C-Aircross Concept to debut at Geneva Auto Salon

With the Geneva Auto Salon approaching March 9-19, 2017, Citroën decided to offer a peek of the C-Aircross Concept, a compact SUV concept they will be displaying there.  The company says it foreshadows a future urban Crossover that will be offered for sale  but at a first glance you get feeling you are looking at a tweak of an already existing model, certainly not something that is taking the brand in a new direction.  

The car may be a concept but it’s actually a thinly-veiled preview of Citroën’s replacement for the C3 Picasso.  Whereas the C3 Picasso is more of a minivan, the production version of the C-Aircross, likely to be called a C3 Aircross, will be more of an SUV.  (Aircross is the tag Citroën uses for its SUVs.)

The 4.15m long 1.74m wide and 1.63m high concept features a rounded body similar to the C4 Cactus introduced 3 years ago at the Geneva Auto Salon. 

Wheel arches are flared to accept 18-inch wheels and covered and like the C4 Cactus it sports AirBumps moved tastefully lower on the body side as well as a front bumper with a two-stage light signature.   It’s questionable whether the reverse opening rear doors will make their way to production models.  

Inside is upscale but definitely with a C4 Cactus influence.  Citroën says it provides a atmosphere that warm and lounge like, like what the company is offering in their new C3; Seats in embossed Alcantara, a sleek dashboard with a large 12-inch curved touchscreen, a curved heads-up display, single-spoke steering wheel, as well as multiple storage spaces realized in shades light grey and orange enhanced with key colours of Coral flora.  Surround sound is enhanced by having audio emanating from the sides of the front seat headrests.  

Drivetrain was not disclosed but there is a selector for varying types of road conditions.  

The C-Aircross Concept is equipped with “Citroën’s Advanced Comfort” program which includes ConnectedCAM (embedded HD camera), 3D connected navigation with voice recognition, and for earphones so equipped, wireless induction charging.

Citroën has posted a video of the C-Aircross here:

Perhaps Citroën decided to announce it now because they have something more exciting to unveil at the show.   We can only hope that is the reason until we see on March 9.