Stellantis

Citroën C3 Aircross, 7-seater family suv debuts: everything you need to know

Longer by 23 cm to 4.39 metres, petrol, hybrid and electric, with 5 or 7 seats, it will be on sale from November at list prices starting from 18,790 euro for the endothermic versions and less than 27,000 euro for the electric only 5-seater

by Corrado Canali

19 June 2024

3' min read

Long-awaited and pre-announced, the new Aircross is the longest version of the Citroën C3, an SUV with dimensions comparable to a mid-size model, not by chance accommodating up to seven passengers. It is the dimensions that are the first novelty to be highlighted as it measures 439 cm, 37 more than the C3 with which it shares the mechanical base and 23 cm more than the model it will replace from November. There are two trim levels, You and Max, which are the same as those available for the new Citroën C3.

A design derived from the Oli conical concept car

The styling takes up the details already appreciated on the new CitroënC3 with references to the off-road world and a ground clearance of 19 centimetres. Added to this are the C-shaped front and rear light clusters, derived from the Oli concept, the mother of both cars. At the centre of the front grille is the specially reused logo closely resembling the 1919 logo common to the double chevron models of the 1950s.

Three different powertrains available

Moving on to the engines, the new CitroënC3 Aircross is available in three different variants, the thermal petrol version with a 1,200 cc turbocharged 3-cylinder engine producing 100 hp, mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The other version is a 48-volt light hybrid in which the same 1,200 engine is combined with the 28 hp electric unit that is integrated into the 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission for a total system output of an impressive 136 hp.

The electric is offered in two different batteries

The third variant is the 100 per cent electric only available in a five-seater with a 133 hp motor powered by a 44 kWh battery for about 300 km of autonomy, which in direct current accepts a maximum power of 100 kW taking just 26 minutes to recharge from 20 to 80 per cent. Only next year a version with a 54 kWh battery is also planned, which can guarantee an even greater range of up to around 400 kilometres.

The interior is the same as the new C3

The interior features the dashboard of the new C3. What changes is the higher driving position and the more comfortable seats thanks to soft upholstery. The two third-row seats, an option, can be combined with passengers no taller than 170 cm or a couple of children. These are accessed by lowering the back and seats of the rear sofa. The boot in the seven-seater variant offers a total of 340 litres, which can be increased to 460 litres when travelling with five people.

The two fittings starting with the basic You

As for the two equipment options available, it should be mentioned that the Aircross You, the basic version has Advance Comfort suspension with hydraulic dampers, six airbags, manual air conditioning, a smartphone station in place of the infotainment touchscreen, cruise control with speed limiter, rear parking sensors, useful height adjustment of the driver's seat, front LED headlights and wheels credited with 16 inches as standard.

The top-of-the-range Max

In the top trim, the Citroën C3 Aircross Max, on the other hand, offers original 17-inch diamond alloy wheels, LEDs for the rear lights as well, a contrasting white or black roof, depending on the body colour, a navigation system, wireless charging for smartphones, exterior mirrors with blind spot detection, front parking sensors, plus an interior mirror in electrochromic mode, a gem in the sector.

CitroënC3 Aircross, the platform

The car is based on the Stellantis group's SmartCar platform, a low-cost architecture derived from the well-known CMP and used so far in emerging countries, but that's not enough: the C3, or rather the battery version, has an important task: to democratise access to the electric car with a price list below 24,000 euro. And that's not all, the C3 and the Aircross derivative are sisters of the forthcoming Panda (and probbilemnte of the future Multipla) as they share the platform with Fiat. The C3 is built in Trnava, Slovakia, while the suv-size Panda is assembled in the Serbian plant in Kragujevac, where the Fiat 500 L was once assembled.