2025 Citroen C3 Aircross public Review

The competition in Malaysia's compact SUV market is becoming increasingly fierce. Consumers not only demand practical space but also have higher expectations for unique design and smart features. The arrival of the 2025 Citroen C3 Aircross Public precisely targets this group of "balanced yet distinctive" needs. As a new member of the Citroen brand in the small SUV segment, its focus on highly flexible space and comfort features begs the question: can it stand out in the local market? Through static observations and dynamic test drives, we will thoroughly evaluate its actual performance and provide a reference for potential buyers.

From the exterior, the C3 Aircross Public continues Citroen's "rounded rectangle" design language, with an overall style that is sleek yet distinctive. At the front, the large trapezoidal grille, paired with chrome dot-matrix decoration inside, connects with the split headlamp setup on both sides. The top LED daytime running lights are L-shaped, offering striking visual effects when lit; below, the embedded high and low beam lights boast a clean, practical design. The side body lines are smooth, with a silver roof rack adding a crossover vibe, complemented by 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. This increases a sense of ruggedness, while the door's scratch-resistant strips help reduce the risk of daily scuffs. At the rear, the horizontal tail lights feature a C-shaped light strip inside, echoing the front daytime lights. The silver skid plate on the lower rear bumper further enhances the SUV's rugged feel. Overall, the exterior design of this car meets the expectations for a compact SUV while incorporating detailed elements that establish its unique brand identity.

Stepping inside, the interior of the C3 Aircross Public focuses on practicality while maintaining a certain level of refinement. The dashboard uses a symmetrical layout, covered with soft-touch materials on the top and accentuated with silver trim, providing a visually appealing yet unassuming look. The central control screen is a 10-inch floating design, featuring Citroen's latest smart car system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with decent operational smoothness. The three-spoke multifunction steering wheel places multimedia and phone controls on the left and driver-assist system controls on the right. It feels comfortable to grip, and its button layout is reasonably designed. The seats combine fabric and leather materials, with soft padding. The front seats support manual adjustment, offering moderate wrapping and comfort suitable for daily commuting.

Space performance is one of the key selling points of the C3 Aircross Public. In terms of body dimensions, its length, width, and height are 4323mm/1796mm/1667mm respectively, with a wheelbase of 2654mm, placing it above average within the small SUV segment. During a real-world seating test, a 175cm-tall participant in the front seat, after adjusting the seat, had a remaining headroom of one fist and two fingers. Keeping the front seat unchanged, the rear row offered one fist of headroom and roughly two fists of legroom, ensuring that even three adult passengers wouldn’t feel overly cramped. As for storage space, the interior is equipped with multiple practical compartments, including door panel storage slots, a central armrest box, and front cup holders, making it convenient to keep everyday small items. The trunk has a standard capacity of 410L, and with the 40/60 split rear seats folded down, it expands to 1289L, capable of accommodating large suitcases or baby strollers, offering strong practicality. Additionally, the rear row is equipped with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports, catering to the needs of rear passengers.

In terms of power, the C3 Aircross Public in this test drive is equipped with a 1.2T three-cylinder turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum power of 110PS and a peak torque of 205N·m, paired with a 6-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. From the parameters, this powertrain is at the mainstream level in its class. During actual driving, the power response at the start is active, and the throttle pedal is tuned lightly, making it easy to follow traffic even in congested road sections. During low to medium-speed acceleration, the turbo engages smoothly without noticeable jerking, and the acceleration performance under speeds of 60km/h is smooth. However, during high-speed scenarios (above 80km/h), the power reserve is somewhat insufficient, and overtaking requires pressing the accelerator deeply to achieve sufficient thrust. Regarding driving modes, it offers three choices: Eco, Standard, and Sport. Switching to Sport mode makes the transmission shift logic more aggressive, and throttle sensitivity is improved, making it suitable for scenarios requiring rapid acceleration.

In terms of handling and chassis performance, the C3 Aircross Public adopts a combination of front MacPherson independent suspension and rear torsion-beam non-independent suspension, which is common in small SUVs. The steering wheel has a light steering effort and minimal play, giving it flexible handling during daily driving and ease of parking. The chassis tuning leans toward comfort, and when passing speed bumps or uneven roads, the suspension can filter out most minor vibrations, maintaining a stable body posture without noticeable bouncing. However, when cornering at high speeds, due to the higher center of gravity of the body, there is relatively noticeable body roll, and it is recommended to control speed during turns.

In terms of fuel consumption, we conducted a test under mixed road conditions (approximately 60% urban roads and 40% highways), with the air conditioning on throughout. The final fuel consumption was about 6.8L per 100 kilometers, which is close to the official figure of 6.5L/100km. The fuel economy meets expectations. Regarding braking performance, the brake pedal is linearly tuned, offering moderate initial braking force and timely mid-range feedback. During emergency braking, the body posture remains stable, with no significant nose-dive phenomenon, giving a sufficient sense of braking confidence overall.

As for ride comfort details, the noise control performance of the C3 Aircross Public is acceptable. At speeds below 60km/h, the main source of noise inside the car comes from the tires. At speeds exceeding 80km/h, wind noise becomes gradually more noticeable but does not hinder normal in-car conversations. The seat comfort has also been verified during long driving sessions; after driving continuously for 2 hours, there is no significant soreness in the lower back or legs, making it suitable for family long-distance trips.

To summarize, the core strengths of the C3 Aircross Public lie in its flexible space performance, comfortable chassis tuning, and practical configuration. Compared to rivals like the Honda HR-V or Toyota C-HR in the same segment, it has an advantage in space versatility. At the same time, the price (estimated) may be more affordable. However, it falls slightly behind the aforementioned models in terms of brand influence and power parameters. This car is suitable for customers who value family practicality, primarily for daily commuting, while also desiring a certain level of comfort – such as young families or professionals looking for a "versatile" urban commuter vehicle.

Overall, the C3 Aircross Public is a "practical rather than flashy" compact SUV. It doesn't have an overly aggressive design, but it achieves a balance in core needs such as space, comfort, and fuel efficiency. If you need a car that meets daily household use and occasional short trips, and you're not pursuing extreme performance or brand premium, then this car is worth adding to your consideration list.