French automaker, Citroen will soon introduce the C5 Aircross SUV in the Indian market. This will also mark the Citroen’s entry in our market, which will be the fifth European brand in India. The Citroen C5 Aircross will arrive as a CKD unit and will be priced relatively expensive. However, the company plans to roll our locally developed products from the second half of 2021.
Citroen is planning to launch 5 new cars in the country by 2023-24, which includes the C5 Aircross, two new compact SUVs, 1 sedan and an entry-level electric car. The company has started accepting bookings for the C5 Aircross, which is expected to be launched in March or April 2021. Citroen is also giving a complementary maintenance package of 5 year/ 50,000km on the C5 Aircross.
The Citroen C5 Aircross will be offered in two variants – Feel and Shine – and a single diesel engine option. It will be powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine paired to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This engine churns out a maximum power of 177bhp and 400Nm of torque. It offers a claimed fuel economy of 18.6kmpl (ARAI-certified). Key features include an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, a dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, auto-dimming IRVM, 12.3-inch digital instrument console, 6 airbags, traction control, ESP, hill descent, hill start assist, LED DRLs, auto headlamps, hands free parking, a panoramic sunroof, etc.
Citroen’s locally developed products will start arriving from the second half of 2021. The first locally developed product will be a sub-4 meter SUV, codenamed Citroen C21. This model will be positioned against the Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Renault Kiger and the Maruti Vitara Brezza.
The company is also developing a mid-sized SUV, codenamed CC24, which will be launched in 2022. This SUV will rival the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. This segment will also witness the arrival of the MG Astor (ZS Petrol), Volkswagen Taigun and the Skoda Kushaq. Citroen will launch a mid-sized sedan, codenamed CC26 in 2023. It will be positioned against the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna.
Citroen has already confirmed that it will only offer petrol engine options with the locally developed small cars. The new models are likely to be powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with power output close to 130bhp. These models will be based on the Groupe PSA’s CMP (Common Modular Platform), which is the simplified version of the Peugeot 208’s CMP platform. Citroen will also launch a mini electric SUV, which is rumoured to be priced under Rs 10 lakh.
