Test drive Citroen C3 Aircross
Unusual appearance, stylish interior and many useful options. We understand all the nuances of a compact crossover from France
The bright five-door slips helplessly, hanging the wheel in a mud trap, but after a while it gets out of the trap. The usual route to the dacha after the summer rains requires more thoughtful and careful actions from the driver. All-wheel drive, as well as the differential lock in the C3 Aircross, can only be dreamed of (thanks to the PF1 platform from Peugeot 2008). Of course, there is also a proprietary traction control system Grip Control, but you can only rely on it on very light off-road conditions.
But when it comes to style and design delights, the French compact has almost no equal. The options for individualizing the exterior and interior in the configurator are dazzling. Several dozen colors and finishing materials are available to customers - more than 90 different combinations in total. Given the form factor of the model and its focus on a young female audience, such a wealth of choice can be a decisive factor when buying. Especially if you remember that the capabilities of competitors in this sense are much more modest.
Inside, the C3 Aircross is surprisingly spacious, of course, adjusted for the class of the car. In the driver's seat, there is not even a hint of stiffness in movements, even with my height. There is enough space both in width and height, and the knees do not rest anywhere. Visibility is also in order. A solution already tested by the French worked here - compact windshield pillars, side windows with vents and large mirrors. In general, no cyclist on the road will go unnoticed.
In the second row, it is no longer so at ease - the ceiling hangs over your head more tightly, and the longitudinal adjustment of the sofa implies an increase in the luggage compartment, but not the legroom for the rear passengers. It is also impossible to say that it is cramped here: the knees do not rest on the backs of the front seats, and if the driver's seat is lowered to the lowest position, there is still room for feet under it. The central tunnel is not high, but the protruding organizer with a 12-volt outlet will clearly puzzle the passenger sitting in the center.
The luggage compartment is predictably modest in size - only 410 liters, given the secret compartment for small things, under which a set of tools and a dock are hidden. That's more than the competition by at least 50 liters, but even with this advantage, a regular visit to the supermarket for home furnishings on the C3 Aircross may turn out to be the need to fold the backrests to take away all purchases. As a bonus - a folding front passenger seat and the correct geometric shapes of the trunk, to which we have already been accustomed to by German manufacturers.
And the Germans are also a universally recognized benchmark in terms of driver's seat ergonomics, which, however, all French brands have been successfully ignoring for several years. The C3 Aircross, alas, is no exception. Instead of a box with an armrest for two, there is only a thin support for the driver, the wireless charging niche in front of the automatic transmission selector has eaten up all the space for cup holders (some of them are only in the door pockets). And try, for example, without looking at the instructions, to figure out how to activate the cruise control here. So I did not succeed the first time.
Even more confusing is the fact that almost all of the functionality on board is packed into a touchscreen menu. More and more experts agree that touchscreens in a car add unnecessary problems rather than convenience. No joke, but it is in C3 Aircross that I really want to agree with them. For the sake of trivial actions like "turn on the next track" or "make it colder" the driver is forced to be distracted from the road longer than usual. Against this background, the classic volume control looks like a real gift from interior designers.
Under the hood of the Aircross, a modest 1,2-liter turbo engine with 110 hp is installed. And yes, this is the maximum version. For the other two units (82 and 92 hp), a non-alternative 5-speed "mechanics" is offered, so the main demand will presumably fall on the top version. The three-cylinder engine needs to be kept in good shape at all times to get decent acceleration out of it. And even though the manufacturer claims that the maximum torque of 205 Nm is already available at 1500 rpm, in reality the motor wakes up closer to 3000 rpm.
In fact, all this is not so important, since passport 10,6 from acceleration to the first hundred immediately set up for a quiet ride. In dense city traffic, the C3 Aircross does not lag behind and keeps confident, but overtaking at highway speeds is not easy for a compact crossover. One feels how each of the 110 "horses" gives all its strength. One joy - in tandem with the top engine, a 6-speed "automatic" works, which skillfully selects the gears and selects the right one, depending on the situation, without errors.
Chassis settings are also not suitable for fast driving. Pronounced rolls in corners and erratic behavior on long curves, requiring constant steering correction, force the driver to slow down. The suspension effectively dampens shocks and transmits tangible vibrations to the body only in large pits, and the micro-relief is almost invisible, despite the optional 17-inch wheels. If only the shock absorbers would not rattle so much on bumps.
The class of B-class hatchbacks did not take root in Russia. But compact crossovers based on such models are gradually gaining popularity. Climatic conditions, multiplied by the mentality of the Russian user, force manufacturers to take a more balanced approach to the choice of models to be introduced to the market. So Citroen brought us Aircross instead of the C3 soplatform hatchback. How popular he will be, time will tell - all the components of success with him.
| A type | Crossover |
| dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4154/1756/1637 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2604 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1263 |
| engine's type | Gasoline, R3, turbo |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1199 |
| Power, hp from. at rpm | 110 at 5500 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm | 205 at 1500 |
| Transmission, drive | 6-st. Automatic transmission, front |
| Maksim. speed, km / h | 183 |
| Acceleration to 100 km / h, from | 10,6 |
| Fuel consumption (city / highway / mixed), l | 8,1/5,1/6,5 |
| Cargo space, l | 410-1289 |
| Price from, USD | 17 100 |
