[Aditya]

Citroen Basalt Review

Citroen Basalt Pros

• Good road presence and unique SUV Coupe styling make the Basalt stand out from the crowd
• Nice-looking cabin that's spacious & practical. Plenty of storage spaces
• Peppy 1.2L turbo-petrol mated to the 6-speed MT (great to use!) or AT is fun-to-drive
• Sorted suspension offers an excellent ride & handling package. Again, a great driver's car!
• 470-litre boot can accommodate a healthy amount of luggage
• Features like the 10.2-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, connected car tech, 7-inch digital instrument cluster, rear seats with adjustable under-thigh support, soft & bolstered headrests and more
• Safety features such as 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold, TPMS, 3-point seatbelts + reminders for all 5 occupants, ISOFIX, etc.

Citroen Basalt Cons

• SUV Coupe styling can polarise opinions; this body style is not for everyone
• Missing plenty of features - sunroof, ventilated seats, keyless entry & go, 360-degree camera, cruise control, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming IRVM...
• Only petrol powertrains on offer. No Hybrid, diesel or EV options
• Quality of cabin materials doesn't feel great; cost-cutting is pretty evident in certain areas
• As is typical of SUV Coupes, rearward visibility is poor
• Long-term reliability & after-sales service quality are big unknowns; dealer network is small. Example, a metropolitan city like Mumbai has just 2 outlets in the far suburbs, while Bangalore has 1

This review has been jointly compiled with Ajmat. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

Of late, we have seen a new body style added to the automobile world. Called the SUV Coupe, this style combines a coupe-like low, rounded roof with a raised body with high ground clearance and body cladding - like an SUV. While this concept is frowned upon by many people, there is another lot of people that has warmed up to it. Till now, SUV Coupes have been available only from luxury carmakers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Now though, things are about to change. Mass market players such as Citroen, Mahindra and Tata have been displaying SUV Coupes at motor shows in the recent past. Now, Citroen is gearing up to launch Basalt - its attempt at an SUV Coupe.

The Basalt uses the same C-Cubed platform which underpins the C3 and C3 Aircross. It has well over 90% localisation. It shares many parts with its siblings. Powertrains include a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions and a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. There is no AT available with the naturally aspirated engine (not even an AMT), which could prove to be a disadvantage for the car. In terms of features, the Basalt is not bare bones, but it's not well equipped either.

Citroen Basalt Price & Brochure

Citroen is expected to reveal the prices of the different variants of the Basalt soon.

You can download the Citroen Basalt brochure here - Citroen Basalt Brochure.pdf

Exterior

Design & Styling

While the Basalt's design may not be appealing to all, it is among the nicer-looking SUV Coupes. The front end resembles the C3 Aircross, but one glance at the side and rear, and the difference is clear. In typical coupe fashion, the roof slopes towards the rear into a liftgate and the rear windshield is small. The Basalt is longer than the C3 Aircross, but not as wide or tall. It also runs on smaller 16-inch alloy wheels. It has plenty of creases and curves, but they are subtle. Features include LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, 3D effect halogen tail-lamps and a sharkfin antenna. There is a black cladding running along the wheel arches and sides and black inserts on the doors and C-pillars. There are no roof rails provided.

The Basalt measures 4,352 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width (without mirrors) and 1,593 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,651 mm which is 20 mm shorter than the C3 Aircross.

The Basalt is available in 5 monotone body colours – Cosmo Blue, Platinum Grey, Steel Grey, Garnet Red and Polar White. There are 2 dual-tone colours available as well, including Polar White with Platinum Grey roof and Garnet Red with Perla Nera Black roof.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Being built on the same platform as the C3 and C3 Aircross, the build quality is also very similar. The doors don’t feel heavy, but they aren't light either and the same goes for the bonnet and liftgate. Sadly, the doors of the car do not close with the "thud" that we associate with European cars, but with a slight clang. While the build quality is satisfactory and the panel gaps are consistent, there are some areas where the fit and finish could’ve been better. Spot weld marks are visible and the bonnet does not close perfectly. On the other hand, the paint quality is very good.

