Citroen C3 Aircross In-Depth Review 2020 | A Practical Choice?
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- Опубліковано 28 лис 2022
- Just because a car is fashionable doesn't mean it can't also be practical too. For proof of that, Citroen brought us this C3 Aircross in 2017. This complete and highly personalisable package was their idea of what a little SUV should be. Here we look at the original 2017-2020-era versions of this model.
History
What if you could have the style and adventurous feel of a small SUV, combined with the interior space and flexibility of a small MPV People Carrier? It's a combination of virtues that many brands have promised. But which possibly this car actually delivers - the Citroen C3 Aircross.
The French like practical, rational cars. Which is why brands from this nation were first to popularise the MPV. And amongst the last to embrace the contradictory charms of the modern affordable family SUV. Why, they ask quite reasonably, would you want to take a supermini or family hatchback and, in pursuit of some mythical lifestyle orientation, make it heavier, clunkier, less efficient and less practical? What though, if those downsides could be minimised and the SUV in question could offer all the interior versatility you used to need one of those small supermini-MPVs to get if you required it in a really compact little car? Well that was the thinking behind this C3 Aircross at its launch in 2017.
This, we were told, was a car 'full of technical innovation'. Just like the Citroens of old then, those old DS, GS and CX models of the Sixties and Seventies with their ground-breaking drive systems and quirky suspension set-ups. Well not quite. The 'technical innovations' here turned out to be largely items of rather less substance; 85 different exterior paint combinations, brightly coloured air vents, a class-leadingly large sunroof, wireless 'phone charging and modular rear seats that could recline and slide. That's what the modern SUV crowd wants and Citroen here felt compelled to play to it.
This C3 Aircross was positioned as a smaller brother to the company's C5 Aircross model, but where that family hatchback-based contender targeted Kia Sportage, Peugeot 3008 and Qashqai-class cars in the C-segment part of the SUV market, this smaller design had its sights set on supermini-based rivals like Nissan's Juke and Renault's Captur. You might, as we initially did, make the mistake of assuming this contender to be little more than a dressed-up C3 supermini in a pair of hiking boots, but actually, there's a lot more to it than that. Not least the fact that this Aircross variant sits on a wheelbase that's 60mm longer than a standard C3, which makes it significantly more spacious inside. In short, it's a small SUV with big ideas. The car sold in this form until early 2021, when it was significantly updated. It's the early pre-facelift 2017-2020-era models we look at here.
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Excellent video. My MK1 C3 Aircross has done 83,000 miles and has never missed a beat. Fantastic car. I get it serviced on time at my local citroen dealer
Thanks for watching 👍 Great to hear your C3 Aircross is still going strong! For more in-depth reviews, make sure to subscribe: bit.ly/319ZKoT
I part exed my Mk2 3 thousand mile Duster for a 3 year old 30 thousand mile Citroen C5 Aicross, best descision I ever made as far as ride quality, no more backache from the Duster and no more silicone cushion to compensate for the hard seat belt sensors sticking into your backside.
Nice detailed review, thank you.
Many thanks for watching, Ray! Subscribe for the latest in-depth reviews: bit.ly/319ZKoT
Great video, but in 2024 I don't have anywhere near enough time to watch it. I asked Google Gemini to summarise it and got the main points from that, probably going to buy one tomorrow, so it was helpful.
Great Car!
Need to show how to open petrol tank and front bonnet
I was so close to buying this car. It looks amazing, was nimble and comfortable to drive, and the price point was attractive. It just had one problem: the road and wind noise, as you correctly point out. By far the noisest car I have driven in recent years. Had to turn up the radio to silly levels to hear what I was listening to. Such a pity.
EDIT: Coming to think of it, I am not sure it was the 2020 I tried - it may have been the 2019 model.
Try a C5 Aircross flair model they are available now for similar money low mileage and used with a lot more spec and comfort with sound deadening windscreen and side windows.
That’s quite surprising- we’ve just bought one and find it is noticeably better insulated from road and engine noice than our previous C3 Picasso, to the extent that I once forgot to change to 6th on the motorway and only realised by looking at the rev counter that I was still in 5th.
Very practical car let down by poorly designed engines.
Although it did win awards, “ the Turbo PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engine (110 hp and 130 hp) was named International Engine of the Year in the 1-litre to 1.4-litre category, for the 4th year in a row, by the panel of the 20th International Engine of the Year Awards in Stuttgart.”
engines reloiability is only dictated by the owners willingness to service it at more than specified intervals, ignore main dealers recomended service intervals if you want an engine to last, always service at least half the mileage quoted.
@@oojimmyflip ther was defect on timing belt even citeron service it 2 month's later the engine was damaged because of timing belt it cost them nearly five thousand pounds to replace free on a 24000 miles on car C4 cactus rip curl grip control y