French carmaker Citroen is likely to unveil its second model for India by mid-September 2021 that will be a Hyundai Venue-rivalling sub-compact SUV (likely to be called C3). Initially, it was expected to be revealed in May, with the launch anticipated by Diwali 2021, but the COVID19 pandemic eventually scuttles the plan. However, now it is expected to hit showrooms in the first half of 2022.
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Unlike the C5 Aircross, it will be manufactured at the brand's Tamil Naidu-based plant. It will be a part of Citroen’s ‘C-Cubed’ (Cool, Comfort, and Clever) program. While it has been spied testing several times, the previously leaked images of C3's scale model have given us a fair idea of what to expect from the Citroen SUV.
Going by the images, the B-segment SUV will share its design cues with the bigger C5 Aircross. It will get a sleek grille, split headlamp setup, dual-tone roof, plenty of contrasting shades on the body, and heavy cladding all over.
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The brand is expected to play a feature card in order to differentiate it from the other sub-4m SUVs available in the Indian market. That said, it would be safe to assume that this would preserve the essence of Citroen's global models, including the exceptional cabin comfort and magic carpet ride quality.
The sub-4m Citroen SUV will be a petrol-only offering that could be powered by a locally produced 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine, paired to manual and automatic transmissions. Rumors are also suggesting that this engine will also be compatible with flex-fuel as well. However, the carmaker is yet to make any official announcement regarding the same.
Expect the pricing of the second Citroen offering in India to start from around Rs 7 lakh (ex-showroom), putting it in contention with the Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Mahindra XUV300, Honda WR-V, and Ford EcoSport.
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