Fleet innovator test – Citroën C3 Aircross: an MPV in SUV's clothing

Citroën understood that it needed to build exciting, even slightly eccentric cars again to buck the downward sales trend of the past years. Neither fish nor fowl, the new C3 Aircross seems the perfect illustration of the brand’s renaissance. But can it have its cookie and eat it, too?

More MPV than SUV

Unless you have been living on a different planet the past decade, you will have noticed that SUVs – well actually, cross-overs – are mushrooming, eating away market share of traditional body types such as saloons, estates, hatchbacks and – most importantly – MPVs. The heyday of the Scénics, Picassos and Zafiras is behind us. If rugged-looking softroaders is what the people want, who is Citroën to hold on to boxy people-and-their-stuff movers?

Yet, Citroën believes its customers still value practicality and clever solutions. Hence this rather original and far from unattractive mix between a monospace (like its predecessor, the C3 Picasso) – including a sliding rear bench, a panoramic windscreen and a huge boot – and a more beefy looking pseudo-SUV. Indeed, ‘pseudo’: just like most of its competitors, this little cross-over has no off-road ambitions whatsoever, as all-wheel drive is not available.    

Bienvenue à bord

This C3 Aircross rolls of the same assembly line in Zaragoza (Spain) as the Opel Crossland X. Still, it is as much as Citroën as its German cousin is an Opel. Both cars look entirely different and emanate their own ambiance, look and feel and identity on the inside. In the case of the Aircross, the cabin feels very loungy, with the large fauteuils in the front, the horizontal lines and the rounded of, colourful trapezoids as a recurring design theme.

The seats are comfortable, but lack lateral support. Then again, this is not a hot hatch, but a family car that should be driven responsibly by mums and dads. They will love the fact that there are plenty of storage compartments, an (optional) XL sunroof and hundreds of colour combinations to choose from. Customisation is indeed a core value of this French cross-over, and so is connectivity.

The C3 Aircross carries lots of advanced technology, most of which can be operated from the central touch display. It is not the easiest system to use, though, especially not when you are driving, and integrating the climate control commands in this digital interface is perhaps a bridge too far.

Sparky but not comfy

As soon as you start driving, you can’t help but be happy about the way the three-cylinder petrol engine purrs. It gives this Aircross plenty of grunt – for a family car – without consuming much fuel. Its NEDC fuel efficiency rating stands at 5 l/100 km (CO2: 115 g/km), whereas our test car burnt 7.2 l/100 km for an average speed of 67 km/h. Indeed, most of the test consisted of motorway driving, and that is clearly not this cross-over’s preferred activity.

Not only does its fuel consumption increase exponentially as soon as you hit 100 km/h, it also has a hard time keeping noises within acceptable limits. Its voluminous body seems to act as a sound box, increasing vibrations coming from the road, drag and the engine. If you wonder why the VW T-Roc is so much more expensive: this is one of the reasons, next to the fact that nothing in this category compares to the baby Tiguan in terms of build and material quality.

Even though the C3 Aircross exudes sturdiness with its pumped-up body panels, it feels a bit flimsy in places. Some panels seem to scratch easily, too. The KIA Stonic we drove recently proved better in terms of trim, NVH and structural rigidity.

The bottom line

The C3 Aircross is still more of an MPV than it is an SUV, offering a practical and spacious interior but not a feeling of imperturbability or toughness. It doesn’t really walk the brand’s talk as far as comfort goes – for which the disappointing NVH characteristics are to blame. The turbocharged 1.2 three-cylinder petrol engine makes it an enjoyable car to drive nonetheless.

Safety-wise, its 5-star EuroNCAP rating should reassure those in doubt. The life and costly repair saving Active City Brake doesn’t come standard, though, but contrary to models from German origin, the C3 Aircross sells its options at a very reasonable price. Some materials are unlikely to stand the test of time as well as a VW’s trim, but this Citroën is good value for money, contributing to an attractive TCO. 

PROS

• Very practical and airy cross-over
• Sparky and TCO-friendly 1.2 petrol engine (110 hp)
• Attractively priced, well equipped, affordable options
• Loungy interior, nice design touches

CONS

• Mediocre soundproofing (wind, road, engine)
• Interior materials lack sturdiness, scratch resistance
• Active City Brake not standard
• Front seats lack lateral support

Picture copyright: Citroën, 2018