[sagsaw]

What if C3 Aircross comes with an Integrated Starter Generator with torque assist at lower rpm, plus a start stop system and Eco AC mode,

would that be desirable over fancy bell and whistles features?

I would certainly prefer that instead of air purifier on wheels type bling features.

Also awaited are Citroen crash test results and number of airbags.

[Spaced Out]

Originally Posted by blueather

Dude this car doesn't even have halogen projectors.

Are halogen projectors the same insanely bright headlights that light up the cabin of a car ahead of you? I personally wish we would ban them in India. Drivers have no brains in this country and zero knowledge of driving etiquette, and use these bright lights indiscriminately.

[skb1811]

Originally Posted by Spaced Out

Are halogen projectors the same insanely bright headlights that light up the cabin of a car ahead of you? I personally wish we would ban them in India. Drivers have no brains in this country and zero knowledge of driving etiquette, and use these bright lights indiscriminately.

Halogen projectors are the ones you would find on a base spec creta/seltos, they focus the light and have a pretty sharp cutoff compared to halogen reflector lights, the blinding ones are usually either aftermarket LEDs fitted with no sense of alignment, or they're not placed properly to give you the proper light beam pattern, hence they act like floodlights instead of headlights..
If done right, reflector leds can work just as good as projector leds/halogens

[noob_petrolmonk]

My Observations on C3 Aircross

Design - Good
Features - Below Par
Engine - Acceptable (If they provide 110 HP and 190 NM Torque)
Interiors - Acceptable

Citroen still has some time to add features like LED headlights, ACC ( and possibly 6 airbags) to this car before they launch. If they are going to launch this one with the same set of features showcased, then they should pin their hopes on ride quality and GNCAP results for this car to survive. Meanwhile can someone comment on the NVH levels of the 1.2 Turbo engine that is available on the C3 Turbo?

[ashutoshb]

Originally Posted by Omkar

Rear bench of the 5-seater variant. Feels more like a 4-seater as the middle passenger doesn’t get a headrest and only gets a lap belt:

Did you notice ISOFIX points in the rear seats, brother?

[ron178]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

Did you notice ISOFIX points in the rear seats, brother?

In the Brazilian pre-production unit which had ISOFIX anchorages, there were clear contrasting labels visible on the seams. There is no evidence of these in Indian pre-production cars.
Source: Motor1 Brasil (YouTube)

[pqr]

The future of Citoren C3 Aircross is bleak

Citroen is getting nearly everything wrong in India, from product to branding. The lack of the right features is quite apparent. But then Citroen did something unthinkable in the segment; it is not about the 7-seater approach, as Honda already has a failed BRV.



Citroen India seems to have a Maruti Celerio in their competitor's car fleet for benchmarking, and they are getting cost cutting inspiration from there. Maybe someone they poached from Renault’s Kwid project for India's division might still have an obsession for hatchbacks in India.

At its best, with its proper proportions and SUV styling, the C3 Aircross can challenge segment leader Hyundai Creta’s E, EX, and S variants, which account for only 40% of sales. But it’s the SX and SX (O) variants that bring in real profit, as the lowest variant (E) is loss-making, as in the case of other competitors. Citroen cannot match the economies of scale of entrenched competitors, and low margins mean business will not be sustainable in the long term as it has to rely heavily on exports for volume.

On the other hand, the segment’s landscape has changed quite a bit in 2023.

• Hyundai Creta rules the roost and even postponed the facelift by a year (4+2 PLC), which isn’t the case with Venue (3+3 PLC).
• Maruti Grand Vitara has dislodged Kia Seltos from the #2 slot.
• 80% of sales of the Grand Vitara come from the mild-hybrid petrol variant, 12% from the strong-hybrid variant, and the rest from CNG.
• Kia Seltos is now desperately waiting for a panoramic sunroof and a facelift.
• The MG Astor, despite its long feature list and good interior, is biting the dust because it lacks SUV appeal on the outside.
• Toyota is happy with the strong demand for its strong-hybrid Hyryder, which accounts for 80% of sales.
• The VAG twins, as usual, are struggling as they got the value proposition wrong.

Going forward, Honda will re-enter this segment in 2023. Tata will start their innings in this particular segment by 2024, with two diverse products shown at Auto Expo 2023, and later will be joined by Mahindra too. In 2025, Renault-Nissan will make a second attempt in the segment that they started in 2012 with the Duster. So there will be plenty of options for customers, and where will the Citroen C3 Aircross fit?

In an aspirational segment like this, there is no place to make money by being at the bottom of the value pyramid.

[sagsaw]

Originally Posted by pqr

[b]

In an aspirational segment like this, there is no place to make money by being at the bottom of the value pyramid.

Lots of room for more and different strategies based vehicles in the segment.

The real result will come when Citroen reaches 75-100 showrooms.

