A B-segment crossover and the ability to carry a family of 7 don't often go together. For the Indian market, the Citroën C3 Aircross has been fitted with three rows of seats, which makes it possible to extend the list of tasks that can be entrusted to this model. Is there enough room for all seven passengers and can we sit in the back with our legs crossed, as the brand wants us to believe in its advertising? Discover the latest C3 Aircross directly at the La Maison Citroën dealership in Chennai thanks to the Francuskie website.
SUVs have driven minivans out of the market and not all manufacturers have decided to offer a 7-seater, especially Citroën since it abandoned the C4 Picasso. If the C5 Aircross is comfortable and spacious, it only offers 5 seats whereas the Grand C4 Picasso offered 7. A change of direction therefore for the brand which, on the latest C3 Aircross, offers a version with 7 seats only we must describe it more as 5+2. The latest C3 Aircross is part of the C-Cubed range, which has been designed to best meet the needs of customers in emerging markets. The C3 and C3 Aircross are the first two, soon to be joined by the production version of the Basalt Vision.
A real SUV
According to the current standards of beauty in the automotive market, almost every car should look at least slightly like an SUV, the only market segment that is showing growth. Citroën is responding to this trend with the C3 Aircross, which it describes as a pure SUV, unlike the current generation in Europe, which still retains the genes of an MPV. Citroën presents the C3 Aircross as a means of transport for families, active leisure and adventure lovers, thanks to its generous dimensions (4m32 long and 1m67 high) with a ground clearance of 200 mm.
The style is characterised by an aggressive front end with a clear division between the upper and lower parts of the grille. It is more visible on the white version. An additional effect is created by the contrast between the white and black elements of the car, highlighting the squares of the grille. The black roof with white side rails also fits in well. The C3 Aircross is equipped with dual LED lights arranged in a V shape, faithful to the brand's old design language, as vehicles in India have not yet adopted the new Citroën style. What are the blue lines on the bonnet for? Does Citroën offer a special version? Indian drivers love to decorate their cars and they do it in many different ways. Colourful trucks and cars with flower crowns are on the roads. Dealers also decorate cars, especially when a customer gets a new model. At La Maison Citroën in Chennai, the C3 Aircross was decorated with two blue ribbons to attract customers' attention.
The range is topped by a neat spoiler, but there's an extra eye-catching detail at the rear of the C3 Aircross. The influence of the Oli concept car, from which the car borrows its 3D effect headlights, is clearly visible here.
A spacious interior
The interior of the top trim level, Max, can be perceived in two ways. On the one hand we have a bright dashboard with mini chevron badges and pleasant to the touch beige eco-leather upholstery that even covers the door panels. On the other hand, Citroën should think about improving the quality of the plastic elements to make them more pleasant to touch, especially as the brand likes to talk about luxury when describing the interior of its SUV. Driving comfort is enhanced by the presence of armrests on the front seats, large cup holders and an efficient multimedia system that can be connected to a smartphone without having to carry a cable, which is still not so obvious. The image from our smartphone is displayed on a 10-inch screen surrounded by a thick black frame. The efficiency and the attractive interface with its muted colours deserve praise. You won't find any analogue clocks on the C3 Aircross. Information such as speed, fuel consumption and tyre pressure is displayed on a 7-inch screen behind the steering wheel. Citroën has not forgotten to include storage space for a smartphone, a 12-volt socket and three USB ports - one in the front and two in the second row.
La version 7 places est-elle un bon choix ?
Sur la publicité, Citroën montre une femme assise sur la banquette arrière d'une C3 Aircross et croisant les jambes suggérant une habitabilité importante.
Avec son empattement de 2m671, le C3 Aircross suggère déjà que l'espace dans l'habitacle était l'une des priorités lors de la conception de la voiture, et c'est effectivement un gros avantage. La deuxième rangée me semble confortable et croiser les jambes ne me pose pas de problème majeur. Même si la distance laissée entre mes genoux et les dossiers des sièges avant semble plus petite que dans la vidéo promotionnelle, je suis quand même impressionné. Une solution intéressante consiste à placer les bouches d'aération arrière sur le ciel de toit pour mieux réguler le climat lors de fortes chaleurs.
Je suis passé de la rangée du milieu à la dernière rangée. Même Citroën ne cherche pas à vous convaincre que la voiture peut accueillir 7 adultes puisqu’un vendeur m’a immédiatement averti «Les sièges sont réservés aux enfants». Je me suis glissé à l'arrière, mais le haut de ma tête touchait presque le toit et la lunette arrière était extrêmement proche, ce qui confirme les propos du vendeur, le C3 Aircross est bien un 5+2. De même, dans la configuration 7 places, il n’y a plus de places pour le coffre mais Citroën propose des sièges amovibles qui peuvent se retirer de l’habitacle très facilement, le retrait des sièges ne nécessite que deux mouvements énergiques. La configuration intérieure est intuitive et ne prend que quelques fractions de secondes.
En conclusion, le nouveau Citroën C3 Aircross fera bientôt ses débuts en Europe même s’il ne s’agira pas de la même version, les deux véhicules devraient avoir 30 % d’éléments communs. Cette version 7 places proposée en Inde devrait l’être également en Europe, c’est une proposition qui s'adresse aussi bien aux familles nombreuses qu'aux jeunes actifs et devrait donc trouver un large public. Le C3 Aircross a pour lui son style attrayant, son espace habitable et la facilité d'adaptation de son intérieur aux besoins des consommateurs. On ne peut pas classer le C3 Aircross, c'est une voiture pour de nombreuses tâches et à un prix bien calculé qui semble pouvoir rencontrer le succès.