Citroen Basalt Spied For The First Time Since Its Global Reveal

• Citroen Basalt spied for the first time since its global reveal on March 27. 

• Exterior retains a similar design language as the C3 and C3 aircross.

• Previous spy shots had revealed the interior, showcasing a similar dashboard layout to the C3 and C3 aircross.

• Likely to be powered by the same 110 PS 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, as seen on the C3 models.

• It is expected to be launched in the second half of 2024.

The Citroen Basalt was revealed globally on March 27, and has been spotted testing in India for the first time since. The upcoming SUV-coupe is based on the same platform as the C3 models of the French carmaker. The launch date has not been announced yet, but we expect it to be launched in the second half of 2024. Here’s what we can decipher from the latest test mules, which look close to being production-ready.

Design 

As we can see in the spy shots, the test mule looks near production-ready and seems to retain the design cues of the model that was revealed last month. The exterior shares familiarities  with existing Citroen cars like the C3 and C3 Aircross. As seen in these snaps, it gets a split grille and headlight housing, a chunky bumper, and wraparound LED tail lamps along with a tall rear bumper and beefy silver skid plate, enhancing the SUV’s look and giving it an aggressive appearance. 

The squared-out wheel arches are here to stay and so are the multi-spoke dual-tone alloy wheels (thankfully), which looked chic on the model that was globally unveiled. The sloping roofline, similar to that of the Tata Curvv, looks eye-catching and makes it stand out from the vehicles around it. 

Interior 

While the interior of the Basalt isn’t clear in these spy shots, it was spied a couple of months ago. It featured a similar dashboard layout as the other Citroen C3 models. However, we expect it to get a different colour scheme to set it apart from the existing models. 

It is expected to get features such as a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, steering-mounted controls, keyless entry, electrically adjustable ORVMs and additional features such as automatic climate control, push-button start, and six airbags. Tap here to get more details on the Basalt’s interior. 

Powertrain

The powertrain specifications for the Citroen Basalt have not been revealed, though we expect it to be powered by the same 110 PS 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine from the existing C3 models. It will likely be paired with a 6-speed manual transmission and 6-speed torque converter automatic.

Price And Rivals

We expect Citroen to launch the Basalt in India by the second half of 2024, starting at an expected price of around Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom). It will lock horns with the upcoming Tata Curvv, while being an SUV coupe alternative to compact SUVs like the Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Hyundai Creta, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, Honda Elevate, and Volkswagen Taigun.

Image Credit: Sushmita Vignesh