PSA Group is ready to begin its India innings with the launch of Citroen C5 Aircross SUV next month. The premium SUV will be positioned against the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson in the country. After the C5 Aircross, the French carmaker will bring in the Citroen CC21 (codename) sub-4 metre SUV to challenge the cars like Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue and Maruti Vitara Brezza.
According to a fresh media report, the CC21 compact SUV will hit Indian roads near around this Diwali season. Its production will start in the month of August or September, 2021. Initially, the Citroen CC21 will be offered with a 100% localised 1.2L turbo petrol engine. There will be three variants – naturally aspirated, turbocharged and turbocharged automatic. Reports suggest that the carmaker will also introduce its electric version at a later stage.
The new Citroen small SUV will be designed on PSA’s CMP (Common Modular Platform) that can be optimized to produce internal combustion and electric vehicles on the same production line. The CMP architecture is claimed to offer “great modularity” especially in terms of dimensions. It has three rear modules, three wheelbases and two track widths along with the capability to offer multiple wheel diameters. Several global PSA vehicles underpin the CMP platform.
The French carmaker also aims to foray into the mid-size SUV space with the Citroen CC24 (codename) sometime next year. Production of the SUV is reported to start in June 2022, followed by its launch. The CC24 will face challenge from the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, which are currently ruling the segment. Car manufacturers such as MG (ZS petrol), Skoda (Kushaq), Volkswagen (Taigun), Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, Tata (Blackbird) and Mahindra (XUV400) are also ready to tap the mid-size SUV segment in near future.
The Citroen CC26 will be the third product from the French carmaker in the country. It will be a mid-size sedan that will lock horns with Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. While the launch timeline of the upcoming Citroen sedan is yet to be revealed, it’s expected to hit showrooms sometime in 2023-2024.
