Citroen C4 Aircross 2012 review

The Citroen C4 Aircross is one of three compact SUVs produced from a joint venture between the French PSA Peugeot Citroen group and the Japanese giant Mitsubishi. It sells alongside the Peugeot 4008 and Mitsubishi ASX.

The sales figures for the three vehicles make an interesting example of the value of brand marketing. All three are built in the same Mitsubishi factory albeit with some styling differences and, allowing for variations in equipment levels, are priced within the same ballpark.

Despite this, during the nine-month period that all three have been on sale, nearly 90 per cent of total sales have been of the ASX. The Peugeot 4008 and Citroen Aircross each arrived in Australia in mid-2012, nearly two years after the ASX, and so were at a significant disadvantage.

The Aircross was further hampered because its arrival coincided with the imminent switch in Citroen’s local importer/distributor which meant that it received virtually no marketing or advertising support.

The new importer, Sime Darby Motors Group, has now re-launched the Aircross and we’ve now been able to spend a day with this cute-looking small SUV, Citroen’s first venture into this booming market.

Value

Prices are straightforward: $31,990 for the 2WD and $33,990 for the 4WD. While these prices are the same as when the Aircross was launched by the previous importer in June 2012 they are now national driveaway prices and include a reversing camera as standard and so making it significantly cheaper – Citroen claims nearly $4000 – than previously.

Also standard are 18-inch alloy wheels, leather trimmed steering wheel, cruise control, Bluetooth phone and audio steaming, steering wheel mounted audio controls and voice activation.

Design

While the Aircross and the ASX share most of their mechanical components and underbody parts and have a similar styling theme, all external panels, with the exception of its doors and roof are different.

The Aircross also takes a different approach to the all-important frontal styling. While its two siblings have gone for the trendy wide-mouthed grille Citroen has adopted a wide two-bar arrangement with the familiar Citroen double chevron built into the centre.

Daytime running lights are growing in popularity and the Aircross again takes a different tack by having them on the extreme edges of the grille and vertically mounted rather than the normal horizontal line fringing the headlights.

Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder but we do prefer the look of the Allcross to that of the 4008 and ASX. Interior space is good at the front and acceptable for adults but fine for children in the rear. Boot space ranges from 442 litres with the rear seatbacks in place (384 litres below the parcel shelf) to 1193 litres with the seatbacks folded.

Technology

The model range for the Citroen C4 Aircross is nice and simple. There’s one engine (2.0-litre petrol), one transmission (CVT automatic), one specification level (Exclusive) and two drive options (2WD and 4WD).

The Aircross engine generates up to 110 kilowatts of power and 199 Newton metres of torque. It’s capable enough in normal city and motorway driving but does struggle a bit on hilly terrain although once we started using the paddle shift manual override feature we were able to enjoy the test drive a lot more.

It’s not a sporty vehicle but neither are the majority of its competitors in what is very much a small family focussed market segment. Other engines, including diesel, are available but are not in Citroen’s Australian importers sights at this time of low local petrol prices.

Fuel consumption on the combined urban/highway test is listed at 7.9 litre per 100 kilometres for the 2WD model and 8.1 L/100 km with 4WD.

Safety

Safety equipment levels are good with seven airbags, ABS brakes with emergency brakeforce distribution and brake assist, ESP, hill-start assist, reversing camera with rear mirror display, rear park assist and auto hazard light activation under rapid deceleration.

Driving

Our 250 kilometre media test route included around 30 km of moderately rugged dirt roads to display the off-road credentials that Citroen saw as distinguishing the Aircross from its softer competitors.

Although we were in the 4WD model during this stage we switched between modes and apart from the occasional rut that sent shudders through the car, it handled the conditions without any real problems. There’s also a 4WD Lock option for more demanding terrain.