Wheels & Tyres

The Basalt gets a set of 16-inch urban diamond-cut alloy wheels which looks smart. The wheels are shod with 205/60 section tyres and the spare is a 15-inch steel rim with a 185/65 section tyre.

Ground Clearance

Unladen ground clearance of the Basalt is rated at 180 mm which is good enough for most driving conditions. Citroen also went on to mention that the car has an approach angle of 19.2 degrees and a departure angle of 21.2 degrees.

Standard & Extended Warranty

Warranty details of the Citroen Basalt will be disclosed during the time of launch. We expect it to get a similar warranty to the C3 Aircross (2 years or 40,000 km). As always, we strongly recommend you get maximum coverage.

Safety

Citroen has equipped the Basalt with all the necessary safety features such as 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold, TPMS, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all 5 occupants, ISOFIX, rear parking sensors, a reverse camera and more. However, some features such as an emergency stop signal, auto-dimming IRVM, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and a 360-degree camera have been left out. This will likely be the reason why some people might not consider purchasing this SUV Coupe.

The Basalt has not been crash tested by any independent body such as the Global NCAP. However, it must be remembered that the C3 and eC3, which are based on the same platform, performed very poorly in Latin NCAP crash tests (0 stars).

[Aditya]

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

The interiors of the Basalt are very similar to the C3 Aircross. In fact, the design is identical. There are two interior trims on offer, which will depend on the variant and body colour you choose. More details will be revealed at the time of launch. Our test car had black and white dual-tone interiors with piano black, silver and chrome inserts. Some design elements have been done really nicely and overall aesthetically, the dashboard looks good. The upper part looks well-finished, while the lower part feels cheap. There are no soft-touch plastics used anywhere in the cabin. The quality of materials used is just average and the cabin feels built to a budget. The steering wheel and the buttons on it feel nice and sturdy to operate.

Space & Comfort

Ingress and egress are pretty easy. There is good space inside the cabin. The width, however, is just average and in the front seat, you are sat pretty close to the front passenger.

Front seats are wrapped in part leatherette and also get fabric material on the backrest and headrests. They’re broad and accommodating. The cushioning is on point and should be comfortable over long drives. Overall support is good, but I felt that the side bolstering could’ve been a bit more pronounced to keep the driver and passenger in place through tight corners.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

The driver seat is height adjustable and has a good travel range too. The steering is adjustable for height which means finding a comfortable driving position shouldn't be a problem for most people. Some people might miss the telescopic adjustment on the steering wheel. In the driver’s seat, you get a clear view of the road ahead. What’s nice is that you can also see the bonnet creases which some of the new drivers will appreciate. Frontal and side visibility is good, but the rear visibility isn’t great due to the thick C-pillars and small windshield. You will have to depend on the rearview camera and the ORVMs.

Other controls like the steering-mounted buttons, stalks, air-con controls, etc. are well within reach.

Cabin Storage

In the Basalt’s cabin, there's a good amount of storage space for passengers. All the door pockets can hold 1-litre bottles and you get a well-sized glovebox with additional storage spaces on the lid. In the centre console, you get a phone tray below which, you have a wireless charging pad and 2 cupholders. There's a small cubbyhole below the handbrake for keeping loose change and another storage area in between the front seats for the rear passengers to use. The front seats have deep seatback pockets for the rear passengers to keep stuff.

Air-Conditioning

The Basalt gets a climate control system. The system does not disappoint. It performed well and cooled the cabin effectively. The panel comes with physical switches which feel nice to use. Rear A/C vents have been provided.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

We have seen that today's customers give a lot of importance to features. They may not use most of them, but people are drawn to feature-packed cars. This is where Citroen doesn’t excel and borderline struggles. A quick look at the features list and you will notice that it’s missing quite a few of them. Sure, the French manufacturer can justify this by saying that features can be added at any time, but first impressions matter a lot in the Indian market. We've seen below-average cars with great features do unimaginable volumes and we've also seen great cars that lack features just tank on arrival. That's just how the Indian market is.

