After a decent response from the Citroen C5 Aircross, the French carmaker has now unveiled a subcompact SUV C3 in the Indian market. The unveiling of the Citroen was long overdue as this is a big milestone for the company as well as the country. To know the reason stay with us through the article.
Unlike the C5 Aircross, the C3 will not be a CKD nor a CBU. Rather the French auto giant Citroen will be manufacturing this subcompact here in India. This makes India one of the two countries to export C3 in the Future. Also, this vehicle is said to go on sale somewhere in the first quarter of 2022.
But as speculated, this Citroen C3 will not replace the current ongoing C3 in the European market.
What powers the new Citroen C3?
In this unveiling, the company has not uncovered the technical specs of the new Citroen C3. . But still, popping the hoot open of the Citroen C3, we can expect a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine. And no, the C3 will not get an option of a diesel powertrain that is for sure.
- That said, this 1.2-litre engine might be healthy enough to generate 100ps of max power and 160Nm of peak torque.
- Setting the power down there are speculations of a 5-speed gearbox and an automatic transmission possibly a DCT.
Citroen C3, The Design
The aesthetics of a vehicle a subjective, but still we like what we see. Citroen C3 gets the typical French design and follows the companies theme. All these lend the car a quirky appeal that does make the car stand out in the crowd.
Exterior
- Admiring from the front, like its bigger brother C5 this too gets a split headlight setup that sandwiches the Citroen signature grille.
- Also, the LED DRLs neatly form the ending of the front grille making it look seamless.
- The SUV characteristics are enhanced clearly by the high bonnet line and rake angle of the windshield.
- Next, the plastic body cladding provides the car with the added flair of an SUV.
- Moving to the rear end, the rectangular theme continues as the C3 gets squared taillights and square inserts on the bumper just like the C5.
- The rear is characterised by a clean upright tailgate with rectangular tail lamps on each end and a dual-tone bumper.
Citroen C3 is considered to be a cure little SUV that is versatile. Adding the versatility factor, the C3 gets 180mm of ground clearance 10m turning radius and a generous 315litres boot space. In addition to that the C3 measures 3.98m in length opening up more space on the inside.
Interior
Stepping on the inside, the unique and quirky theme continues. The car gets a square design for the AC vents and the touch screen is neatly laid out on the dashboard. Now, talking about features, the Citroen C3 might be well equipped. The car should offer bells and whistles like;
- Wireless charging
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- A premium sound system
- A digital instrument cluster
- Premium Steering wheel with mounted controls
- A sunroof
On the safety front, Citroen C3 might boast of
- Dual airbags
- ABS with EBD
- Traction Control
- ESP Electronic stability programme
- ISOFIX child seat mounts
Sadly, after scouting for details the recently unveiled Citroen C3 does miss on some crucial bits that are present in its competition. These include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control.
Related: 6 Things To Know About The Citroen CC26 | A Honda City Rival?
When will the Citroen C3 come to the Indian market?
As of now, this French carmaker has just globally unveiled the new subcompact SUV. That said, the company will launch the C3 somewhere in starting months of 2022. That said, this SUV is 90% localized and will be manufactured in India for India. The company also tells that the C3 is capable of fully incorporating an electric powertrain. Hence, if the demand rises, Citroen may also bring in the C3 EV to rival the likes of Tata Nexon.
As of now, the C3 is pitched against the Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and Mahindra XUV300. Moving on, we can expect the price of the Citroen C3 to range from ₹7 Lakhs and may go up to ₹11 Lakh for the top-end trim. Mind that these are ex-showroom prices.
Let us know in the comment section what are your thoughts on the new upcoming subcompact SUV, Citroen C3.
Also, read: Top 10 Most Googled Questions On Citroen C3
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