On the eve of the launch of the Citroën C3 electric and 6 months after the launch of the combustion engine versions, January sales provide an initial assessment of the launch of the C3 on the Indian market, the first vehicle in the C-Cubed programme designed to develop sales in the region.
In January 2023, the Indian car market grew by 17.3% to 345,805 units, the highest level ever for a January. During this period, Citroën's sales rose sharply by 1,910% with 804 units sold, placing the brand in 13th place in the overall ranking. Of these 804 units, the C3 obviously accounted for the majority of sales, with 788 C3s sold, while the C5 Aircross lost 60% of its sales with only 16 units sold.
The arrival of the C3 has naturally allowed Citroën to record the greatest increase on this Indian market, but this increase may also raise questions about the performance of the C3. In fact, the 788 units sold in January is the lowest level of the C3 on the Indian market, where it had never fallen below the 800 units sold threshold. Since July, the C3 has risen from 825 units to more than 1,300, before gradually falling below the 1,000 unit mark for the month. Offered in only two versions and with only two engines, Citroën has chosen a very limited range in order to target the lowest prices. In the coming weeks, Citroën will expand the C3 range, probably with an automatic version and a more upmarket trim to fill in the gaps in the basic C3's equipment. The 100% electric version launched this month should also help to boost sales, even if it is not expected to make a big impact at first.
However, if the monthly sales are on a downward trend, the C3 remains in the same position of the sales ranking around the 50th place. It is difficult to predict what the sales of the C3 will be in the coming months, Citroën is counting on the development of both the range and its network to increase its visibility and therefore its sales, but the reversal of the trend could be worrying for a car that is still very young on the Indian market. The imminent arrival of the C3 Aircross should put the spotlight back on Citroën and hopefully boost sales of the small C3.