Since the start of 2019, French carmaker Citroen has been making headlines in India. It all began with the first sighting of the C5 Aircross on Indian soil, and at the end of February, Groupe PSA confirmed it had indeed chosen Citroen as the brand that would lead its India re-entry.
Today, at its first-ever press conference in the country, Citroen has confirmed the C5 Aircross will be its first launch in India, and will go on sale before the end of 2020. Present at the press conference for the announcement were Carlos Tavares, chairman, Groupe PSA, accompanied by Linda Jackson, CEO, Citroen Brand, and Emmanuel Delay, executive VP and head of India-Pacific, Groupe PSA.
The C5 Aircross made its debut in April 2017 in Shanghai, and subsequently went on sale in many European markets. The C5 Aircross is based on Groupe PSA’s EMP2 platform that also forms the basis for the DS 7 Crossback, the Peugeot 3008 and the Vauxhall Grandland X. To give you an idea of its size, the Citroen C5 Aircross measures 4,500mm in length, 1,840mm in width, 1,670mm in height and 2,730mm in wheelbase length, which makes it 25mm longer and 10mm taller than Hyundai Tucson, with a wheelbase that is 60mm longer. It sits rather high up too, with 230mm of ground clearance.
A funky, modern looking two-tone dashboard is the centre piece of the C5 Aircross’s cabin, replete with split air-con vents that look unique. It’s loaded with features, too, with the SUV including multiple airbags, blind spot assist, smart headlights with an auto high beam feature, attention assist, cross-traffic detection and hill-hold assist, among others. The interiors also feature an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, steering-mounted buttons and an all-digital instrument cluster.
Abroad, Citroen offers the C5 Aircross with one petrol and two diesel engine options – a 130hp, 1.2-litre turbo-petrol, a 130hp, 1.5-litre turbo-diesel and a 180hp, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual and an 8-speed torque convertor automatic. While all-wheel-drive isn’t on offer, the C5 Aircross does have Grip Control, a feature similar to the Terrain Response modes found on the Tata Harrier, and hill-descent control.
All Groupe PSA models – including the Citroen C5 Aircross – will be manufactured at CK Birla’s facility in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu; this plant also manufactures SUVs for Mitsubishi in India. The group already has a plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, which manufactures and supplies engines and transmissions for its global and domestic businesses. The brand is also set to offer a plug-in hybrid variant of every new model based on PSA’s EMP2 platform and also an all-electric variant of all new cars based on the CMP architecture.
Expect Citroen C5 Aircross prices in line with like-sized rivals. PSA boss Carlos Tavares has already stated Citroen will start operations in India with above 90 percent localization, and this should reflect in competitive pricing for the C5 Aircross.