Citroen C3 Aircross Automatic India Launch By End-2023

Citroen recently announced the starting price for its upcoming C3 Aircross compact SUV as well as officially opening bookings. The SUV is set to go on sale with a manual gearbox only initially though that will change soon. Citroen will add the option of an automatic gearbox to the India-spec SUV before the end of the year and it could be the same 6-speed automatic unit that debuted in the SUV in Indonesia.

Also read: Citroen C3 Aircross Automatic Unveiled In Indonesia

The Citroen C3 Aircross made its debut in Indonesia last month at the Indonesia International Auto Show. The SUV cosmetically looked identical to the India-spec car with the biggest difference coming in the form of the gearbox. The model featured a 6-speed automatic gearbox as standard with no option for a manual. The SUV was also only offered with a three-row configuration as standard.

The Indonesia-spec car also featured the same 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine as the SUV set to launch in India though it developed more torque. The SUV developed 108 bhp and 205 Nm as compared to the India-spec C3 Aircross manual’s 108 bhp and 190 Nm. The India-spec automatic could also feature the bump in torque.

Also read: Citroen C3 Aircross To Be Priced From Rs. 9.99 Lakh; Bookings Open

It remains to be seen if Citroen will give the C3 Aircross automatic any cosmetic or feature differences over the regular manual model. We expect the automatic option to be made available from the mid-spec variant onwards in the compact SUV when it arrives later this year. The C3 Aircross is being offered in three variants in India – You, Plus and Max – with all but the base trim offered with the option of 5+2 seating.

The C3 Aircross will go up against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder and Honda Elevate in India.

Gearbox Image Source