The C5 Aircross is set to be the first offering by French automaker Citroen and is expected to arrive in India next month
After exiting India in 1997, Groupe PSA has been planning to re-enter the Indian market for many years now. In their new innings in India, the company is all set to launch their first car via its subsidiary Citroen.
The French automaker is expected to launch its first passenger vehicle- the C5 Aircross mid-size SUV sometime around March 2021. The SUV was expected to arrive last year, however, things didn’t go according to plan due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A couple of months ago, the company started the trial assembly of the SUV at CK Birla’s Thiruvallur facility in Tamil Nadu. Later, the SUVs were been spotted testing regularly on Indian roads, in varying regions and terrains. Dealer networks have also started popping up in major cities across India.
Design
C5 Aircross can be unmistakably recognised by its unique and unorthodox design elements. The split headlamps which run along the sleek grille garner the most attention which is complemented by large air dams below the bumper with red inserts on either side. On the sides, it gets the door and wheel-arch protectors which protects the lower section of the doors from unwanted collisions and also adds a funky touch to the overall design.
The rear is a little subtle when compared to the front it sports rectangular wraparound LED taillights. The Citroen double-arrow logo in the middle of the tailgate is flaunted prominently. Other notable highlights are roof rails, an integrated roof spoiler, a blacked-out bumper with non-functional twin exhaust vents and alloy wheels which seem to be of 17-inches.
Interior, Features on offer
The interior of the cabin is expected to share a similar layout as that of the European-spec model which means it will get a dual-tone theme with premium upholsteries. In terms of features, it is expected to offer an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a powered driver seat, a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a whole lot more.
Specs and Exp Price
The C5 Aircross is expected to be offered in two powertrains- a 2.0-litre diesel engine and a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The former is good enough to crank out 175 bhp and 400 Nm of peak torque whereas the latter is able to churn out 180 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. An eight-speed automatic is expected to be made standard on both powertrains with the option of a manual gearbox on the petrol unit is also likely.
In spite of being a CKD unit it is expected to be on the dearer side which will likely cost above Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom). Its primary rivals on the Indian market are going to be Hyundai Tucson and the higher variants of Jeep Compass.
