Pricing scoop! A new entry-level version of the Citroën C3 Aircross will soon launch in South Africa, effectively dropping the range’s starting price by a further R75 000…
Back in July 2024, Cars.co.za broke the news that the new Indian-built Citroën C3 Aircross would undercut the outgoing European-made version by a whopping R105 000. Now we can confirm that a fresh entry-level derivative will soon launch in South Africa, reducing this crossover range’s base price by a further R75 000.
Yes, while the C3 Aircross 1.2T Max 6AT (which is also offered in 7-seater form) that arrived in Mzansi in July uses a turbocharged 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission, the soon-to-launch C3 Aircross 1.2 Plus 5MT instead employs a naturally aspirated motor of the same capacity, along with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
According to our information, the new entry-level C3 Aircross 1.2 Plus 5MT will be priced at R269 900, effectively dropping the CC24-generation’s starting price by a significant R75 000. For the record, that makes this variant just R14 000 more expensive than the smaller C3 1.2 Max (R255 900).
Interestingly, this pricing also sees the new entry-level C3 Aircross derivative positioned right alongside the likes of the Renault Kiger 1.0 Zen 5MT (R264 999), Hyundai Exter 1.2 Premium 5MT (R269 900), Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT 5MT (R269 900) and Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2T MX3 6MT (R274 999) in the increasingly competitive sub-R300 000 crossover space.
From what we understand, the new C3 Aircross 1.2 Plus 5MT’s peak outputs are the same as those of the C3, with 61 kW and 115 Nm delivered to the front axle through the aforementioned manual cog-swapper. However, we’ve yet to unearth a claimed combined fuel-economy figure for this naturally aspirated derivative.
Moreover, official specifications for the new base variant have yet to be announced, so it’s not clear what sort of equipment the “Plus” grade might miss out on when compared with the “Max” trim level of the turbocharged, auto-equipped derivatives (or, indeed, whether it will feature the same 4-year/60 000 km service plan).
As a reminder, while the outgoing C3 Aircross was imported from Spain, the new CC24-generation version is instead shipped over from Citroën’s Tamil Nadu plant in India. The CC24-series model measures 4 323 mm from nose to tail, making it 181 mm longer than the model it ultimately replaced.
This new crossover’s wheelbase comes in at 2 671 mm (up 67 mm on the Euro version), while it stands 1 796 mm wide and 1 654 mm tall, with ground clearance listed as 200 mm. The standard 5-seater has a claimed luggage capacity of 444 litres.
How have South African new-vehicle buyers received the C3 Aircross thus far? Well, local registrations increased to 86 units in this model’s launch month of July 2024 (perhaps including a smattering of outgoing Euro-built units), before growing to 151 units in August. That number fell to 115 units in September and then to 82 units in October.
As a reminder, the Indian-sourced CC24-gen C3 Aircross and the CC21-gen C3 form part of Stellantis South Africa’s drive to reposition Citroën as the group’s most budget-friendly brand.
How much does the new Citroën C3 Aircross cost in SA?
Citroën C3 Aircross 1.2 Plus 5MT – R269 900
Citroën C3 Aircross 1.2T Max 6AT – R344 900
Citroën C3 Aircross 1.2T Max 6AT 7-seater – R354 900
The prices above include the brand’s standard 5-year/100 000 km warranty. The turbocharged derivatives feature a 4-year/60 000 km service plan (with intervals of 15 000 km), while we’ve yet to confirm the parameters of the new naturally aspirated variant’s service plan.
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