CITROEN Basalt

The Basalt is the smartest-looking SUV from Citroen in India. In fact, smartest looking any body type offered by the French here. While it does share underpinnings with the C3 Aircross and this means that there are several elements borrowed from the model, the coupe profile itself adds a whole lot of flair to how this SUV looks.

The Citroen Basalt has a rather aggressive face and while the bonnet and the double Chevron logo layout has been carried forward from the C3 Aircross, the chunky bumper adds a lot of character to how the SUV appears from the front. Add to it that Basalt gets sleek set of LED DRLs as well as LED projector headlights and it makes for a right swipe on the Tinder for cars. The grille layout is once again familiar for someone closely stalking Citroen cars but on this model in particular, the finish is gloss black shade works well. The fog lights, however, are halogen bulbs and look out of place when the entire lighting system is turned on.

The rear of Citroen Basalt has been kept deliberately simple and it too goes well with the swooping roofline. The boot lip protrusion, in fact, is the only dash of extravagance here. The Citroen and Basalt lettering find prominent places here and so does the Citroen logo. The rear bumper, much like the front, is chunky and adds to the muscular appeal from the back. The 3D treatment on the taillights look good too but cost cutting becomes evident again because of the halogen lights.

But the best angle to admire the Basalt has to be from the side. That sweptback roofline, those squared-off wheel arches, the alloy design and the large windows all come together to paint a confident canvas. But could the 16-inch wheels have been larger still for a more profound visual presence? Likely so.

The Citroen Basalt cabin greets occupants with a light-coloured theme on all seats with a dashboard that is in a contrasting dark shade. While it may be difficult to maintain - and we found it just how much because of the incessant Goa rains where we were at, it does lend a bit of a premium appeal to the interiors. But on the flipside, hard plastics are used almost everywhere inside.

The cabin of the Basalt is fairly spacious with generous space for two passengers at the back. Despite the tapering roofline, even tall passengers won't have to cower and leg space and kneeroom are fairly good. A unique highlight here is a fold-up function on either end of the rear seats which lift up the thigh angle for additional comfort.

There are also two plush - and contoured - headrests which elevate the experience inside and a foldout armrest with cupholders. In fact, if not for the center console jutting back significantly into the floorspace in the middle, the rear section of the Basalt would have scored full marks. But the passenger in the middle will have to make significant adjustments for a comfortable position and still not be nearly as comfortable as the fellow occupants on either side.

On the feature front, the Basalt is a definite step up from all Citroen models launched in the past even if it isn't pampering owners. A 10.25-inch infotainment screen is bright enough under direct sunlight and is simple enough to use while supporting wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The seven-inch all-digital driver display, in comparison, appears toy-like and has been carried forward from existing Citroen models.

There is also automatic climate control with toggle switches located on the central panel. And there is a wireless charging pad and an additional storage space for a second phone. The center console is fairly well appointed with cupholders and there are additional storage spaces under the adjustable armrests and on all four doors. Speaking of space, there is a generously big cargo area - at 470 litres - which is bigger than what the likes of Hyundai Creta or Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara offer. But surprisingly, there is no 60:40 rear-seat folding option and no switch for powered tailgate operation. In fact, even the grab handle to shut the boot is located on the inside section which makes a simple task needlessly arduous.

Among some notable features that are missing are sunroofs, air-purification system, ventilated seats, powered front seats and cooled glovebox. We are only highlighting these because rivals that Basalt wants to assault offers these, and more.

The Citroen Basalt comes fairly well equipped with safety features and the list includes six airbags as standard, ESP, Hill-Hold, Tyre-Pressure Monitoring System, rear-view camera and rear-view sensors. Expecting ADAS or assisted driving in any form at the price point at which Basalt competes in would be asking for a bit much and therefore gets omitted on expected lines.

Now the Citroen Basalt comes with two engine options and a choice between two manual sticks and an automatic gearbox. The most affordable of these is the Basalt with the 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated motor that is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. But our test unit boasted of the 1.2-litre turbo petrol motor which, while also paired with a six-speed manual, was mated to the auto transmission unit.

The good news is that this turbo motor remains as eager and as enthusiastic as ever and the auto transmission units is a workaholic that is committed to slotting the right numbers through the entire course of aggressive throttle inputs. The response to the pedal pushes is impressive and the Basalt does a fairly good job of gaining momentum without much lag or any of the infamous rubber-band effect.

And even when calming down things, this Citroen SUV does remarkably well in ambling along narrow Goa roads, the steering decently weighted to still allow for a comfortable drive. The ride quality for passengers is good with the well-cushioned seats and a balanced suspension combining to enhance the experience of being inside the Basalt.

But where the Basalt loses out significantly is in the amount of outside ambient noise and engine flutter that manages to pour into the cabin. And yes, there is a lot of it when the SUV is being hurled forward. Better control over NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels could have gone a long way in upping Basalt's credentials.