2024 (74) Citroën C3

Could this second generation Citroen C3 Aircross be a small family's ideal second car? Jonathan Crouch decides.

Ten Second Review

On paper, Citroen's revitalised C3 Aircross ticks almost every box for families looking for a small, versatile and stylish B-segment SUV. There's trendy looks, a versatile cabin space for up to seven and the choice of conventional, Hybrid or full-electric drivetrains. It's a car that'll really put its brand on the map in this sector.

Background

What if you could have the style and adventurous feel of a small SUV. Combined with the interior space and flexibility of a small MPV People Carrier? It's a combination of virtues that many brands have promised. But which possibly this car actually delivers - the Citroën C3 Aircross, in full second generation form completely redesigned around the latest Stellantis Group 'Smart Car' platform. That chassis is this European conglomerate's base for the compact models it hopes will be able to compete in value terms with cars produced in lands with cheaper labour. We've already seen it introduced in a Citroen that shares much with this SUV, the fourth generation C3 supermini. This is a very different kind of C3 Aircross to the car that back in 2017 launched Citroen's presence in the crossover segment for supermini SUVs and was substantially refreshed in 2021. Primarily, it's bigger, which means you can now have the seven-seat option that's unusual in this class. And there's also now a full-electric version - plus a full-Hybrid to compensate for the deletion of diesel. For a family in search perhaps of a second car, this is a very complete-looking contender.

Driving Experience

As expected, this C3 Aircross fronts up with the usual portfolio of Stellantis Group powertrains for a car in this class. If affordability is everything, you'll stick with the conventional option, 1.2-litre turbocharged three cylinder PureTech petrol engine with 100hp, mated to that fast-disappearing kind of transmission, a manual gearbox (this one with 6 speeds). For this second generation C3 Aircross, there's no diesel alternative. Instead, Citroen wants you to consider its 48V Hybrid powerplant, which is offered in 136hp form. Here, much the same 1.2-litre petrol engine is based around a unique 6-speed e-DSC6 auto transmission with an electric motor built into it, powered by a tiny battery. This motor can take over driving duties for up to 50% of the time in urban traffic. If that still not quite enough electrification for you, then you'll be directed to the priciest E-C3 Aircross, which uses the same drivetrain as its E-C3 supermini sibling. It uses a 44kWh battery with an EV range of up to 186 miles, that battery energising a 113hp electric motor on the front axle, propelling the car to 62mph in around 12s en route to 84mph. Ride comfort is a traditional Citroen attribute, so the Advanced Comfort shock absorber hydraulic bump stops from larger models are carried over to this one. The remainder of the damping set-up is conventional, with MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear end. What's differs the C3 Aircross from the C3 supermini is this SUV model's slightly raised driving position. That's due to greater ground clearance, though there's not enough of that to facilitate the off-road adventures the chunky styling suggests this Citroen might be up for.

Design and Build

Predictably, the blocky, squarical styling that Citroen's decided will characterise its future models (derived from the company's Oli concept car of 2022) suits this C3 Aircross better than it does the fourth generation C3 supermini. Like the other Stellantis Group design in this segment that shares that conglomerate's 'Smart Car' platform, the Vauxhall Frontera, it's much bigger than the car it replaces, 200mm longer than the old C3 Aircross, with a much more overtly SUV vibe. Larger wheels in arches with chunky cladding, extra ground clearance and roof rails all feature and the wings and wheel tracks are wider than the C3 donor model. The bluff front end sees the brand's new badge sitting prominently on the chevron-patterned grille. Personalisation was a draw for this car's predecessor and here again, the contrasting paint on the lower quarter panel and front bumper is customisable. Inside, it's all very different from the previous model. As with the C3 supermini, this C3 Aircross features what Citroen calls a 'head-up display', which actually isn't that at all; instead, it's a narrow letterbox-like strip which houses a small selection of digital instruments, primarily speed and range. This works with the almost equally unusual oblong-shaped over-buttoned steering wheel. Avoid base trim and you get a central infotainment screen, a 10.25-inch monitor that at last Citroen has learned not to over-burden with climate controls, which are separated out lower down. Fabric inserts and novel detailing supply the required Gallic vibe, as do the squashy Active Comfort seats. In the second row, there's comfortable room for a couple of adults (helped by a 2.67-metre wheelbase length that's the longest in the category). And, as with the old model, there's a sliding rear bench. Which this new-era C3 Aircross needs because (unusually for a B-segment SUV), it offers the option of a third seating row (though only on the combustion versions). As you can imagine though, that'll be pretty cramped and is intended for small children only. Most of the time, you'll have those chairs folded out of the way so you can better access the decently-sized 460-litre boot.