Powertrain options still not declared by Citroen.

9000 vehicles sold in 25 showrooms is a very decent figure contrary to all the bashing received for all models.

[sf71hvettel]

Originally Posted by pqr

The future of Citoren C3 Aircross is bleak

Citroen is getting nearly everything wrong in India, from product to branding. The lack of the right features is quite apparent. But then Citroen did something unthinkable in the segment; it is not about the 7-seater approach, as Honda already has a failed BRV.

A very interesting post. I would love to know where are you getting the data of the Grand Vitara strong hybrid vs mild hybrid mix and the Creta variant wise sales mix.

[desdemona]

Originally Posted by krankstter

Noticed this during my drive back home yesterday in Chennai (Along the Siruseri - Vandalur Zoo Route). Couldn't take a snap from the front (since I was driving) but it had the Citroen bonnet logo cutout crease in the wrap. It didn't look long enough to be the Citroen C3 Aircross but I can't help but wonder. Any clues as to what this might be? Just from the rear?

Attachment 2446904

India is THE low cost engineering development centre for (some) JEEPs as well as central to Citroen's c cubed emerging market models. Could be just a mule...although one hopes it is one for the Jeep Avenger bev andor 2025 JEEP Renegade bev which too are closely related to the pre-Stellantis-merger psa cmp platform-derived c cubed program.

All these models are slated for Brazil/Latam as well as Europe and 'Middle East' soon enough. The c3 and c3 aircross have been launched almost simultaneously both there and here, which makes sense since they are designed and engineered both here(India) and there(Brazil.)

[volkman10]

Citroen C3 Aircross electric 7-Seater SUV spied for the 1st time- Europe is likely to get the EV version first.




Link

[DRPSREDDY]

Originally Posted by pqr

The future of Citoren C3 Aircross is bleak

At its best, with its proper proportions and SUV styling, the C3 Aircross can challenge segment leader Hyundai Creta’s E, EX, and S variants, which account for only 40% of sales. But it’s the SX and SX (O) variants that bring in real profit, as the lowest variant (E) is loss-making, as in the case of other competitors.
[*] 80% of sales of the Grand Vitara come from the mild-hybrid petrol variant, 12% from the strong-hybrid variant, and the rest from CNG.

In an aspirational segment like this, there is no place to make money by being at the bottom of the value pyramid.

Originally Posted by Economic Times

In its first month, 800 units, or 18% of Grand Vitara’s sales, came from the hybrid variant. The share of the hybrid variant in the number of current bookings is higher at 40%, or 24,000 units, for the Grand Vitara. Shashank Srivastava, Senior ED, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki, told ETAuto that the bookings for the midsize SUV has crossed 60,000.

The Hybrid variants have garnered a bookings of about 40% where as mild hybrid and CNG variants have about rest of 60% bookings. Considering CNG variants have garnered about 20% bookings, the Mild Hybrid variants should have garnered about 40% of bookings. So we have concrete evidence that only 40% of bookings are of petrol lower variants that too have bells and whistles that are present in top end variants. So if you look that way then expect base variants comprise of 25% of the entire Mild Hybrid variant booking then out of 60k bookings, we get a total of around 8k bookings. That shows weak demand for lower variants.

Secondly companies make money either only from the Mid or Top end variants.

New Maruti Grand Vitara variant - consumers bent for hybrid SUVs

[ashutoshb]

AutoCar wrote that Citroen is facing some issue getting AISIN torque converter transmissions for the C3 and C3 AirCross.

I wish they get Punch Powertrain's DT1 DCT transmission.

It can handle power and torque figures of the 1.2 Turbo Petrol.

Plus, it is to be made locally by its JV with Tata AutoComp. So, hoping it will be affordable too.

Add to that, Punch Powertrain already makes its DT2 transmission with Stellantis for Europe. So, it wont be their first time working together.

From what I have read about the DT1, its not lightning fast like a conventional DCT, but does give smooth, jerk free shifts and will give some ammunition to Citroen's marketing department.

[Omkar]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Does Citroen/Stellantis have a plant in Hosur? They have only in Tiruvallur right?

Hosur plant is for powertrains only (Engines and Gearboxes) - Exports and Domestic.

The Tiruvallur plant is where everything else is assembled. The ready cars roll out of the Tiruvallur plant.

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by pqr

In an aspirational segment like this, there is no place to make money by being at the bottom of the value pyramid.

Just wondering whether we should actually be expecting stellar sales or a full feature set from them at all. I mean, this brand is not a market leader in any country that it sells in.

Similarly, the brand that sells the most in India, doesn’t sell well in any other major market, even when those markets get safer and more updated versions.

Would be happy if they have a USP for the C3 Aircross. I am banking on the ride quality and close to Bolero pricing, if they can manage that. Otherwise, it will just be the talking point for youtube car reviews for a year, before it’s forgotten.