Citroen C3 Aircross vs rivals: dimensions, engines, specifications compared

The Citroen C3 Aircross is the latest entrant in the midsize SUV segment in India. This is a segment with fierce competition, with nearly every major manufacturer having an appreciable share of the pie. Hyundai and Kia have dominated this segment for years with the Creta and Seltos, the Maruti and Toyota duo have steadily been gaining momentum with the Grand Vitara and Hyryder and the likes of Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and MG Astor, too, are serious options to be considered.

The new C3 Aircross, thus, finds itself in the company of well-established rivals, but will it be able to grab a fair share of the pie for itself? We compare the C3 Aircross in terms of its size and powertrain specifications to see how it stacks up against all its rivals, on paper.

Citroen C3 Aircross dimensions

The new C3 Aircross measures 4,300mm in length, 1,796mm in width, 1,654mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,671mm. Size aside, the C3 Aircross has quite some presence with its upright stance and butch details that contribute to the ever-so-important SUV persona.

The C3 Aircross’ wheelbase is longer than all other SUVs except for the MG Astor, with the latter being 14mm longer. However, with short overhangs, its not the longest. The 4,300mm length is at par with the Creta, greater only than the Taigun and Kushaq, but shorter than all other SUVs. As for height, the C3 Aircross is the tallest of all SUVs, which is only helped by the generous 200mm ground clearance. In terms of width, the Aircross is narrower than the Seltos and the Astor, but is wider than the rest.

All SUVs here ride on 17-inch alloy wheels in their top-spec trims. The C3 Aircross has a boot capacity ranging between 444-511 litres, which is significantly better than all rivals.

Citroen C3 Aircross engine and specifications

Upon launch, the C3 Aircross will be offered with a sole 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, and while the output figures have not been confirmed, we expect it to be in the same ballpark as the C3 hatchback. That means it will produce 110hp and 190Nm, and will initially be offered only with a 6-speed manual gearbox. A 6-speed Aisin-sourced torque converter automatic gearbox will join the line-up later.

This squarely puts it against the entry-level naturally aspirated petrol engines of its rivals or the lower-spec turbo-petrol engines in some cases. A 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine is the norm here, while the Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun get 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engines.

As far as overall power output is concerned, the C3 Aircross is at par with the MG Astor, but the latter uses a larger, naturally aspirated engine. The Aircross is more powerful than the Grand Vitara and Hyryder with their 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engines, but it falls 5hp short than the ones in the Creta and Seltos. Meanwhile, the Skoda-VW duo also use a 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, and yet, produce more power than the Aircross from a smaller displacement unit. Where the C3 Aircross does have a clear edge over its rival is in torque output. The Aircross’ turbo unit has the most torque of all engines here, even more than the ones on the Taigun and Kushaq.

As for gearbox options, all rivals offer at least one automatic gearbox option (either CVT or torque converter) apart from a manual. The C3 Aircross will, however, be offered only with a manual at launch.

Rivals offer more powerful engines, more variety

While the 1.2-litre turbo-unit is going to be the sole engine on offer until an all-electric powertrain arrives, it’s worth mentioning that all rivals offer more powerful turbo-petrol engines with 140-150hp of power. The likes of the Creta and Seltos even get diesel engines that continue to make up 40 percent of the market share in this segment, while the Grand Vitara and Hyryder get segment-unique hybrid powertrains that are fantastically fuel-efficient.

Therefore, with just one powertrain on offer (at least initially), the C3 Aircross does feel short changed in front of its rivals. Not only are customers left with limited choice, there’s also not much to cater to enthusiasts.

Citroen C3 Aircross vs rivals: seating

Where the C3 Aircross is unique is with its seating layout. It is the only SUV in this segment to be offered with both 5- and 7-seater configurations. The latter is a 5+2 configuration, meaning its most suited only to children, but at least it has that flexibility on offer. One can even completely remove the third-row of seats for additional luggage space, which, as mentioned above, is class-leading. All other SUVs in this segment are 5-seaters only.

Citroen will announce prices for the C3 Aircross in the second half of 2023. We except it to undercut most of its rivals given that the C3 Aircross is light on features and is lacking on the powertrain front too. Price, after all, will be key if Citroen is looking to make a sizeable impact in this segment.

Also See:

Citroen C3 Aircross walkaround video

Citroen C3 Aircross image gallery