CLEARING THE AIR (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 56

Just because a car is fashionable doesn't mean it can't also be practical. For proof of that, in 2012 Citroen brought us a revitalised version of its first generation C3 Aircross small SUV. Square-shaped but well-rounded, this comfort-focused and highly personalisable package was in the 2021-2024 period their idea of what a little SUV should be.

Modelsword count: 12

5dr SUV (Petrol - 1.2 [110hp] / Diesel - 1.5 BlueHDi [100hp])

Historyword count: 578

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? Back in 2021, it was a combination of virtues that many brands had promised. But which this car strove to deliver - the Citroën C3 Aircross, the first generation version of which was revitalised and redesigned early in 2021 to create the model we're going to look at here. The French like practical, rational cars. Which is why brands from this nation were first to popularise the MPV, a most logical type of motor vehicle. They were early hatchback innovators, too, appreciating their extra practicality and functionality. And amongst the last to embrace the contradictory charms of the modern affordable family SUV. Why, French folk asked 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? Yet, usually, no more spacious or versatile? What though, if those downsides could be minimised and the SUV in question could offer all the interior versatility you used to only find in small supermini-based People Carriers? Well, that was always the thinking behind the C3 Aircross, first launched in 2017, then four years on refreshed with a new face, new tech and an easier-to-understand model range, creating the little crossover we look at here. This, we were reminded at launch, was a car 'full of innovation'. Before you get too excited, perhaps expecting an old-school Citroën that follows the DS, GS and CX models of the Sixties and Seventies with ground-breaking drive systems and quirky suspension set-ups, we should set the record straight by making it clear that the 'technical innovations' being offered here were rather less revolutionary, really just distinctions of the modern-era Citroën kind, most of them cosmetic. Things like a bewilderingly large number of paint combinations, customisable exterior colour inserts, a class-leadingly large sunroof and, more usefully, 'modular' rear seats that recline and slide. All this is the sort of thing the modern SUV crowd wants and Citroën felt compelled to play to it - understandably so as it was a formula that had clearly worked with the original version of this car, over 340,000 C3 Aircross models having been sold prior to this updated version's introduction. If you're familiar with the company's 2021-era model range, you can probably tell at a glance where the C3 Aircross fitted in. It was a smaller brother to the company's C5 Aircross model, but where that family hatchback-based contender targeted the likes of the Kia Sportage, Peugeot 3008 and Nissan Qashqai 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. Especially in this revitalised form, in which guise the car gained smarter looks, plump 'Advanced Comfort' seats, upgraded interior technology and more advanced driving aids. It sold until mid-2024, when it was replaced by a second generation model.

What You Getword count: 402

This car feels like it's up for a bit of fun, doesn't it, it's styling all jaunty bulges, contrasting colours and tonka toy-like looks. Shy and retiring folk won't see the point, but the fashionistas should love it. This improved version of the MK1 design looks a bit more purposeful than its predecessor, but it's pitched at the same segment, sized halfway between the supermini and family hatch sectors, an SUV sweet-spot that back in 2021 every mainstream brand was fighting increasingly hard to compete in. Inside, as part of the 2021 update, this C3 Aircross gained a larger 9-inch centre screen and, with the top-spec trim level that most customers wanted, a pair of unusual over-stuffed front 'Advanced Comfort' seats. As with the original model, what you ultimately get with this car depends quite a lot on whether you've been able to stretch up to one of the pricier trim levels and therefore open up access to one of the three nicer interior design packs. But even without extra trimming tinsel, there are plenty of unique design touches to be found around a cabin - like the quirky little upright air vents, the retro-style instrument dial graphics, a curiously stylised handbrake lever, a squarical flat-bottomed steering wheel and even an indented 'reverse Airbump' theme on the door cards. There's a reasonable amount of cabin storage space too - and decent build quality from the Spanish factory. Go for a top 'Shine Plus' variant and you get the flexibility of a sliding rear bench that features a 60:40-split and moves back and forth over a 150mm range. It's a great feature to have on a car of this class, but it's really annoying that you can't have it on more affordable versions of this model. The seat back reclines too, for greater comfort on longer journeys. Another feature of note that requires a plushly-specced variant is the panoramic glass roof, which opens, has a powered blind and, occupying a glazed area of nearly 1-metre in length, was supposed to be the largest in the segment. Last but not least, let's consider the boot. Raise the rear hatch when the back seat is set for maximum legroom and there's 410-litres of capacity on offer. Push forward the entire rear seat and you'll reveal an (almost) flat loading floor with as much as 1,289-litres of total fresh air if you load to the roof.

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