Noteworthy features include 16-inch alloy wheels, a 10.2-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a rear parking camera with sensors. Additionally, the car gets 40+ connected car features via the Citroen Connect 2.0 smartphone app including remote engine start remote door lock/unlock and geo-fencing. Features such as climate control, rear A/C vents, grab handle for the front passenger side, projector headlamps and wireless charging that were missing in the C3 Aircross have been included in the Basalt. A first-in-class and very useful feature is the 3-step smart tilt cushion (adjustable thigh support) on the rear seat base. Another first-in-class feature is the "advanced comfort" headrest. A sliding front centre armrest has also been provided.

The list of missing features is also long. These include a sunroof, ventilated seats, keyless entry & go, ambient lighting, auto-dimming IRVM, 360-degree camera, cruise control, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, telescopic steering adjustment and 60:40 split for the rear seat.

Audio System & Sound Quality

The 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system is mated with 4 speakers and 2 tweeters. The touchscreen gets wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity and it's pretty seamless to connect. In terms of usability, the touchscreen is very responsive and doesn't lag. Even the display is crisp and the colour scheme is pleasant. The audio quality is acceptable for an OEM system. We did not notice any distortion even at louder volumes. However, it is not as nice as some of the systems we have come across in cars from competitors.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

The rear doors open wide and despite the sloping roofline, getting in and out of the rear seat isn't difficult. The rear bench is placed slightly lower than we would like. Even so, you do not need to sit down in it. The rear seats are comfortable and the cushioning is on point.

The seat is designed to accommodate three adults and comes with 3-point seatbelts for all 3 passengers. However, it comes with just 2 adjustable headrests. There is a prominent floor hump and the centre console takes up some legroom. These along with the centre armrest render the bench suitable for 2 adults and 1 child rather than 3 adults.

The knee room at the rear is excellent and there's a good amount of headroom as well. You can get up to 980 mm of legroom at the rear. At 6', Ajmat had a good amount of room to spare while sitting behind his driving position. Even taller occupants won't find a reason to complain. Overall, the space is more than adequate for most passengers. The backrest is also set at a comfortable angle. As the seat is placed on the lower side, taller people might find the under-thigh support inadequate. Additionally, the seat base does not stretch out long enough. So, Citroen has introduced a 3-step smart tile cushion (adjustable thigh support). This works well though the mechanism can take some time to get used to. The 2 headrests on the rear bench are called "advanced comfort" headrests. These headrests are soft and have bolsters on the sides to keep your head steady.

A centre armrest with 2 cupholders and a smartphone holder has been provided. Additionally, rear occupants get A/C vents and 2 Type-A USB ports to charge their devices.

Boot Space

The Basalt has a boot space of 470 litres, which is enough for a family's vacation luggage. One can fold the rear backrest down to expand cargo space considerably. The rear backrest is not split though, which limits the car's versatility.

[Aditya]

Driving the Citroen Basalt 1.2L Turbo-Petrol AT

1.2L turbo-petrol engine makes 109 BHP @ 5,500 rpm and 205 Nm @ 1,750-2,500 rpm:


The Basalt is powered by a 1.2L turbo-petrol engine that belongs to Citroen's EB family of engines. This 3-cylinder unit is mated to a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission and puts out 109 BHP and 205 Nm (15 Nm more than the MT).

