Citroen has launched the new C3 Aircross compact crossover in Ireland, and as with its relative - the Opel Frontera - it's coming with a choice of seating layouts and a bargain price tag.
How much is the new C3 Aircross?
Prices start from €27,790 for the most basic model, which comes with a non-hybrid 100hp 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine and a five-speed manual gearbox. That's for the five-seat version, and you can upgrade that to a seven-seater for €28,990.
Next up is the hybrid 136hp version of the 1.2-litre petrol engine, which comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard, and costs €29,390 for the five-seater and €30,590 for the seven-seater. Notably, that engine comes with a timing chain, not the infamous 'wet belt' of older 1.2-litre engine designs.
Then there's the electric version, badged as eC3 Aircross, which comes only in five-seat form and costs €28,452, inclusive of grants and the VRT rebate.
What kind of performance does the electric version have?
The eC3 Aircross uses a 54kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery and gets a 10kW (that's 136hp) electric motor. The claimed range, according to the WLTP test, is 400km.
How big is the new C3 Aircross?
It's 4.39 metres long, which is fairly compact, and the five-seat models get a 460-litre boot, while the seven-seat version has a 330-litre boot with the third row of seats folded away. With those extra seats in use, there's a mere 40 litres of boot space left over. Incidentally, you'll find slightly more rear legroom in the five-seat model, as its rear bench seat is set a little further back.
Will it be comfortable, like a proper Citroen?
It should be, as the C3 Aircross gets Citroen's 'Advanced Comfort' front suspension design, which uses hydraulic bump-stops instead of rubber ones, easing the compression of the suspension when dealing with really vicious bumps. There are also 'Advanced Comfort' seats, while the dashboard gets what Citroen calls 'Safe Design', which uses high-set digital instruments instead of a head-up display, and a 10.15-inch touchscreen that's standard across the entire range.
What other standard toys does the C3 Aircross come with?
There's wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections, four USB-C sockets, and a powerful 15-watt wireless phone charger if you go for a top-spec Max model.
There are six colour choices - Perla Nera Black, Mercury Grey, Elixir Red, Monte Carlo Blue, Polar White and Montana Green, paired with the two available roof colours: white and black. There are also little plastic 'colour clips' - small coloured highlights in the bumpers and rear pillar which can be clipped out and changed whenever you choose.
Plus versions get automatic air conditioning, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, active safety brake, lane keep assist, cruise control with speed limiter, rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, LED headlights and daytime running lights, and 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.
Top-spec Max models get 3D LED rear lights, a white or black painted roof depending on the body colour, 3D navigation, wireless smartphone charging, heated steering wheel, heated acoustic windscreen, heated driver and passenger seats, blind-spot detection, front parking sensors and an electrochrome auto-dimming interior mirror. All models also get a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty with three years' roadside assistance, and electric eC3 Aircrosses come with a free home charger in partnership with Energia.
When can I have one?
Right now as the C3 and eC3 Aircross have just gone on sale across Ireland.