New 7-seater from Citroen is evidence to the company’s bullish stand on Indian market, even in face of intense competition
Things are looking great for Citroen in India, with YoY growth in March 2023 at a whopping 3,775%. Sales have zoomed from 52 units in March 2022 to 2,015 units in March 2023. To further strengthen its presence here, Citroen is in the process of expanding its India portfolio. One of the upcoming new products is a 7-seater vehicle based on C3 hatchback. It will be officially christened as C3 Aircross.
With the 7-seater derivative of C3, Citroen will be looking to target both MPV and SUV segments. It will primarily rival Renault Triber and also work as an affordable alternative to current bestsellers such as Ertiga, XL6, Kia Carens and even the likes of Creta and Seltos.
Citroen C3 Aircross 7-seater features
As Citroen’s affordably priced C3 has been registering strong sales, the company will be looking to launch the 7-seater too at a competitive price point. To reduce costs, the 7-seater will be borrowing heavily from C3. Leaked images show that much of the exterior styling and interiors are the same as C3. Leaked spy shots reveal the presence of roof-mounted AC vents.
There could be some slight variations to the front fascia, in line with the 7-seater’s larger proportions. It is expected to get larger 16-inch or 17-inch wheels, as compared to 15-inch units used with C3. This will ensure higher ground clearance for C3 Aircross. Most significant change is apparently the prominent rear overhang, which is there to accommodate the third row seats.
Dimensionally, Citroen 7-seater could be around 4.2 meters long. However, the wheelbase is likely to be the same as that of the C3 (2,540 mm). This again will help keep costs down by reducing the number of changes required for the 7-seater.
Citroen C3-based 7-seater specs
C3 hatchback is offered with an 82 PS, 1.2-litre NA petrol motor and a 110 PS, 1.2-litre turbo petrol motor. Transmission options are 5-speed manual and 6-speed manual, respectively. While the turbo petrol unit seems a better fit for the 7-seater, Citroen will also offer the NA petrol motor to achieve an affordable starting price.
C3 Aircross will be offered as a 5 seater as well as a 7 seater. The 5 seater will be offered in a choice of petrol 1.2 NA as well as petrol 1.2 turbo. The 7 seater Citroen C3 Aircross will only be offered with a turbo petrol engine. Another difference in comparison to C3 could be an automatic transmission that can be introduced for the 7-seater at a later stage.
C3 Aircross could get some additional features, but it will be largely the same as that offered with C3 hatchback. Some key features likely to be borrowed from C3 include 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, remote keyless entry, USB charging ports, and digital instrument cluster. Safety kit includes dual airbags, reverse parking sensors and engine immobilizer.