Release the brake and the Basalt AT moves off the line without any drama. The throttle response is good too. The Aisin-sourced 6-speed automatic transmission is smooth and compliments the engine well. It masks any sign of turbo lag nicely. The car moves off seamlessly from a standstill. Once you're moving, light accelerator input is all you'll need to commute in the city. The gearbox shifts up early and smoothly. Driving with a light foot or even medium throttle, you'll never even know that the gears are being changed. It's only the change of pitch in the engine noise that indicates a change of gear. The gearbox is in the right gear most of the time and is never confused. The turbo-petrol offers brisk acceleration, with the power & torque on offer making the gearbox's job easier. Closing a gap to the vehicle in front is easy. For bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions, there is a fair amount of 'crawl' available too. Just lift your foot off the brake pedal in 'D' and the Basalt will crawl forward at 7 km/h, allowing you to drive in thick traffic with just one pedal (the brake). The powerful turbo-petrol engine, combined with the smooth AT, light steering, good ergonomics, useable dead pedal & clear frontal visibility makes the Basalt AT easy to drive in the city.

Thanks to the powerful engine, the Basalt AT is a competent highway performer too. It can easily hit triple-digit speeds. Thanks to the strong mid-range, overtaking is not a problem either. However, kickdown response time is slow. If the revs are on the lower side, and you floor the accelerator, it takes well over two seconds for the gearbox + turbo to react. Since the transmission tends to shift up early, this can happen frequently. The problem can be solved by being less aggressive with the throttle. The gearbox is quite responsive to medium throttle inputs and once the AT & turbo respond, the car is very peppy. When the engine is in the meat of the powerband, the reaction times are lesser. In terms of cruisability, the Basalt can do 100 km/h with the engine spinning at ~1,850 rpm.

Manual mode is useful when you want to prepare the car for overtaking a fast vehicle on a 2-lane highway, or when you desire engine braking. Move the gear lever to the left to engage manual mode. The response time to your commands is quick. That said, there is a slight lag between the gear actually shifting and the change being reflected on the MID. What we found disappointing was that, even in manual mode, you can take the revs to just ~5,800 rpm (which is way short of the start of the redline i.e. 6,500 rpm) before the transmission shifts up on its own. Also, keep in mind that it's tuned very conservatively & won't allow aggressive downshifts if the rpm level is higher than ~3,200 rpm. We would have also liked to see paddle shifters here.

Insulation sheet under the bonnet...


...and on the firewall:


Packing on the sides of the engine bay to prevent the bonnet from rattling:

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

There is a slight body shake on cranking the engine. At idle, the turbo petrol is surprisingly silent, and the typical 3-cylinder vibrations are masked quite well. However, you will feel some vibrations on the steering and through the seat. There's not much noise and the cabin is silent. While driving around calmly, the engine sound doesn't intrude into the cabin. However, rev the engine and you'll hear it a lot more inside the cabin. Unfortunately, the engine note is not something enthusiasts or regular folk will like. It sounds more strained than sporty at high revs. At highway speeds, wind noise is kept at a minimum, but road noise and tyre noise do creep into the cabin.

Mileage & Fuel economy

As we are already aware, turbo-petrols are sensitive to throttle input and you will be visiting the fuel station more often if you have a heavy foot. But drive sedately and you should see some acceptable FE figures. The Basalt turbo-petrol AT's ARAI-certified fuel efficiency is 18.7 km/l. The car gets an auto start-stop feature which should help fuel efficiency while driving in the city. The system in our test car was erratic and didn't work until the latter part of the drive. When it did though, it functioned seamlessly and was not as intrusive as we have seen in some other cars.

The turbo-petrol MT has an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 19.5 km/l, while the NA petrol's FE is rated at 18 km/l.

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Basalt comes with a McPherson strut suspension at the front and a twist-beam suspension with coil springs at the rear. Right off the bat, this is a very likeable suspension tune. Just like the C3 Aircross, the setup is very compliant. The ride over small potholes and uneven roads in the city is excellent. The Basalt dissipates shocks very evenly over the front and rear which gives you a feeling of gliding over bad roads. The car remains stable and maintains its composure well. Moreover, the suspension works silently too when going over bumps. Large potholes do register themselves in the cabin, but the Basalt handles them well. Overall, the ride quality is very absorbent.

