How India-bound Citroen C5 Aircross SUV could challenge Kia Seltos' supremacy
Citroen has confirmed the launch of its C5 Aircross SUV, its first offering in India, by early next year. Citroen will be one of several foreign carmaker to have entered the Indian auto industry after the likes of Kia Motors and MG Motor.
The C5 Aircross SUV is one of the best-selling products from the French carmaker, especially in Europe. The SUV, when launched in India, will take on competitors in its segment like Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, among others.
The details of the India-spec C5 Aircross SUV are not available officially. However, the European spec of the model gives us an idea what the Indian customers could expect from this SUV.
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In terms of design, the Citroen C5 Aircross SUV offers a fresh look.The strong and muscular body of the car stands out due to its balanced silhouette with a high bonnet and a gently outlined body. The SUV also gets stylish alloy wheels.
Inside, one is greeted with a comfortable car cabin thanks to the solid and horizontally designed dashboard.As part of the Citroen Advanced Comfort program, the Citroen C5 Aircross SUV offers more comfort and space in the cabin.It is also the first car with a new suspension system equipped with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions.
The three sliding and folding rear seats with adjustable backrest make C5 Aircross SUV the most flexible and spacious compact SUV in its class.The luggage compartment sets the tone in the segment with a volume of 580 to 720 litres.
Citroen's compact SUV model C5 Aircross stands out with its 1.6-litre petrol engine and rich equipment list. The 1.6-litre petrol unit used in the vehicle produces 180 horsepower and 250 nm torque.The engine is very flexible thanks to the 8-speed automatic transmission.Transmitting its power to the front axle, the engine can help power the vehicle from 0 to 100 kmph in just 8.2 seconds, with a top speed of 216 kmph.
Since its release, the C5 Aircross SUV has already found over 100,000buyers, which puts it as one of the best-selling Citroen cars.This sales success contributed significantly to Citroen's growth dynamics, putting it among the 12 best-selling car brands in Europe.
The C5 Aircross range has recently been enriched with a hybrid model.The power unit of this model consists of a 180 HP PureTech internal combustion engine and an 80 kW electric motor.The electric motor is powered by a high voltage Li-Ion 200 V battery, 13.2 kWh.In hybrid mode, both engines work together, generating a total of 225 hp transferred to the front wheels, offering enhanced driving pleasure with low fuel consumption.
The Seltos SUV has had a good run in the initial few months, becoming the largest-selling SUV in India in March when almost all the carmakers recorded negative growth.
