Citroen C3 Breaks Cover, Will Gun For The Heavyweights

• Gets a sleek front grille, X-shaped split headlamps, dual-tone alloy wheels, and colour-coded accents all over. 

• Features a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice commands, and voice commands.

• Could be powered by 1.2-litre petrol engines only with manual and automatic gearbox options.

• Prices expected to start from Rs 5.5 lakh.

• Will rival a variety of cars like the Tata Punch, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Maruti Swift, and Baleno. 

After a bunch of spied images and teasers, Citroen has unleashed the C3, the carmaker’s first made-in-India offering that makes a solid first impression with its quirky styling. As a sub-4 metre  crossover with high ground clearance and an SUV-like stance, the C3 will take on multiple other models like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Tata Punch, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, and more.

The C3 measures 3,980mm in length, gets a 2,540mm wheelbase, and has a ground clearance of 180mm.

Design-wise, the C3 seems somewhat inspired by its bigger sibling, the C5 Aircross SUV. There’s the logo neatly integrated with the sleek front grille, black cladding all over, and contrasting colour-coded inserts on the ORVMs, fog lamp housing, and roof. That said, its split-headlamp setup with an X-shaped theme is a distinctive feature. The dual-tone alloy wheels complete the exterior design.

Four body shades will be on offer: Polar White, Platinum Grey, Steel Grey, and Zesty Orange. You can team all of these with two roof colour options: Platinum Grey or Zesty Orange. 

Inside, the C3 is funky down to a T, with quirky-looking AC vents and the color-coded dashboard. However, there’s more to the C3 than just the hip styling. It is practicality personified, thanks to a 315-litre boot, a 1-litre glove box, two 2-litre door pockets up front, a 1-litre door pocket at the rear, a storage compartment in the centre console, and cup holders.

Features include a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, steering-mounted controls, three USB sockets, a 12V socket, and a smartphone clamp.

Powertrain details aren’t out yet, but we expect it to get 1.2-litre petrol naturally aspirated and turbo engines, paired with manual and automatic transmission options. 

Do remember that the unveiled Citroen C3 is only a near-production-spec model, so the final feature list  should be confirmed when it is launched in India around the first half of 2022. Prices are likely to range from Rs 5.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom).