As Citroen gets ready to set shop in India, allow us to tell you more about the brand’s best selling model – The C5 Aircross. The popularity of compact SUVs in the Indian market does increase the odds of something like this to be introduced in our country as the brand’s first product. For the uninitiated, Citroen is a well-known, respected and multiple time WRC winning brand which is also a part of the Groupe PSA which holds other brands like Peugeot, Vauxhall, DS and Opel under its roof.
The European version of the C5 Aircross provides a choice of 2 petrol engines: the 1.2-litre PureTech which cranks out 129 HP and 230 Nm of torque, and the 1.6-litre PureTech which produces 178 HP and 250 Nm of torque. The C5 also gets a choice of 2 diesel engines: the 1.5-litre BlueHDi which produces 131 HP and 300 Nm of torque, while the 2-litre BlueHDi produces 181 HP and 400 Nm of torque. The 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engines get 6-speed manual gearboxes while the 1.6-litre petrol and 2-litre diesel engines are paired with 8-speed automatic gearboxes. Citroën has also announced that the C5 Aircross will be the first Citroën vehicle which will be equipped with a plug-in hybrid power train by the end of 2019, which should offer a range of 60 km in an all-electric mode.
The new C5 Aircross has a trendy design which is directly influenced by the C3 Aircross. The C5 Aircross takes the Airbumps, the design cues, the 3D-effect taillights from the recent C3. However, the four-optical rectangular lamps are fresh for the C5. Speaking about the interior, the C5 Aircross is part of the Citroën “Advanced Comfort” program in which efforts have been focused on enhancing the ride comfort and improving interior space and luminosity. The C5 also gets a 12.3 inch TFT digital dashboard screen and an 8 inch capacitive HD touchscreen for multimedia controls. In terms of driving aids and assistive features, the C5 Aircross offers automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and an adaptive cruise control system. The C5 is also equipped with some proven technologies of PSA such as the Grip Control (traction control perfected) and a hill-start assist. The acoustic insulation is excellent thanks to the specially laminated double glazed windscreen and front side windows.
Also Read: Getting To Know Brand Citroen – The C3 Hatchback
Some of these features are only available in the Euro-spec model. So, if Citroen does launch the C5 Aircross in India, it might not carry as much equipment as the Euro-spec model but, the distinctive design could bring a lot of freshness to the table in the compact SUV segment where the Tata Harrier and Mahindra XUV 300 are already the most-loved compact SUVs in India.