Handling & Dynamics

The French sure know a thing or two about tuning the suspension just right. Straight-line stability is good and the passengers probably won't even know that you're cruising at triple digit speeds.

The Basalt is a good handler. It holds its line nicely in long curves. There is some amount of body roll, but it never gets excessive. Hit an unexpected expansion joint on the curve and the car doesn't get unsettled easily. Start pushing on twisty roads and you will appreciate the balance of the chassis. The turn-in is sharp and there is a hint of understeer. With the turbo-petrol under the hood, you can really enjoy the car with this suspension. Changing directions from one corner to the other also doesn't unsettle it and the transition is smooth. The 205/60 R16 OEM tyres feel just about adequate for and provide fair grip levels.

Steering

The Basalt's electric power steering is a very user-friendly unit. It's light in the city and most owners will appreciate that. While driving, the car masks its dimensions well and feels compact. The steering weighs up nicely as you gain speed. However, enthusiasts won't like the disconnected feeling of the steering and the vagueness in the centre.

Braking

The Basalt is equipped with ventilated disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. The performance is as expected and the car comes to a halt without much drama. The pedal feel is very progressive and smooth.

[Aditya]

Citroen Basalt Exterior Images

One look and you immediately know that this is a Citroen. Front end resembles the C3 Aircross:


Viewed from the back, you can notice the roof sloping downwards at the rear. Glass area is small:


Viewed from the side, the Basalt appears more like a notchback than an SUV Coupe. Wheels look small for the metal on top:


The Basalt measures 4.352 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width and 1,593 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,651 mm:


Multiple creases on the side. Overall build quality is satisfactory and while the panel gaps are mostly consistent, finishing in certain areas could've been better:


Upper LED DRL clusters also houses the turn indicators and the lower ones extends into the headlamp cluster. Headlamps get LED projectors:


Double Chevron logo sits boldly on top. Radiator grille is finished in piano black and gets chrome inserts:


Split air dam with piano black and thin chrome inserts. Bumper gets a silver faux skid plate at the bottom:


Halogen fog lamps sit just outside the air dam. They get black housings with single vertical red stripes:


Shockingly, no underbody protection at all! Not even a plastic cover below the engine. While ground clearance is rated at 180 mm, and it does get concerning:


Two prominent creases on the bonnet give a muscular look to the car:


ORVMs get integrated turn indicators and have a gloss black cover:


Flap-type door handles look super outdated. The keyhole is located on the door rather than on the door handle:


Wheels get wind deflectors at the front:


Smart looking 16-inch urban diamond-cut alloy wheels shod with 205/60 section tyres. At the front, you have ventilated disc brakes and…


…at the rear, you have drum brakes:


A healthy amount of wheel well cladding at the front and partial cladding at the rear:


Body cladding at the bottom gets a chrome insert:


Despite the sloping roofline, glass area is healthy:


C-pillar is thick. It gets a black insert with a red stripe on it:


Fuel cap gets a "Petrol" marking. Fuel tank capacity = 45 litres:


Ribbed roof means no chance of a sunroof. This is a feature that most families look forward to having:


Sharkfin antenna sits at the end of the roof section:


3D effect tail-lamps look like LEDs, but are actually halogen units:


This is how the tail-lamps stick out from the sides:


Boot lid gets a prominent lip at the top. "Basalt" lettering is pasted on the right, while a "Puretech" engine badge sits on the left:


Strong, yet subtle creases on the boot lid:


Dual-tone bumper holds two parking sensors. It gets a silver skid plate with two reflectors below:


Twist beam suspension with coil springs at the rear. Exhaust is located on the right:

[Aditya]

Citroen Basalt Interior Images

Dashboard is carried over from the C3 Aircross. Interiors are well-designed and user-friendly. Ergonomics are perfect with all controls falling easily to hand:


