Citroen appears to be on the offensive, trying to capture the compact crossover arena currently occupied by the Nissan Juke and has since been rushed by the Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3. That is, if its C-Aircross concept is any indication.
The vehicle is to be shown at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show early next month and Citroen has steered clear of the butch styling of the Juke and instead continuing their subtly curved aesthetic (offset by flashy touches) that’s been their calling card for a few years now.
Here, the C-Aircross certainly looks like it is heralding an upcoming production model, and obviously being heavily based on the third-generation C3. Strip away its more outrageous design bits and you’re left with quite could be sensible looking, but funky, showroom Citroen.
The most likely outcome is that this concept will evolve into a production model that sits alongside the C3 hatch as its crossover counterpart. Whether Citroen will choose to have it directly replace the ageing C3 Picasso is uncertain, but should it happen, will trash its status as an MPV and adopt its new role as a crossover.
It keeps the C3’s split level front illumination and bold front end, though the ride height has naturally been raised, sitting on 18-inch wheels, and the lower perimeter is now shod in protective cladding for that appropriately rugged look.
There’s also a panoramic sunroof and rear-hinged doors that improve second row access. Inside, Citroen has employed their Advanced Comfort program to cocoon occupants in a comfortable, airy space. The seats themselves are Alcantara and do look very comfortable, as Citroen’s tend to be, and feature speakers built into the headrests that are purported to create personal sound bubbles, allowing occupants to be as communicative or anti-social as they’d like during the journey.
Elsewhere, the interior is very minimal, with only a single dial in the centre stack and a few more buttons just below the 12-inch widescreen infotainment system. The lack of side mirrors mean that will be a constant feed from the side mounted cameras that sit in their stead.
Rather than having a conventional instrument cluster, Citroen has gone with a semi-transparent head-up display to deliver pertinent vehicle information to the driver while on the move.
For more on Citroen vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
