Citroen has launched its first mass-market product, the C3, in India at a starting price of ₹5.71 lakh for the Live trim, going up to ₹8.06 lakh for the top-spec Feel trim. The French automaker’s high-riding hatchback was already open for bookings from June across dealerships and on the company’s website at a token amount of ₹21,000.
The Citroen C3 gets two petrol engine options, the first of which is a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder naturally aspirated unit that makes 82hp and 115Nm and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, while the other is a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, producing 110hp and 190Nm, and mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. This makes the C3’s turbo-petrol engine the most powerful in its class. But, unlike its key rivals, the high-riding hatchback does not get an automatic transmission at launch, which will be introduced at a later stage.
In terms of styling, the new C3 follows the same design principles as seen on Citroen’s debut vehicle, the C5 Aircross. Some of the C3’s key highlights include colour-coded inserts on the bumpers, a split headlamp set-up that merges with the grille, a hexagonal air dam, X-shaped faux scuff plate, all-round black cladding (only on the Feel trim) and wraparound tail-lights at the rear.
The C3 comes with 15-inch steel wheels with plastic covers as standard, along with optional 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. The quirky design theme continues on the interior, as the dimpled-effect dashboard panel can be optioned between orange and anodised grey colours.
Some of the C3’s key features include the large 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a digital instrument cluster, manual air conditioning, a four-speaker sound system, along with the front and rear USB charging ports. In terms of safety, the high-riding hatchback gets dual airbags, rear parking sensors, and seatbelt reminders. However, it does miss out on features like a tachometer, rear windscreen wiper and defogger, powered wing mirror adjustment, a day/night IRVM, a tachometer and a central lock button for the doors.
The French automaker is offering four monotone colours, six dual-tone colours (optional on the Live, standard on the Feel), and three customisation packs on the C3, where customers can choose between orange, grey or chrome inserts on the front bumper’s fog lamp housing, as well as on the rear bumper, side body cladding and wing mirror caps.
The new C3 squarely competes with the manual versions of the Tata Punch, Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Renault Kiger, and the Nissan Magnite. The Punch and the Ignis are the only two high-riding hatchbacks which do not have a turbo petrol powertrain option.
