The new Citroen C3 Aircross 7 seats is here! How does it compare in terms of space and quality of finish?

B-segment crossover and the ability to transport a family of 7 people often do not go together, but on the Indian market, Citroën C3 Aircross received three rows of seats, which allows us to expand the list of tasks we need. can assign to this model. Is there enough space in the car for all seven passengers and can we sit in the back seat with our legs crossed, as the manufacturer tries to convince us in the advertisement? We got a closer look at the model during a visit to La Maison Citroën in Chennai.

Cars from the SUV segment have displaced minivans from the market and not all manufacturers have decided to offer the same with the ability to transport 7 people. Yes, Citroën also belongs to this group. After abandoning the C4 Picasso, the French manufacturer changed its strategy and decided to introduce a small SUV to the showrooms. Everything is fine, the C5 Aircross is a big and comfortable car, but… it only has 5 seats. What if we add two seats to the smaller model? The new Citroen C3 Aircross 5+2 Edition is now available in showrooms in the Indian market.

The car is part of the C-Cubed initiative, which involved designing a range of domestic models to better suit the needs of customers in emerging markets. There are three cars in the program. We have already met two of them: C3 and C3 Aircross, and the latter will be shown for the first time in 2024.

Check out the test: New Citroën C5 Aircross with 2 liter diesel engine. We travel across India and discover the Chennai area

It must be an SUV

According to the current code of beauty in the car market, almost every car should at least slightly resemble an SUV. Citroen stylists effectively use the trend. Even the smaller C3 has distinctive underbody cladding and stands out more off-road than competing models. The French brand calls the new C3 Aircrosa an SUV and advertises its new model as a means of transport intended for families, leisure and adventure enthusiasts. The car is 4,323 mm long and 1,669 mm tall. Citroen also advertises 200 mm of ground clearance.

The car is characterized by an aggressive front with a clear division into lower and upper parts, which are more visible in the white color version. An additional effect is added by the contrast between the white and black elements of the car, which shows the geometric shapes on the radiator grill and bumper. A black roof with light railings also fits well.

The C3 Aircross has two LED lights arranged in a V shape according to the brand’s style language And what do the blue lines do on the hood? Does Citroën offer a special edition? Drivers in India love to decorate their cars and they do it in various ways. Colorful trucks and cars with flower crowns roam the streets. Dealers also decorate cars, especially when the customer adopts a new style. The C3 Aircross received two blue ribbons at La Maison Citroën in Chennai, attracting the attention of customers.

The model line is marked by a neat spoiler, but there is one more detail that draws attention to the rear of the C3 Aircross. The influence of Ola’s concept model, from which the car borrows headlights and a 3D effect, is clearly visible here.

Citroen C3 Aircross with quality finish

Finishing the interior in the “Max” trim level can be seen in two ways. On the one hand, we have a bright dashboard with mini chevron badges and a lovely beige eco-leather upholstery that even covers the door panels. On the other hand, Citroen should think about improving the quality of the plastic components to make them more pleasant to the touch, especially since the brand likes to talk about luxury when describing the interior of its SUV. Driving comfort is enhanced by the presence of armrests on the front seats, large cups and a suitable multimedia system connected to a smartphone without the need to carry a cable, which has not yet been revealed. We still have to take a cable to connect the phone with us when we travel around India with the C3.

See also: What does the new 4th generation Citroën C3 with a combustion engine look like? Pros, cons, interior and comfort

The image from our smartphone is displayed on a 10-inch screen surrounded by a thick black frame. The efficiency of operation and the attractive interface with minimal colors deserve praise. We won’t see analog clocks on the C3 Aircross offer. Information such as speed, fuel consumption and tire pressure appears on the 7-inch display behind the steering wheel. Citroen did not forget about the smartphone shelf, 12V socket and three USB ports – one in front and two in the second row.

Is the 7-seat version a good choice?

The Citroen C3 Aircorss ad shows a beautiful woman sitting in the back seat with her legs crossed and her face showing great joy. Although we do not know the height of the actress in the film, her long legs may indicate that she is not short, but just an advertisement. It is necessary to exaggerate what is best in the example. Does the Citroen C3 Aircross really offer a lot of space inside and will I be able to cross my legs with my height of 172 cm?

Citroen used a wheelbase of 2,671 mm, which already shows that the space in the cabin was one of the priorities when creating the car, and this is a big advantage. The second row looks good and crossing my legs was not a big problem for me. Although the remaining distance between my knees and the backs of the front seats seems less than in the promotional video (the actor must be short after all), I’m still impressed. An interesting solution is to put the rear air vents on the headliner to better control the climate during very hot weather, which is not difficult in India.

I moved from the middle to the last row. Not even Citroën tries to convince you that the car can accommodate 7 adults. “Car seats are only meant for children” – a salesman at a showroom in Chennai informed me when he saw me heading towards the back of the booth. I sat back, but the top of my head almost touched the headboard. The rear window was a millimeter behind the rear. I can confirm the seller’s words: only young passengers will be comfortable here. I will also add that in the 7-seat configuration we have no trunk.

If we don’t need the last two seats, we can remove them very easily. Removing the seats requires only two powerful movements. Interior setup is intuitive and takes fractions of a second.

How much does the Citroen C3 Aircross cost?

The catalog includes a 3-cylinder 1.2 PureTech petrol engine with a power of 110 HP and a maximum torque of 190 Nm, which is connected to a 6-speed gearbox or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. To order C3 Aircross we need 999,000. rupees, which translates to about 48 thousand. zlotys. The highest version of equipment with automatic transmission and equipment is equal to about PLN 67,000. PLN, which is less than the cost of the base model C3 on the Polish market.

The new Citroen C3 Aircross will debut in Europe soon. It won’t be the same model as we saw in India, but the cars should have 30% common features. The French brand is unlikely to dare to release a 7-seater version of the car on the Old Continent, but in the Indian market the car, which is aimed at large families and young working people, should find a large audience. The C3 Aircross is supported by its attractive style, space in the cabin (not counting the third row of seats) and the ease of adjusting the interior to our needs. You cannot inflate the C3 Aircross. It is a car for many tasks and at a well calculated price.