Market and Model

Expect prices for this second generation C3 Aircross to start at around £20,000, which would pitch this car only just above the rival that's currently the most affordable seven-seater on sale in the UK, Dacia's Jogger. Think in terms of needing around £1,800 more to graduate from a conventional PureTech 100hp engine with manual transmission to the 100hp 1.2-litre 48V Hybrid auto. You'll need to budget from around £25,000 for the full-EV E-C3 Aircross. Whatever your choice of powertrain, there's a choice of two trim levels - 'Plus' and 'MAX'. 'Plus'-spec comes as standard with Citroen Advanced Comfort suspension, six airbags, automatic air conditioning, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, active safety braking, an active lane departure warning system, driver attention alert, cruise control with speed limiter, recognition of speed limit signs, rear parking sensors and a rear parking camera, automatic lighting, Advanced Comfort Seats, electric front and rear windows, LED headlights and daytime running lights and 17-inch alloy wheels. The second level, 'MAX', additionally offers 3D LED rear lights, a white or black bi-tone roof depending on the body colour, 3D navigation, wireless smartphone charging, exterior mirrors with blind-spot detection, front parking sensors, an electrochrome interior mirror and a winter pack comprising of heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen.

Cost of Ownership

Small SUVs can't be as efficient as the superminis they're based upon: extra weight and bluffer aerodynamics put paid to that. This C3 Aircross is no exception to that rule, in terms of weight tipping the scales at about 100 kilograms more than an ordinary C3. That exacts a penalty of about 10% on the fuel and CO2 emissions figures you can expect - which is a premium that we expect most potential owners will be quite happy to pay in return for the extra fashionability of running a car of this kind. It's worth pointing out though, that the inherent lightness of that standard C3 means that this SUV version's extra weight doesn't leave it as being a particularly heavy car. It doesn't actually weigh very much more than something like, say, an ordinary Vauxhall Corsa supermini. And the result should be a very efficient set of running costs. We would expect around 55mpg on the combined cycle and about 110g/km of CO2 from the conventional 1.2-litre PureTech variant. With the 48V Hybrid model, you could probably improve that to around 60mpg and closer to 100g/km. Citroen claims that the E-C3 Aircross is capable of up to 186 miles of range and rapid charging at rates of up to 100kW, which allows for a 20-80% charge in 26 minutes. At home, you'll be able to AC charge from 20-80% from 7.4kW garage wall box in just over 4 hours. If your property has a three-phase supply, you'll also be able to charge at 11kW, in which case the 20-80% charging time will fall to just under 3 hours. All versions of this model will be covered by the brand's usual unremarkable three year/60,000 mile warranty, plus the battery will have its own eight year cover package.

Summary

If the automotive market was sensible and rational, this would be a small MPV - like the old C3 Picasso. And in many ways it is: just one with an SUV mindset. We like that combination and there's no reason why potential buyers shouldn't too. This rejuvenated second generation C3 Aircross doesn't look likely to be especially fun to drive but few B-segment SUVs are. What actually matters is that it's fun to look at and fun to sit in, which ought to also make it fun to own. Yet at the same time, this model's pretty much as practical as the MPV it probably would have been a few years ago. Its other main attributes are distinctly Citroën ones. The cossetting Active Comfort seats and Advanced Comfort shock absorber hydraulic bump stops. A level of possible personalisation far beyond what you'll be offered by competitor models in this class. Light weight and efficient engines, which together mean very competitive running costs. And up-front affordability which could easily see you in a C3 Aircross at a substantial saving over comparable versions of key class rivals. And in summary? Well this is Citroën's idea of what a small SUV of this kind should be - and that makes it a little different from your other choices in this class. Which might mean you'll end up liking this car a lot more than you thought you were going to.