Citroen C3 Aircross Review

Caroline reviews the Citroen C3 Aircross.

The Citroen brand is undergoing a styling renaissance that began with the C4 Cactus in 2014 but really hit its stride with last year’s colourful Citroen C3 hatchback. At the end of 2017, Citroen entered the competitive B-SUV segment with the equally quirky Citroen C3 Aircross. This summer will see the launch of a new Citroen C4 Cactus.

The new Citroen C3 Aircross is based on the C3 hatchback and is a blend of curves, colour and plastic cladding making it a very distinct competitor in its segment. Other features include a raised ground clearance, elevated driving position, and front and rear skid plates.

There’s also a lot of choice to personalise the car. The bi-tone roof is available in three colours and can be complimented by one of four exterior colour packs that accentuate the light surrounds, door mirrors, wheel centre caps, rear quarter window and roof bars.

Get comfortable in the Citroen C3 Aircross

The Citroen C3 Aircross is effectively the replacement for the C3 Picasso, which was pitched more as a compact MPV. For its compact size, the Citroen C3 Aircross is a very spacious and practical car. The interior has a unique ‘living room’ feel with soft but supportive seats in beautiful fabric and a fabric dash panel that would not look out of place on a designer sofa. It’s very chic and rear passenger space is generous too, while the boot has a low flat loading sill and 410 litres of space.

Infotainment is provided via a touchscreen and the ventilation controls are accessed from the screen too.

In Ireland the C3 Aircross is available in three trim levels: Touch (from €20,695), Feel (from €21,995) and Flair (from €25,095).

Standard equipment includes manual air con, rear parking sensors, four electric windows and lane departure warning. Equipment on Feel includes 16″ alloys, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and rear privacy glass, while Flair includes wireless phone charging, 17″ alloys, satellite navigation, keyless entry and start, and more safety equipment.

My test car was a 1.2-litre turbo petrol Flair model with 110hp. This model retails at €25,095. Other engine options include a 1.2-litre petrol engine with 82hp and a 1.6-litre diesel with 100hp.

What’s the Citroen C3 Aircross like to drive?

On the road, the C3 Aircross really shines with the 1.2-litre engine. It has a lovely spread of power and is good for town and motorway driving. The C3 Aircross is softly sprung and is comfortable for this class of vehicle. There is not much in the way of feel from the steering but the Citroen C3 Aircross can still hold its own through a series of corners. This model is cheap to run with motor tax of €200 per year. My fuel consumption was 6.3l/100km over a week of driving.

The Citroen C3 Aircross stands out in the compact crossover class for its quirky design and colourful presence. It’s not the sharpest handling small car, but it has some excellent petrol engines at its disposal giving an injection of fun behind the wheel. Comfort, practicality and a chic cabin ambience make the Citroen C3 Aircross a great accompaniment to modern life.

Caroline Kidd

Model tested: Citroen C3 Aircross FLAIR PureTech 110
Price: €25,095 (Range from €20,695)
Engine: 1.2-litre turbo petrol
Power: 110hp
Torque: 200Nm
0-100km/h:  11.3 seconds
Top speed: 185km/h
Economy: 5.0/100km
CO2 emissions:  115g/km
Motor tax: €200 per year