The Citroen C3 Aircross has been on sale for a few months now, and while there have been some hits and some misses in terms of what the SUV has to offer, one glaring omission was the lack of automatic options. This is now taken care of with the introduction of the six-speed automatic variants to the line-up. We took the new version for a quick spin around the city to find out how this automatic fares.
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In terms of styling, there are no changes to the design, not even an AT badge to distinguish it from the manual version. As Seshan reported from the drive in Chennai, we love this quintessential Citroen SUV with a muscular stance and relatively boxy design approach that speaks more function and practicality over outlandish looks.
The cabin is also the same as what we have seen before. For lack of better words – let me call it functional in the sense that it only offers all the basic features. Citroen now offers two additional features – remote engine start/stop and pre-cooling the car through My Citroen App. These will be handy in the intense Indian summers, especially given the fact that C3 Aircross misses out on climate control. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see how those function since the function requires the car and the app to sync post-registration with the respective owner.
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The key advantage is the fact that it is spacious. In the five-seater variant, three adults can sit on the rear bench with a spacious boot. The 5+2 variants also don’t compromise on the second-row space, though the last row is only for children and that too on relatively short drives.
For the automatic, C3 Aircross gets the same engine – a 3-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol unit that delivers 108bhp. The engine's six-speed torque converter transmission delivers an additional 15Nm of torque, which offers even better drivability.
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The power delivery is linear, and there isn’t much lag to complain about. We have always loved this peppy engine, and in this AT, our opinion is the same. The overall experience could have been a little less noisy, though, but then again, Citroen needs to have a second look at the overall NVH and cabin experience. Slot it in manual and it allows you to control the shifts with relative ease via the gear stick. There are no paddle shifters (that is wishful thinking!). In manual mode, it revs cleanly to just below the rev limiter and automatically selects the next gear. The torque at the bottom end is solid and even in the mid-range the acceleration is good, it is only at the top-end that the automatic struggles a bit, just like the manual counterpart.
From the perspective of convenience, whether it is in the city or the highways, the C3 Aircross is a solid package. The ride and handling is top-notch. It absorbs all bumps, whether there is enough load or not. Also, I will rate this very highly in the handling department. So when there is a solid automatic and the drive quality which is this compliant, it makes for a great driving experience. I will always be happy behind the wheels of the C3 Aircross.
Let me be very objective – for anyone looking for a no frills spacious car, the Citroen C3 Aircross AT makes a very compelling case. The features list and overall cabin experience could have been a lot better, but it will come with a substantial bump in price tag. And that means you will have more options to look at – but if you are okay to get a solid mechanical package and are okay with later getting aftermarket add-ons, have a good look at this one.
