Road Tested By Hugh Maguire.
Price: C3 Aircross hybrid 5-seat €29,390
e-C3 Aircross EV 5-seat €28,452 after grants.
Pros: Some cheap plastic trim on the doors and centre console.
Tyre roar on course tarmac.
Basic graphics on the central touchscreen.
Cons: Appealing style.
Decent Specification as standard.
Lots of room for its size.
The new Citroen C3 Aircross is available with three powertrains, a pure petrol, a mild hybrid and as an EV. They look almost identical, offer the same practicality and family-friendly cabin, but they deliver very different ownership experiences. I have been testing the hybrid 7-seat version and the EV 5-seat version so if you are choosing between hybrid and electric which one should you go for?
Traditionally choosing electric meant paying a premium. But the e-C3 Aircross is almost the same price as the hybrid version give or take a few hundred euro. So the decision of which to buy is less about purchase price and more about suitability to your lifestyle as EV’s have compromises which the hybrid does not. So lets take a closer look and answer the question which do I think you should buy?
This new C3 Aircross comes in two trim variants named, PLUS and MAX .
So how does it look?
Despite one being a 7-seater they are both actually identical in design and dimensions.
Citroen got the style of the new Aircross just right! I think the bold SUV styling works and gives the new C3 Aircross a rugged muscular profile.
There are roof rails, plastic surrounds on the wheel arches, front and rear skid plates, and attractive diamond cut 17 inch bi-tone alloys which give it an attractive style. The electric version has slightly more aerodynamic aero diamond-cut alloys otherwise you could not tell the difference. You can purchase a set of four external colour clips which click in to place on the bodywork. A bit gimmicky really I am not sure how many will bother to buy a few sets of those to “personalise” their Aircross exterior.
Overall then both versions of the new Aircross are attractive SUV’s and manage to stand out from their rivals in this crowded competitive segment.
What’s it like inside?
While one car on test here is the 7-seat version both again are identical inside except for that last row of two seats in one model.
Despite their compact external dimensions the Aircross is spectacularly spacious inside. The more square profile of the Aircross does have its benefits and that is apparent in the roomy cabin.
Slip into the drivers seat and you will find an excellent driving position, a tiny steering wheel and what Citroen call its “head up display” digital instruments. Its not really a head up display as we know it but a narrow broad strip of digital instruments. It works well enough. The 10.25 inch central touchscreen has some pretty basic graphics but again it all works fine. The heating and ventilation controls thankfully are activated via a row of real buttons under the touchscreen.
Apple car play and Android Auto are standard, and there is a neatly positioned USB port near the centre tray to enable phone charging. Overall the interior looks and feels well put together though you don’t have to look too far to notice the hard touch cheaper plastic trim.
One concern with electric cars is that the battery pack raises the cabin floor creating a “knees-up” seating in the rear. However here Citroen has done a good job keeping the difference subtle. I did find though despite that the seating position in the rear of the electric version is not quite as good due the higher floor. So you do sit more “knees-up” in the back of the electric version.
Boot space is quite different between the two. The 7-seat hybrid has virtually no space behind the third row of seats but fold those down and it becomes a 5-seater with about 330 litres of boot space. The electric version wins hands down here with a 460 litre boot all of the time with 5 seats available. Its worth noting that the 5-seat hybrid shares exactly the same boot space as the electric e-C3.
How do their powertrains compare?
The hybrid is powered by a 1.2 litre 3 cylinder petrol turbo producing 136 bhp with a 48 volt mild hybrid and driving the front wheels through a six speed auto gearbox. As it is a mild hybrid it only moves under electric power at very low speeds. In my tests mostly when parking or crawling in town. Citroen claim that it will drive on electric power up to 50% of the time in an urban enviornment. My tests would indicate that it would not quite achieve that. Nevertheless it does strive to run on electric power as much as possible and that does benefit fuel economy. I returned an average of 5.6 litres per 100km.The engine is reasonably quiet and refined and performance is good. It gives buyers some electric assistance without changing how they use the car.
The electric version is of course a different ownership experience. With a single motor driving the front wheels producing some 113 bhp its also less powerful. It is though truly quiet and glides along more silently than the petrol hybrid. Both perform well enough with the e-C3 feeling a bit more spritely under acceleration.
Lets compare range. I started my road test in the hybrid with a full tank of petrol and a predicted range of 705 km. I achieved 690km. Excellent result for the hybrid!
I started my road test of the e-C3 with a 92% charge state and a predicted range of 361km. I achieved just 260km with was frankly a disappointing result. After all Citroen claim some 400km range for this car.
In both tests both cars were driven “normally” meaning I used the A/C, and so forth and did not try to nurse each car to a best result.
So for ease of ownership, no range anxiety and no need to continuously plan on charging up the hybrid wins here.
So how do they both drive?
The new Aircross range is set up with comfort as the dominating virtue and in that it succeeds. They are both very comfortable, those nicely cushioned “Comfort Seats” are good though the front seats need more lumbar support in my opinion. The ride is excellent insulating the occupants from most imperfections on the road. Both models handle safely and well though accompanied with a bit of body roll in tight corners particularly in the heavier electric version. Refinement levels are on a par with rivals though there is a bit of tyre roar on more coarse tarmac in both cars.
Hugh’s Verdict.
So where does that leave us with the question hybrid or electric? This side by side test really highlights the difference in the ownership experience of both cars. The biggest practical differences between the two are:
Hybrid: Range of almost 700km. Quick refuelling. Option of a 7-seat version. Ease of ownership.
Electric version: Real world range of just 260 km or so which is fairly limiting. Need to plan your trips around the short range. No 7-seat version. Lower running costs but only of you have a home charger and charge there every time.
So after extensive testing the car I would choose here is the hybrid in either the 5 or 7-seat configuration. For me that excellent range, hassle free refuelling and a lighter car with a slightly more involving drive makes the hybrid the winner here. It allows longer hassle free trips, and the option of 7 seats which makes the hybrid the more practical choice.