun to punt along.
The ride quality makes the Aircross feel like a far larger car than it is, while the handling is agile enough to remind you that it is actually a compact car.
But it’s not so compact that it doesn’t actually boast some decent interior room, even in the rear, which has surprisingly good legroom for the segment.
VERDICT
While it would initially seem to be priced at the top of its segment, the level of equipment packed into the C3 Aircross puts it largely on par with the competition – it simply lacks a stripped-out entry model in its range as a price leader.
Delightfully comfortable on the road and nicely quirky, the C3 Aircross is a solid option in the segment. While it is down on power compared to the obvious competition, the engine’s eager nature goes a long way to make up for that. Although its fuel usage does rub some of that charm off again.
It’s not a car that is going to convince everyone, but if you ‘‘get’’ Citroen, it would certainly suit you.