The Citroen C3 Aircross has always been a good, if somewhat misunderstood vehicle. While it ticks the boxes on utility and performance, a lack of features meant that it was nowhere a serious contender in the segment, unlike its Indian, Korean and Chinese counterparts, which came loaded to the gills — we mean a panoramic sunroof was almost standard for the segment!
Of course, the biggest handicap was lack of an automatic transmission. In a segment that is trying to go premium, the absence of an automatic is a glaring omission. Now, Citroen has fixed things somewhat by adding a six-speed automatic to the line-up — yes, you read that right. It’s a conventional torque converter and not a DCT, CVT, AMT or any other excuse. This one is old school, and par for the course.
The automatic gearbox fitted on the C3 Aircross is a 6-speed torque converter sourced from Aisin in Japan. It is mated to the existing 1.2-litre 3-cylinder unit that puts out around 109 horses, though significantly torque has been boosted slightly from 190 to 205 Nm. This is a good thing because the automatic Aircross seems to be on the face of it an extraordinarily smooth transmission.
It feels extremely refined and has a good punch all the way to the redline, especially that terrific mid-range push that has always been the hallmark of this 1.2-litre motor. Only at idle the 3-pot motor has slight vibrations, but not enough to make you uncomfortable. You can run the transmission in manual mode — simply slot it into D and push it to the left — you can then toggle upshifts or downshifts by moving the transmission lever. Paddleshifters are conspicuous by their absence, but going by the profile of this particular model, we are not surprised. One of the hallmarks of the C3 has always been its ride and handling. The suspension of the C3 has always been segment best, given Citroen’s legacy.
The C3 Aircross does have its strong points — it is good looking, it is comfortable and it has one of the best engine/transmission combos in its segment. Lack of features makes it a little awkward in this segment, but if you are looking for a utilitarian automatic SUV, your search ends here.
Bajaj’s CNG bike launch in June
Rajiv Bajaj, MD of Bajaj Auto, revealed recently that the Pulsar maker will launch a CNG motorcycle in India in June. It will be the first of many clean-fuel CNG motorcycles from Bajaj.
The information was shared by Rajiv Bajaj while announcing Bajaj Group’s commitment of Rs 5,000 crore towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) over the next five years. The upcoming CNG bikes are likely to be priced higher than their petrol-only counterparts, owing to the relatively higher cost of manufacturing.