Citroen C3 Aircross – comfort and calm

A CALM, comfortable driving experience can be the key to safer, more enjoyable, modern motoring – and even prove an antidote to the curse of road rage.

At least that’s the view of French brand Citroen, which has just launched its new-look C3 Aircross compact SUV with a raft of updates, including no less than 70 colour, body and wheel combinations.

High on the list of revisions is something called the Citroen Advanced Comfort programme, aimed at giving drivers an added degree of serenity on busier post-lockdown roads.

So higher spec versions of the new C3 Aircross come with seats that feature an extra 15mms of foam – a bit like having a mattress topper on board.

And with longer journeys in mind the seats offer further soothing courtesy of a high-density sheet in the centre, along with a thicker quality of foam.

Uniquely shaped and with coloured stitching (in our test car’s case Blue) they also look soft and cosy too.

The initiative couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time either, as a study by Citroen UK has revealed that some 40 per cent of British drivers believe comfort to be a vital factor in avoiding road rage.

In the case of the C3 Aircross that comfort is enhanced by a large glazed area to increase the sense of cabin space, a more commanding raised driving position and the arrival of LED headlights.

But there’s plenty more than comfort to recommend this car. For instance first impressions always make a difference, and the Citroen’s striking looks instantly put it on the front foot.

That is largely down to a new face – it has chrome-trimmed chevrons stretching out towards the headlamps plus an intricately patterned radiator grille and new aluminium skid plate – inspired by the company’s much heralded CXPERIENCE concept model.

Another neat touch is the pair of rear quarter light windows with their attractive colour-coded all-round rims.

Of course family-friendly SUVs, even compact ones, need to be dripping with practicality and that’s certainly the story with the Aircross, which has a two-position boot floor, an adjustable driver’s armrest, rear window blinds and sliding seats.

We managed to load far more surplus items bound for the charity outlets and ultimately council recycling centre than I expected to fit in, adding considerable extra length thanks to the folding front passenger seat that provided a load length of 2.4 metres.

Otherwise, the C3 Aircross is up for grabs in a trio of trim grades called C-Series, Shine and Shine Plus, all featuring alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, cruise control and a centrally mounted touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Of the three engine options – 1.2-litre PureTech petrol with 110 or 130PS and a 110PS BlueHDi diesel – our tested version was the lower powered of the petrol units and proved perfectly adequate for everyday family driving.

The car was also smooth and well balanced, though the six-speed manual gearshift could have been a bit more user-friendly, and economy admirable.

Our own return of 51 miles per gallon compared favourably with the official manufacturer’s return of 58.9mpg.

The C3 Aircross starts at £17,320 for a C-Series 110 petrol and given its level of standard equipment represents smart value at the price.

Shine variants start at £19,890 and add an Active Safety Brake, larger nine-inch touchscreen with sat nav and a pull-out boot floor while Shine Plus (from £21,500) offers keyless entry and start, the Advanced Comfort seats, front parking sensors with reversing camera and 17-inch alloy wheels.