DRIVING IMPRESSION
Plucky, cheeky and contrary are appropriate adjectives for the stereotypical Frenchman as well as the new Citroën C3 Aircross.
The French have always built quirky vehicles, and Citroën is often the frontrunner when it comes to distinctive cars. There was, however, a period around the millennium when this manufacturer got really boring, especially with regard to its C range of vehicles. The C5 family sedan (2000 to 2017) was the epitome of conformity and the C3 hatchback (2002 to 2009) looked cute with its bubble roof, but it was otherwise unremarkable.
Citroën’s had bigger problems in South Africa than bland appearance, though: its reputation for a serious shortage of available parts. Things got so bad that the manufacturer withdrew from the country in 2016 – not that anyone really noticed.
Xavier Gobille, the man largely responsible for Renault South Africa’s resurrection, has now been tasked to reincarnate Citroën South Africa as well.
This sounds like an impossible task, but working in Xavier’s favour is the fact that Citroën has regained some of its former flamboyant French exoticism – with the C3 Aircross a prime example.
Plucky
Jaws dropped when the C Aircross concept vehicle was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in February 2017. The body boasted inventive features and the interior showcased all kinds of technologies and gadgets that few automakers had previously considered.
But bean counters probably spoilt all the fun as the exotic interior of the C3 Aircross production vehicle was stripped of all its innovations. They retained most of the bodywork, but the cutest features were dialled back so the C3 Aircross wouldn’t look too quirky.
Nevertheless, the C3 Aircross still has a striking appearance with dayglow orange roof rails, wing mirrors and fog lamp trim.
Also, the body paint (dubbed Soft Sand) is a remarkable colour that appears light brown in bright sunlight, then silver or even white depending on the type of light that falls on it. The Aircross won’t be to everyone’s taste, which is something Citroën accepts, but they hope that it
will appeal to those who seek something different to the norm.
Despite its cheeky dimensions, the C3 Aircross is a tad longer than its competitors (except for the Mazda CX-3 that’s 2 cm longer) and it’s both wider and taller than the Hyundai Venue and Renault Captur. It therefore feels surprisingly spacious on the inside – an illusion that many compact SUVs successfully pull off – and the luggage space is indeed larger than that of its competitors.
Cheeky
The C3 Aircross is marketed as a true SUV, not just a crossover, despite being front-wheel drive only. Citroën argues that large wheels and good ground clearance are sufficient to swap the highway for farm roads.
European models have a drive-mode button on the centre console for snow, sand and rocks, which is odd for a two-wheel drive vehicle – and possibly why Citroën insists that the C3 Aircross is a true SUV. However, South African models don’t have this button.
We took to a sandy dirt track and the C3 Aircross did well at first thanks to good electronic traction and stability control systems, but later the suspension struggled on a corrugated road and we could feel the Aircross slipping sideways even though the steering wheel pointed straight ahead.
On tar roads, the ride is wonderfully comfortable, almost too comfortable as the C3 Aircross’s steering action doesn’t feel as sharp as we expected from a compact hatchback. It’s not that the steering action feels dead, but rather that the Aircross has its own idea of how responsive it should be.
This may sound like harsh criticism, but there’s actually nothing wrong with choosing a comfortable ride over agile handling. It is, after all, a personal preference.
The 1,2 turbocharged petrol engine pulls nicely when you’re on your own, but once it’s packed with people and their luggage, you can feel the little engine struggling to get going. The automatic gearbox smooths out at higher speeds, but in the low gears there are noticeable pauses between transitions – it’s not frustrating and simply feels as though you’re stepping on the clutch and an invisible passenger handles the gears.
Contrary
Things typically work slightly differently inside French cars than in German or Japanese cars. To gear up in Sport mode, you have to tap the lever downward, and vice versa if you want to shift down.
To tune into the next radio channel, you need to roll the wheel on the steering wheel back rather than forward.
The C-pillar window (made of plastic rather
than real glass) is so garnished with orange pinstripes that the driver can hardly see through it at all, and the rear passenger has to peek through these stripes. But who cares? It’s unique…
The hand brake lever is huge and it takes up significantly more space on the transmission tunnel than the thinner gear selector, and to open the bonnet, you need to pull a lever on the passenger side rather than the driver’s side.
There are no physical buttons for the air-con and you have to adjust it via the touchscreen, an action that takes relatively long – while your full attention is not focused on the road.
The steering wheel is somewhat ovoid rather than round because it’s flattened at the bottom. It’s fine, but it’s weird. The stalk for the cruise control is hidden behind the steering wheel’s left spoke and you can’t see its buttons unless you climb out and take a closer look. So, you will need to remember the placement of the buttons if you want to use them while driving.
Conclusion
In terms of reliability and after-sales service, Xavier Gobille proclaims boldly that Citroën has turned over a new leaf. Xavier has restructured the parts network and all workshops must henceforth meet his strict standards. According to Xavier, dealers will be fined for failing to complete repairs within two days, and they will need to give you a replacement vehicle while you wait to get your Citroën back.
As for the C3 Aircross, we can summarise as follows: a lovely ride and youthful looks – but there are vehicles, including the Hyundai Venue, Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3 that cost less while offering similar specifications.