Windscreen is large and offers a good view of the road ahead. Seating position is a little high up. Some will appreciate that they can view the bonnet while driving:


A-pillars are not very thick and don't form a large blind spot. The tweeters are placed on them:


Leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel is nice to hold. It's perfectly sized and the brushed silver element on the bottom spoke looks pretty classy:


Left spoke has controls for the MID and the right spoke holds buttons to control the volume, activate voice commands, control the telephony features & the source button for music:


A closer look at the stitching on the steering wheel:


No engine start/stop button here. Keyhole looks crude and unfinished:


Fully digital instrument cluster is carried over from the C3 Aircross:


MID displayed basic information like two trip meters with instantaneous and average fuel economy, average speed and range. The C3 Aircross is also equipped with indirect TPMS which requires you to reset the system. Instrument cluster has 3 display modes - Dual, Eco (shows you how economically you are driving) and Minimal. You can choose between khaki and black themes:


You can also access some vehicle settings through the MID and you can check the next service due alert. Additionally, a gear position indicator as been provided. In manual mode, a gear shift indicator appears:


The MID also displays a bold alert if the idling start-stop system is activated or deactivated and if any door or liftgate is open. No warning for the bonnet though:


Stalks are chunky and feel nice to use. Wiper controls are on the left, while the light controls are on the right. A lane change indicator has been provided. No auto headlamps or rain-sensing wipers here:


Vertically oriented A/C vents look very unique & different! They get piano black surrounds and silver inserts:


Switch for the idling start-stop system, power window lock button and electric ORVM adjuster knob are placed on the right:


Manual headlamp leveller is below:


Bonnet release is located lower down:


Doors open pretty wide. Doorpads have an all-black theme with a white pocket and armrest area:


Armrest has a softish cladding. Power window console holds switches for all windows:


Door sill is not wide. No scuff plate provided:


Broad front seats are quite accommodating. They're finished in leather, but also get fabric on the backrest and headrest. The seat base and backrest have a decent amount of bolstering, it's not very pronounced though. Seatbelts are not adjustable:


Manual levers for driver seat height adjustment and backrest recline angle adjustment. Passenger seat gets 4-way adjustment only:


Centre armrest gets a soft cladding...


...and is adjustable for length:


Pedals are well positioned. Dead pedal is useable:


Fuel flap release is located on the floor in the driver's footwell:


The ORVM is well-sized and you get a good view of the road behind. Notice the edge of the tail-lamp which serves as a great marker for placing the car:


The IRVM is of a good size and covers the rear windshield well:


Citroen has not provided the auto-dimming function - a huge miss!!! You get a standard day / night manual flick switch:


Rearward visibility is poor. C-Pillars are thick. Rear windshield is small:


Dashboard has a sensor and recessed area at the top:


Centre fascia has an uncluttered design with some nicely designed elements:


10.2-inch touchscreen head-unit is identical to the one in the C3 Aircross. Display is crisp and the screen is very easy to operate as well with minimum lag. It’s a very simple and basic infotainment unit with very limited options. Since there are no physical buttons, the audio control on the left and the buttons for the main menus are constant on the touchscreen:


You get the regular audio settings with presets. Audio quality from the 6-speaker system is acceptable for an OEM unit:


Multiple settings can be changed through the touchscreen:


Navigation is through Android Auto / Apple CarPlay. Sadly it doesn’t occupy the full screen:


Reversing camera quality isn’t great and you don’t get adaptive guidelines:


A/C vents have piano black surrounds and silver inserts:


Unlike the C3 Aircross, the Basalt gets a climate control system. It is effective and has physical buttons which feel nice to use:


USB port on the left and a 12V socket on the right. Below, there is a phone tray that holds a 7-inch phone nicely:


15W wireless charging pad is placed at the base of the centre fascia:


2 cupholders are located next to it on the centre console:


