Xavier Chardon: Citroën must "offer more for less"

Barely a hundred days after his appointment as the head of Citroën, Xavier Chardon took advantage of the platform offered by the Lyon Motor Show to deliver one of his first major addresses. This was a highly anticipated moment for industry observers, the dealer network, and of course, for us, the brand’s enthusiasts. Far from grand pronouncements, it was an opportunity for him to lay the groundwork for his vision and shape the future of the brand with the chevrons. This future, as you will see, is rooted in intelligent continuity rather than a dramatic break, with a clear ambition: to clarify the message and reaffirm Citroën's core values.

A position to clarify: not Dacia, not the Mainstream, but purely Citroën

Recently, I have often read and heard criticisms about Citroën's positioning being perceived as unclear, even confusing for the general public. The previous leadership, under Thierry Koskas, had openly targeted Dacia as a direct competitor, a strategy that created some ambiguity. Today, Xavier Chardon is taking a firm step away from that approach. With a very insightful statement, he refocused the debate: "I do not define the brand in relation to my competitors, but in relation to my customers." This sentence is fundamental because it shifts the entire perspective. The goal is no longer to compete solely on price but to provide an offer with superior perceived value.

Xavier Chardon is thus positioning Citroën in a smart niche, somewhere between value-focused brands like Dacia and mainstream manufacturers. The idea is not to be the cheapest at all costs, but to "always offer more for a more affordable price." In practice, this translates to more space, the supreme comfort that is embedded in our DNA, and relevant features. The new CEO also acknowledged a crucial point: "We don't need to reinvent the range. We need to better explain its logic." This is an admission that communication may have lacked clarity and a promise to make Citroën's proposition self-evident to everyone. To support this, he highlighted a powerful argument: the eight-year warranty, a true symbol of peace of mind and tangible proof of this commitment to offering more to the customer.

A renewed range and a bold electric strategy

To support this vision, Citroën can rely on one of the most modern product ranges on the market, as its director pointed out. The new C3 was launched a year ago, the C3 Aircross arrived in showrooms in early 2025, and both the C4 and C5 Aircross have received welcome updates. The product lineup is therefore in place, ready to meet expectations. It was on the electrification strategy, however, that Xavier Chardon placed the most emphasis, presenting it as a deliberate and intelligent segmentation of the offer. The best example is the new ë-C3, which is available in two distinct versions for two different use cases.

On one hand, we have the "Urban Range," equipped with a 30 kWh battery providing 200 km of autonomy. Priced at €15,750, it is designed as the perfect solution for daily commutes. Xavier Chardon insisted that this is "not a low-cost product," thanks in particular to its fast-charging capability, which allows it to go from 20% to 80% in just 26 minutes. On the other hand, the version with a 44 kWh battery extends the range to 300 km, starting at €19,100, thus offering greater versatility. This logic extends to the C3 Aircross, which even offers a version capable of reaching 400 km. It is a pragmatic response to real customer needs, but one that, as he pointed out, requires clear explanation from the dealership network.

Facing critics who sometimes point to a lack of character in our cars, Chardon's response was unequivocal and reaffirmed the brand's identity: "Peugeot and BMW prioritize driving pleasure. We prioritize the comfort of all passengers. That is our hallmark." By focusing on this historical strength, Citroën avoids diluting its identity and can maintain competitive prices. It is this audacity, this willingness to do things differently, that must endure. "You don't buy a copy, you buy the original. Citroën must remain that: an original that offers more for less," he concluded.

Ultimately, this first major speech, coming just a few weeks after his arrival, is reassuring. Xavier Chardon is not here to erase the past but rather to build on existing strengths by providing the clarity that was missing. As a true Citroën veteran, having spent nearly twenty years with the brand before a fourteen-year hiatus, he knows its inner workings and, more importantly, its soul. In a recent interview with Le Figaro, he mentioned that he found the brand had been "badly mistreated." His speech at the Lyon Motor Show therefore feels like the beginning of a mission to win back trust—both from customers and the dealer network—by leveraging a unique heritage and a pragmatic, optimistic vision for the future.