Team-BHP - Citroen C5 Aircross Review

Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

- Official New Car Reviews (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/)

- - Citroen C5 Aircross Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/233292-citroen-c5-aircross-review-17.html)

Not a good pricing especially for a debut in India. 29-30 Lakhs OTR would have been better than this, let's see how much volume they are targeting. Meanwhile what is the selling price of Kodiaq and Tiguan now?

Given how they were advertising high localisation from day 1, I really was expecting more competent pricing. As of today its priced way too high.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMachine (Post 5039369)

With Citroen, since there is no established or advertised luxury (enough) quotient, people may have doubt as to what is the overall value proposition all about!

Feel vindicated with the above quote when I see the position of Citroen's price launch article in today's ToI:-

If someone decides to buy this car by paying 50k per month for five years, and at the end of five years, wishes to retain the car, then how much will he be required to pay?

This is going to be another tale of a popular European brand coming to India without the aam junta's knowledge and packing their bags back to Europe without the aam junta's knowledge. After the FCA-Peugeot merger, did Citroen meet the FCA gyaanis to take advise on pricing a car in India?

People are who are waiting for an upgrade from their current ride would be heavily disappointed.

If Citroen was presumed to be bomb then pricing peed on it.:crying

Quote:

Originally Posted by sub.g84 (Post 5039432)

After the FCA-Peugeot merger, did Citroen meet the FCA gyaanis to take advise on pricing a car in India?

Probably they might taken this decision after discussing with FCA folks. Remember Jeep's initial offerings and their crazy pricelist when they entered India? Seems like Citroen doing the same with C5. To position themselves as premium offering against other mass market competitors. This particular model could have been launched specifically for brand building and the upcoming sub 4m SUV is what they really plan to sell in good numbers with huge profit. For that they need to showcase themselves as a premium brand. Same mistake what Jeep India did:Frustrati

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vid6639 (Post 5039290)

Pricing isn't a surprise but it is very very optimistic.

The Kodiaq Style was 32.99L last year before BS6 axed the diesel and hence the model. So 1L lower with BS6 and a year later is inline with the Kodiaq which the C5 was targeting.

However the Citroen is a new brand and they should have priced it 3-4L lower to get people to warm up to the brand and put a bunch of cars on the road so more people come to the showroom and buy it based on it's virtues. If you increase the price after 6 months to this level it would have been fine. But no ways these prices at launch.

The Citroen looks good, drives well but is smaller than the Kodiaq and loses some nice to have features which will give it a big disadvantage.

I don't expect this to sell more than 100-200 per month. Our market is fickle minded and the buyers will either jump to BMW X1 or settle for Compass, Seltos.

Well summed up Sir! I don't understand how everything costing 30-40 lakhs is compared to the ladder frame SUV these days (with the fortuner specifically). I will say that Citroen could have priced it 3-4 lakhs cheaper but again it wouldn't have made a world of a difference to those who compare a bouncy Toyota (no offence to anyone) to just about everything from a Skoda Superb to a BMW X1 just because the pricing is in the same ballpark.:Frustrati

I myself am planning to get a new car after extending my budget to 40 Lacs now and I am sorry to say but I don't understand why the Ladder frame SUVs are so overhyped, most of these are anyway used as city slickers and highway cruisers where a quality monocoque crossover or a sedan would fair much better.

The pricing by Citroen is highly disappointing.

As a current Hyundai Creta user, I was keen to upgrade to the next segment.

Unfortunately, this pricing does not warrant the product.

If you think of it, the options in the 20-30L price bracket for a mid size SUV is rather limited.

1. Citroen (no longer VFM)
2. Hyundai Tuscon (new model globally launched, no update yet for India)
3. Jeep Compass
4. Mahindra XUV 500 (new model awaited, quality and finish concerns compared to above options).

Am i missing any additional options?

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivs2003 (Post 5039513)

Am i missing any additional options?

Yes you missed the great Indian Tata Safari if considering 7 seaters and VW T-Roc if you prefer a boutique offering.

Was expecting the C5 to be priced at 34L on road Bangalore. 40L is extremely high considering the lack of features when compared to the compass and the Tucson. Such a disappointment.

While I did beat up Citroen in one of my earlier posts on their pricing, I think it is also fair to point out that these atrocious pricing is also due to our hyper taxation regime!

On the basic cost of the car, there is a 28% GST and a 20% GST Cess on the full value, so essentially 48% taxes on top of the basic car value that makes up the ex-showroom, so this car would essentially be 20L to Citroen, 10L to GST+Cess... then on top of this you add 20% (off) road tax in KA that would be some 6L, you are looking at an OTR of 37L incl. insurance for the entry variant... sigh!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivs2003 (Post 5039513)

The pricing by Citroen is highly disappointing.

Am i missing any additional options?

Top end Harrier twins, Top end Hector twins, Mahindra announcing XUV700 today and refreshed XUV500 (however both XUV500/700 may not be coming anytime soon). Worst case, you can also consider top end Kia Seltos/Creata.

This is more of a pricing strategy of the brand who is tippy toeing into the Indian market. They are either not committed to India plans as yet or their investment plans for volumes are still some way off but they do not want to delay brand presence any longer than necessary.

As per the report I read it is a CKD product and their localisation plans start next year with a program they call C-cubed. They plan 100% localisation and one launch per year for the next five years.

This will be a rare product given the pricing. Kind of like a Volvo among the German luxury trio.

Drive on,
Shibu

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivs2003 (Post 5039513)

As a current Hyundai Creta user, I was keen to upgrade to the next segment.
Am i missing any additional options?

How about Tata Safari?
Or facelifted VW Tiguan (2021 launch expected)?
Or facelifted Skoda Kodiaq (may push your 30 lakh bracket a bit)