Citroen India Entry Confirm with the arrival of their urban SUV which will take on the likes of the Tata Harrier and Hyundai Creta
Citroen confirms its India entry. The vehicle that comes first is the C5 Aircross SUV, something that has been confirmed for the Indian market. Citroen C5 measures 4,500mm long, has 1,840mm wide cabin, and stands 1,670mm tall on the ground. On the crucial aspect of wheelbase, Citroen’s 2,730mm triumphs over Hyundai Tucson though falls short of Tata Harrier. Citroen C5 made its debut in April 2017 in Chinese Market and subsequently went on to the sale globally.
In terms of design and style, Citroen comes across as an urban SUV, striking a perfect balance between looks and practicality. It features short overhangs, rugged all-around body cladding, floating roof, sleek headlamps, and chunky alloys. The SUV is underpinned by company’s EMP2 platform which also makes the base for the likes of Peugeot 3008, DS 7 Crossback, and Vauxhall Grandland X.
The Citroen scores high on the safety owing to the features such as blind spot assist, multiple airbags, hill-hold assist, smart headlamps, and cross-traffic detection etc. Internationally, the SUV is sold with a range of petrol and diesel engines including 1.2-liter, 130bhp turbocharged petrol engine, a 1.5-liter 130 bhp diesel engine, and a 2.0-liter 180 bhp diesel engine.
Transmission options include an 8-speed automatic and a 6- speed manual gearbox. Of note is the fact that Groupe PSA has started manufacturing 1.2-liter petrol and 2.0-liter diesel motors at its manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu. This facility is result of 50:50 joint venture between AVTEC and Groupe PSA and is owned by PSA AVTEC Powertrain.
In addition, Group PSA has acquired the “Ambassador” name rights from the Hindustan Motors although it is still unclear what French manufacturer will do with the name. The cars from day one will be 95% localization. There will be launches every year with a brand new product that suits Indian market. Citroen says it is late, but has studied the market throughly and will not make mistakes its rivals have done and failed at.