Gear positions are etched on the top of the knob and indicated on the console as well. Move the shifter to the left from the "D" position to engage manual mode. Unlike most cars, you need to move the knob backwards to shift up and forwards to shift down:


Small storage area below the handbrake to place coins:


Passenger side of the dashboard gets a small brushed silver recess:


Glovebox is decently sized, but there's no illumination or ventilation here:


You get two clips along with a booklet holder on the inside of the lid:


Super basic roof light with marked On and Off buttons. The 'Door' option is activated when in the middle position. Bluetooth mic placed on the side:


Passenger sunvisor gets a vanity mirror but without a cover or illumination:


Driver sunvisor is bare basic. It doesn't even get a ticket holder:


Finally a flip key! Thankfully, the old basic key from the C3 Aircross has not been carried over:


Rear doorpads have a similar design theme as the front. Door pockets can hold a 1L bottle but nothing more than that. Power window switches have been (thankfully) relocated from the centre console to the doorpad:


Joint on the door sill could have been covered up with a scuff plate:


Legroom is sufficient even for occupants with longer limbs:


Rear seat is more suitable for 2 adults and a child, rather than 3 adults. While Seat base and backrests have some contours to hold you in place, but still remain largely flat. Three 3-point seatbelts have been provided along with 2 adjustable headrests and ISOFIX child seat anchors on both sides:


"Advanced comfort" rear headrests are soft and have contours to hold your head in place:


Seatbacks of the front seats are slightly scooped out & soft, liberating more knee room for the rear passengers. Both seatbacks get pockets that are deep:


At 6’, seated behind his driving position, Ajmat had about more than enough knee room and headroom. The backrest angle is comfortable. The window area is good, and you don’t feel claustrophobic. The seat is placed on the lower side and the seat base does not stretch out much which means that the under-thigh support is inadequate:


Seat base gets a tilt cushion for additional under-thigh support. It has 3 levels of adjustment that can be controlled via lever on both sides:


Here's the maximum limit the edge of the seat base can be tilted to:


Smart tilt cushion definitely helps with under-thigh support:


Centre armrest is positioned at a comfortable height. It houses 2 cupholders and a smartphone holder:


Rear air-con vents are provided. While there is only one common air volume controller, their direction can be adjusted individually. 2 Type-A USB ports sit below the rear air-con vents:


Floor hump is wide and prominent:


Spring-loaded grab handles have been placed above all passenger doors. No coat hooks have been provided though:


2nd cabin lamp is placed above the rear passenger footwell:


Boot opening is not very wide:


470-litre boot is large enough to accommodate luggage for vacation trips:


Large parcel tray comes with a recessed area and prominent border to keep things from rolling onto the rear seat:


Boot lamp is located on the right:


Bag hook is placed on the left:


Spare wheel is a 15-inch steel unit with 185/65 section rubber. The higher variants should definitely have gotten a spare of the same size as the regular wheels:


Folding the rear backrest down gives you a much larger cargo capacity. However, the Basalt doesn't come with an adjustable boot floor and you cannot get a flat loading bay:


Ugly spot weld marks are clearly visible:


Lower part of the tailgate is cladded on the inside:


Electromagnetic release button is placed towards the right:


Disclaimer: Citroen invited Team-BHP for the Basalt test drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[chiekennugget]

The i20 and Exter lack a few features too (rain sensing wipers, auto dimming IRVM) but they still sell. A point can be made that Hyundai has a gazillion touchpoints spread into every nook and cranny in India and also enjoy brand loyalty (can keep people inside and pull ex owners again). I think this is a good baby step in the right direction for Citroen, everyone has to start somewhere.

Citroen can sell this car if they do stuff properly.
->They nailed the introductory pricing so far (until October)
->Proper marketing. Except for team-bhp I never saw advertisements outside.
->better showroom placement.

