Citroën recently refreshed the super-popular C3 Aircross – and it is more than obvious that the French brand’s designers and engineers offered a great car on the market at launch.
The C3 Aircross is one of Citroën’s most popular models – and that’s why the French manufacturer decided that now was the right time to “tighten its wrinkles” a bit and refresh the interest of customers. The reality is that the C3 Aircross did not have any serious objections, which is why the changes are discreet, but quite enough to make the French small SUV easier for everyday use.
Refreshed design – new details, new colors and new customization options
Aesthetic corrections are mainly concentrated around the front. The unobtrusive, soft lines of the “old” C3 Aircross have been replaced by shades of more aggressive and dominant lines. The distinctive Citroën mark “melts” in the chrome elements of the front grille, and the headlights are split to look more like those of the new C4. The vertical air vents in the front grille further emphasize the dominance, and we also recognize new protective panels.
The profile is more or less unchanged, but the rear gets redesigned graphics of the light groups and a few small refreshed design details, and we get new colors as well as new designs on the aluminum wheels. Our test sample came in the beautiful and deep Voltaic Blue blue, one of the new colors on offer.
Tight cab with improved practicality and faster multimedia device
Refreshments continue in the cabin. As before, the C3 Aircross can get attractive color details around the vents, center console and several other places – such details refresh the cabin and personalization options will allow your C3 Aircross to be truly yours.
The cabin is still practical, spacious and comfortable. The visibility is excellent thanks to the large glass surfaces and the high sitting position, and the practical details like the sliding rear bench only raise the family utility to a higher level.
When it comes to practicality, Citroën engineers have listened to critics, and now the multimedia device has physical buttons for easier access to some of the most important functions – such as air conditioning controls.
In addition, the multimedia device is significantly faster and more responsive – which makes it significantly, significantly easier for everyday use. We will also praise the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity – a detail that makes any multimedia device several times more useful.
Otherwise, the C3 Aircross cab is still spacious, comfortable and practical. Depending on the position of the rear seat you will have 410, 520 or 1290 liters available.
Super 1.2-liter turbo gasoline
A really pleasant surprise was prepared by the excellent 1.2-liter turbo gasoline. The small three-cylinder turbo petrol delivers 110 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and excellent 205 Nm of torque of just 1,500 rpm.
Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission, the sprint to 100 km / h takes 10.1 seconds, while the top speed is 182 km / h.
As in many other cars, the C3 Aircross 1.2-liter turbo-petrol engine shows its talents – it easily “turns” up to higher revs and offers more than respectable performance, without taking a big tax on gas stations – across the city expect consumption of about 7 liters per 100 kilometers, ie about 6 liters outdoors.
Plus, the C3 Aircross plays a great role as a practical family crossover when it comes to steering. The high sitting position guarantees excellent visibility, and the super-easy servo-steering ensures easy maneuverability in city congestion. Don’t expect sporty performance – it’s just not in the spirit of C3 Aircross. On the other hand, the increased distance from the ground means that short (and not so short) field adventures are not excluded.
It seems that the French have hit the formula for a practical family crossover. That was clear when they launched the C3 Aircross. The competition in this segment is particularly good, but the knowledge and experience of Citroën Gold is worth it. The reality is that Citroën “from the first” hit its smallest crossover – practicality and spaciousness which are the main trump cards of the C3 Aircross, combined with top comfort and a great 1.2-liter turbo gasoline are a formula that is difficult… No, not only difficult – very difficult to overcome.