Citroen C3 Aircross 1.2 Hybrid 145 Collection 5dr e-DCS6

Ten Second Review

Citroen's frugal little C3 Aircross Hybrid might just be all the small car your family really needs. It's trendy-looking, electrified when it needs to be and practical to live with. It might not have been on your second family car shopping list, but it probably should be.

Background

So here's the buying brief: you need a family second car. Something not too big but reasonably spacious. You've looked at small EVs but aren't tempted, yet you'd like enough electrification to significantly reduce running costs and environmental impact. Pricing must be affordable - you've long thought small cars were over-priced. But must include a decent level of equipment. Oh and you don't want anything that looks too 'budget brand'. If you recognise your requirements from that little list, here's a car we think might admirably meet them; Citroen C3 Aircross Hybrid. You might dimly be aware of the C3 Aircross. Launched in 2017 as Citroen's take on the small SUV genre, it sold in reasonable numbers in its original form but couldn't be in any way electrified because of its ancient turn-of-the-century platform. All that changed when the second generation model was launched in 2024, rolling on the same Stellantis 'Smart Car' chassis as the brand's C3 supermini (and Vauxhall's Frontera SUV). This time round, we've got a full-EV version, the e-C3 Aircross. As well as the Hybrid model that's our focus here.

Driving Experience

The Hybrid engine here isn't really a full-Hybrid, but it's more than a mild hybrid. Perhaps that's a good compromise. It keeps up-front costs down while still delivering decent efficiency, as part of a very driveable powerplant that likes to frequently revert to battery power for town travel and things like low-speed manoeuvring. In case you're not familiar with this 48V unit from other Stellantis models, we'll tell you that it's a 1.2-litre three cylinder engine mated to a bespoke dual clutch six-speed gearbox, into the casing of which has been integrated a little 34hp motor. Everything you need from a hybrid and nothing you don't - well that's how Stellantis sees it anyway. In this case, this powertrain puts out 136hp, which means 62mph from rest can be reached in 10.1s en route 125mph. Which is quite as fast as you'd really want to go in this Citroen. Like other C3 Aircross variants, this one benefits from the brand's special hydraulic bump stop suspension set-up - something you'll appreciate over speed humps and potholes. But be less appreciative of at speed around tight corners, where this Citroen rolls more than the class norm. There's just one drive mode and a fixed level of regenerative braking. Plus a relatively tight 10.9m turning circle.

Design and Build

Predictably, the blocky, squarical styling that Citroen's decided will characterise its future models (derived from the company's Oli concept car of 2022) suits this C3 Aircross better than it does the fourth generation C3 supermini. Like the other Stellantis Group design in this segment that shares that conglomerate's 'Smart Car' platform, the Vauxhall Frontera, it's much bigger than the car it replaces, 200mm longer than the old C3 Aircross, with a much more overtly SUV vibe. Larger wheels in arches with chunky cladding, extra ground clearance and roof rails all feature and the wings and wheel tracks are wider than the C3 donor model. The bluff front end sees the brand's new badge sitting prominently on the chevron-patterned grille. Personalisation was a draw for this car's predecessor and here again, the contrasting paint on the lower quarter panel and front bumper is customisable. Inside, it's all very different from the previous model. As with the C3 supermini, this C3 Aircross features what Citroen calls a 'head-up display', which actually isn't that at all; instead, it's a narrow letterbox-like strip which houses a small selection of digital instruments, primarily speed and range. This works with the almost equally unusual oblong-shaped over-buttoned steering wheel. Avoid base trim and you get a central infotainment screen, a 10-inch monitor that at last Citroen has learned not to over-burden with climate controls, which are separated out lower down. Fabric inserts and novel detailing supply the required Gallic vibe, as do the squashy Active Comfort seats. In the second row, there's comfortable room for a couple of adults and, as with the old model, there's a sliding rear bench. Which this new-era C3 Aircross needs because (unusually for a B-segment SUV), it offers the option of a third seating row. As you can imagine though, that'll be pretty cramped and is intended for small children only. Most of the time, you'll have those chairs folded out of the way so you can better access the decently-sized boot.

Market and Model

Pricing for this auto-only Hybrid model starts from just under £25,000 - a significant £3,500 or so above what the brand wants for the un-electrified Turbo 100 manual model. There's a choice of two trim levels, 'Plus' or 'Max'. All models get the brand's Advanced Comfort suspension, along with manual air conditioning, rear parking sensors and auto headlamps. Most C3 Aircross customers will start their perusal of the line-up from mid-spec 'Plus' level, which includes 17-inch alloy wheels, squashier Advanced Comfort seats, two-tone paint and a 10.25-inch central infotainment display with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Top 'Max' spec adds LED tail lights, navigation, a wireless charging mat, a rear parking camera tinted rear glass, automatic air conditioning and rear electric windows.

Cost of Ownership

Small SUVs can't be as efficient as the superminis they're based upon: extra weight and bluffer aerodynamics put paid to that. This C3 Aircross is no exception to that rule, in terms of weight tipping the scales at about 100 kilograms more than an ordinary C3. That exacts a penalty of about 10% on the fuel and CO2 emissions figures you can expect - which is a premium that we expect most potential owners will be quite happy to pay in return for the extra fashionability of running a car of this kind. It's worth pointing out though, that the inherent lightness of that standard C3 means that this SUV version's extra weight doesn't leave it as being a particularly heavy car. It doesn't actually weigh very much more than something like, say, an ordinary Vauxhall Corsa supermini. The result should be a very efficient set of running costs. WLTP economy stats suggest 50.2mpg on the combined cycle and 136g/km of CO2 from the conventional 1.2-litre PureTech variant. With this 48V Hybrid model, these improve to 57.4mpg and 121g/km. All versions of this model will be covered by the brand's usual unremarkable three year/60,000 mile warranty, plus the battery will have its own eight year cover package.

Summary

Of all the many Stellantis models use the group's little three cylinder Hybrid engine, we'd suggest that the C3 Aircross Hybrid is one of the most appealing. It's well priced, well packaged and trendy enough to make the appropriate statement down at the gym. And when the little petrol/electric engine does its eco-thing in traffic or on the school or shopping run, you won't feel guilty that you didn't follow the neighbours and buy an EV. And you'll feel even better about that decision when you see them queueing at the local charge point. Citroen's been reinventing its brand over the last few years. And cars like this one suggest that useful progress is being made.