Citroen C3 Aircross road test, review

The quirky C3 Aircross takes on the uber-competitive midsize SUV segment. We put it through its paces to see if it’s up for the job.

Published on Jun 18, 2024 03:34:00 PM

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C3 Aircross is available with an automatic and manual gearbox.

Dash looks attractive and light upholstery accentuates sense of space.

Front seats are well cushioned, but light upholstery gets soiled easily.

The 5-seater gets a larger 444-litre boot space; no 60:40 split rear seats.

Citroën has done a good job of making the C3 Aircross stand out from the crowd by giving it some flair in its design. It is quite similar to the C3 hatchback, with which it shares some sheet metal panels as well as the C-Cubed platform it’s based on. The front, in particular, is very similar—right up to the B-pillar—but the Aircross gets a new lower bumper with a prominent skid plate and a pair of distinctive squarish design elements above it.

Flap-type door handles and the exposed keyhole look cheap.

There’s a wide air intake placed above the bumper and number plate housing, and the grille and Citroën’s chevron logo are finished in black with chrome detailing. The headlamp and Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) cluster are carried over from the C3 hatchback, and so are the halogen lights. The only LEDs on this SUV are the DRLs.

Apart from the DRLs that’s LED, it features halogen lighting all around.

The C3 Aircross’ best angle is perhaps its profile. Citroën’s designers have done well to bring together the long, 2,671mm wheelbase and the short overhangs to make it look well-proportioned. It has the typical upright stance expected of an SUV and Citroën has also added some pizzazz to its design. There’s plastic cladding on the doors, which helps reduce the visual mass. There’s cladding around the wheel arches, a distinctive crease in the rear fender, an optional dual-tone roof and smart, stylish 17-inch alloys.

17-inch dual-tone alloys look stylish; disc brakes only at the front.

The wraparound effect given to the small quarter glass and the rear windshield is well executed and the C-shaped tail-lights look attractive, too. However, even these aren’t LEDs, and it only gets one reversing light on the left-hand side. Rounding off the rear design is a chunky, faux skid plate and a roof-mounted spoiler.