Citroen has revealed the new C3 Aircross, which is scheduled to land in South Africa in the second half of the year.
The new Aircross will be radically different from its predecessor, as the French brand is in the process of adjusting its market strategy in South Africa with a focus on the under-R400,000 price segment.
Therefore, while the incoming models’ pricing has yet to be revealed, it should be much cheaper than the current units which retail for a minimum of R438,500.
What to expect
The next-gen C3 Aircross is a B-segment crossover that measures 4.39 metres in length, roughly 200mm more than the current iteration.
The reason for the growth spurt is that the crossover is now optionally available as a “5+2” seven-seater for the first time with two foldable chairs in the boot that can otherwise take up to 444 litres of luggage.
It has also seen its ground clearance raised from 178mm to 200mm for better off-roading, and it boasts a “longest-in-class” wheelbase of 2,671mm, according to the company.
The Aircross is following the same styling principles as the C3 that went on sale in South Africa last year, with Citroen’s revised logo proudly displayed on the front.
The slimmer grille is flanked by a pair of thin LED daytime running lights, and the crossover can be bought with a two-tone paint scheme
The body has been made more square and vertical similar to other modern SUVs, and this look is complemented by a set of larger alloy wheels.
Regarding its power source, Citroen parent company Stellantis recently confirmed that South Africa will be given access to two different petrol engines – a 1.2-litre, naturally-aspirated unit with a five-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.2-litre turbo with a six-speed automatic.
The turbocharged powertrain is the same one found on the current C3 Aircross models, which produces 81kW and 205Nm while returning an average fuel consumption of 6.5l/100km.
The unassisted drivetrain, meanwhile, is likely the same one used in the C3, which puts out 61kW and 115Nm while consuming 5.6l/100km.
There are three trim levels to choose from – Clever, Comfort, and Cool – and a few of the features revealed thus far include a 6.7-inch colour digital driver display, automatic climate control with rear vents, and a 10-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
As previously mentioned, the C3 Aircross will cost less than R400,000 when it arrives, but we can look at the segment to narrow down where it will fit in our market.
The smaller C3 currently starts at R239,900 and is a competitor to models like the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger, so the Aircross is guaranteed to be north of this sum.
At the same time, the C3 Aircross is not the only affordable model that Citroen plans to introduce here, as we are also getting a drastically cheaper C5 Aircross in 2025 that will also fall under the R400,000 bracket.
Considering that the C5 is naturally the more expensive model, likely falling just shy of the stated price point with a sticker comparable to something like the Toyota Urban Cruiser or Haval Jolion, it seems a good bet that the C3 Aircross may compete with something like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro or Suzuki Fronx, which start at R279,900 and R288,900, respectively.
2024 Citroen C3 Aircross
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