Mileage: 695
Economy: 37.0mpg
Before I got my hands on the keys to our striking Citroen C3 Aircross, I wasn’t sure I was going to take to the small SUV’s slightly unusual styling.
But when I went along to the Robins and Day London West Citroen dealership in Brentford to collect it, the car instantly stood out on the forecourt – and not in a bad way, because it feels full of character.
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Our Flair model is finished in Spicy Orange with a white roof, which only adds to the striking looks. As a result, it gets a lot of attention on the road and I’ve already had quite a few comments about its bright paintjob.
I was shown round the car by sales advisor Navadini Vijayakumar, who did a great job explaining all the features of the latest addition to our fleet.
She recommended that I download the My Citroen app on my phone so I can keep an eye on the car, in more ways than one. For a start, it shows me all the details of my journeys and helps me work out fuel economy. It can locate the Aircross if I park it up somewhere unfamiliar, too, and has a feature to keep tabs on servicing needs as well.
Nav also showed me the space-saver spare wheel in the boot, which I was pleased to see, because so many cars don’t have one these days. It adds extra peace of mind that if I were to get a puncture, I could soon be on my way.
Even though I’ve only driven a few hundred miles in the car so far, I love the interior already. In particular, the black and grey houndstooth trim on the seats looks great. Then there’s the comfort; the front seats are unlike those in most cars and feel almost like armchairs, which is fantastic in such a small vehicle.
I like the dash design, too, because it makes the cabin feel more spacious than it actually is. The materials are also unusual for a small car like this; they are interesting and pleasing just to look at.
And while the infotainment screen’s graphics could be better, so far I’ve found the system easy to use. It’s a shame there aren’t more dedicated buttons in the cabin, because it’s frustrating to have to use the touchscreen to change air-con settings or radio stations on the move.
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One thing I’ll need to get used to inside is the handbrake. It’s not that I don’t like the design; it’s just quite stiff, so I worry that I haven’t pulled it up far enough.
Although I haven’t used them too much yet, there seems to be plenty of room in the rear seats and if you have two passengers rather than three, the middle seat folds down and has a double cup-holder built into it. This is a nice touch that makes things more comfortable for those in the back.
Our model is powered by a PureTech petrol engine, which suits me because it will spend most of its time in town; my daily commute doesn’t involve any motorway drives, so I don’t need the torque or extra efficiency of the BlueHDi diesel. And running a petrol C3 Aircross will enable us to compare it with the SEAT Arona TSI we also have on our fleet.
The Citroen features the £400 Grip Control option, which adds computer-controlled technology to help maintain composure when driving the Aircross on rough terrain. And while I’m not planning to do any off-roading, it’s good to know that if I go on holiday in the coming months, the C3 Aircross can tackle a muddy field or gravel track.
In fact, that sounds fun, so I’ll be sure to try the Grip Control system out when I can.
*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxfordshire, with three penalty points.
- Model: Citroen C3 Aircross Flair PureTech 130 manual
- On fleet since: April 2018
- Price new: £18,845
- Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl petrol, 128bhp
- CO2/tax: 119g/km/£140
- Options: Metallic paint (£520), Hype Mistral ambience upholstery and trim (£750), Techno Hi-Fi pack (£650), Grip Control (£400)
- Insurance*: Group: 13 Quote: £423
- Mileage/economy: 695/37.0mpg
- Any problems?: None so far
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