It looks unique, which is breath of fresh air among the tall boy cars (marketed as mini SUV) in that range. This will have a lot of takers among people who like to have something different. I think a few people would excuse the missing features for a 'cool car'

Lack of automatic transmission on naturally aspirated engines is stupid, they should try to correct it as quickly as they can. Some people don't consider cars if they don't have an auto transmission, they might have to forego some sales because of this.

All in all, Wishing Citroen all the best! I hope they succeed.

[ramki.grandhi]

I still cannot believe that Basalt is launched at 7.99 lacs intro price.
https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...99-lakh-432459

[sharmanova]

Excellent review!

Basalt launched at ₹7.99 Lakhs.
Gets 4 variants: You - Plus - Plus Turbo - Max Turbo.
Top 2 variants get an option of AT gearbox.

[volkman10]

Killer pricing from Citroen.

- The introductory price tag will be applicable on bookings made before October 31.
- Bookings for the Basalt coupe-SUV have opened for Rs 11,000.

By pricing it aggressively from Rs 7.99 lakh, Citroen has successfully turned the spotlight on the Basalt. At a price which overlaps with compact SUVs, this stunning sedan-crossover amalgamation is great value for money, which is what makes it compelling enough for serious consideration.

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[Akash5653]

It feels very refreshing to see a VFM after so many months This seems like a no nonsense, no brainer car! All those who are on a budget will also look at it, this is going to cannibalize the base model hatchbacks in my opinion. I think that this is the redemption car for Citroen in india!

[V6fanboy]

As a C3 owner for 2 years and having driven 25000 kms, I can vouch for the reliability of the car. The car might not feel premium but is built to last. Also the ride is something that wows me every time I drive the car. They have tuned the gear ratios of the 1.2 NA so well, I never get tired driving it in the city. Except for stop go traffic, it is effortless to drive in the city. It has good low end torque as well. FE is around 14.5 combined

The car is packaged well. It has all the features I miss in our 2 year old C3. The C3 has been holding up really well. Completed 25000 kms so far. No major complaints for the segment of car. The ride quality just amazes us every time we take it out. The 1.2NA has good low end torque. City driving is effortless with a light clutch and no need for frequent gear changes. FE at 14.5 combined is not bad for our usage. I would recommend anyone going for the 1.2NA variants at the lower trims as the car looks awesome and good Value for money.

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[Nithesh_M]

I would pick this up over any sub 4m cramped legroom + small boot pseudo suv If i was in the market today. The boot seems to be bigger in volume than most 4.3m segment crossovers.

If you had 1.72 lakhs in 2008 budgeted for a Tata Nano, it would be worth 4.96 lakhs today. To get a car three sizes larger and more practical for a little less than 2 Nano prices today is just

[shortbread]

Originally Posted by shortbread

Citroen has been in the Indian market for over three years now and it's time for them to stop testing the waters and instead make a BOLD move!

The Basalt presents a fantastic opportunity, and an aggressive introductory price is crucial for its launch. Setting the base variant at 7.5 lakhs could propel the Basalt into the spotlight, generating buzz and increasing visibility on the roads. Max 7.9 lacs, and in 4 months time as 2025 model year rolls in, they can correct the prices, especially if the Basalt has a good start in the market.

AMEN, typed this a couple of days ago and this is great pricing. Pretty sure the prices climb faster up the variants, but Citroen desperately needed to garner some attention in the market and they've definitely done that with the introductory price.

[JunkyardHunter]

Small complaint with the review - When I tried pressing the news article's link, it kept taking me to the Bajaj Freedom review.

But the car looks nice - both literally and figuratively. Unpopular opinion - I don't mind the flap type door handles it looks good IMO. Rear looks rather striking, and I'm surprised that they managed to fit such a large boot. LED tail lights are a miss though.

Good on Citroen for addressing so many complaints - there is ACC, a wireless charging pad and more. Really glad to finally see a segment first feature in a Citroen car - The adjustable under thigh support.

And finally, amazing pricing by CI. Almost 10 lakhs cheaper than the Curvv.ev!