Citroen C3 Aircross offers seven seats

IMAGES of the new Citroen C3 Aircross small SUV have surfaced in Europe where it’s due for launch soon.

The chunky-looking new model could tempt Citroen Australian to take a second swing at the C3 Aircross after it was dropped from the local line up back in 2021.

The chubby-faced outgoing model couldn’t get traction in the second most competitive market segment Down Under… small SUVs.

With 40 competitors the question might well be… Is there room for one more and more important, is it a case of once bitten twice shy for Citroen Australia?

An Inchcape spokesperson was non-committal saying there is already a C3 (hatch) available here and that “information regarding updates to product line ups in Australia will be shared in due course”.

Though plenty of similarities exist inside and out, C3 and the C3 Aircross are different animals in appearance and design with the C3 competing in the light car segment.

Assuming the decision to import is positive, the C3 Aircross will be up against the likes of Toyota’s Corolla Cross and C-HR, Mitsubishi’s sharply priced ASX, the new Nissan Qashqai, new Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V, Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30 and even more premium models like the Audi Q2 and Q3, Alfa Tonale and BMW X1 and X2.

Information from the new C3 Aircross image release touts, “The new C3 Aircross undergoes a radical change and enters a new scope with the ambition to strengthen its position in a very competitive territory”.

“Its exterior design reveals a tougher yet stylish SUV with a new attitude that makes it more assertive, muscular, and robust.”

It is bigger than before at 4390mm long and is said to offer more space inside with up to (a surprising) seven seats which Citroen says is a first for the segment despite the model’s compact size.

The newcomer is set to be launched by (European) summer offering what Citroen describes as a “new vision of the compact European SUV in a major market.

This size vehicle (B-SUV) has since 2020 outsold hatchbacks of the same size with sales exceeding two million units each year in an increasingly competitive market.

Citroen entered this market in 2008 with the C3 Picasso as the (B-SUV) segment didn't really exist then, but the Picasso already offered a raised driving position and interior space in a functional and practical vehicle with what was described as the unique character of a “magic box”.

The Aircross designation appeared in 2017 with the C3 Aircross, which maintained benchmark practicality while adding a dash of adventure.

Citroen says the new C3 Aircross has been completely reinvented to meet the expectations of families.

A number of variants will include carry-over Puretech 110 ICE powertrains in addition to petrol hybrid as well as a fully electric model.

Citroen’s stated intention for the C3 Aircross (and the C3 hatch) is to shake up the market with a “very” competitive pricing positioning. Both models are based on the same Smart Car platform allowing powertrain flexibility and cost efficiency.

The small but well-formed new C3 Aircross has a more assertive style than before and offers additional interior space with a high level of interior comfort.

It marks the start of a new design language leveraging Citroen’s Oli concept car that integrates a “verticalized” front end with the brand’s lighting signature in three luminous segments. Citroen’s chevron motif is incorporated into certain elements.