Citroen’s first SUV is go for July

CITROEN Australia has confirmed that it will launch its first SUV, the C4 AirCross, in Australia next month, but is keeping is powder dry on pricing for now while exchange rates gyrate.

Like the Peugeot 4008, the AirCross is based on the Mitsubishi ASX compact SUV, and will be imported from the same Japanese plant.

However, Citroen Australia public relations manager Edward Rowe told GoAuto that the Citroen AirCross range would have different specifications to the Peugeot and Mitsubishi variants, along with Citroen’s distinct styling.

Mr Rowe said Citroen would wait until the launch before setting the pricing, to take advantage of the latest data.

“The way exchange rates are at the moment, we will leave that to the last possible moment,” he said.

Citroen Australia has confirmed that the C4 AirCross will get a 110kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a choice of manual or CVT (continuously variable transmission) – the same powertrain used in the ASX and 4008.

The AirCross also will be offered in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the latter allowing the driver to select between three drive modes – two-wheel drive for maximum economy, four-wheel drive for difficult conditions and 4WD Lock “for the toughest conditions”.

The arrival of the AirCross will bring Citroen’s C4 range to four, joining the standard C4 hatchback, C4 Picasso seven-seat people-mover and up-market Citroen DS4.

Citroen Australia general manager Miles Williams said each of the C4 models would sit in the same size category, but would be distinct models in their own right.

“By providing them with their own platforms and differing drivetrains, Citroen has allowed them not to be variants of one model and carry the restrictions in their abilities that this would cause, but to be much more capable vehicles designed to meet the specific needs in each of their own market sectors and offer Citroen customers a wider range of choice,” he said.

The AirCross launch comes just a few months ahead of the DS5 mid-sized luxury hatchback that is likely to boast PSA’s Hybrid4 technology.

Peugeot launched its 4008 range last month, with the entry-level Active 2WD starting at $28,990 for the five-speed manual.

The 2WD CVT version is $31,490, while the Active AWD is priced at $30,990 for the manual and $33,490 for the CVT. The flagship 4008 Allure CVT is $38,490.

Mitsubishi’s ASX range starts at $25,990 and tops out at $36,990 for the 4WD Aspire 2.0-litre petrol and 1.8-litre diesel variants.