Citroen Begins Testing Its First ‘Made-in-India’ Sub-4m SUV

• Citroen’s sub-4 metre SUV is a made-for-India product but will be exported to other countries.
• It’s likely to be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options.
• It should come with touchscreen infotainment, connected car tech and a sunroof.
• Expected to launch around Diwali 2021.

Citroen will soon begin its Indian innings with the C5 Aircross expected to be launched in early-2021. Soon after the C5 Aircross, Citroen will launch an affordable SUV that will be developed in India and have its world premiere on our shores. It will sit in the hotly contested sub-4 metre SUV segment. The manufacturer has begun testing the SUV and spy shots have surfaced online for the first time.  

A closer look at the spy shots reveals the typical sleek Citroen grille and possibly split headlamps. We couldn’t notice the finer design details due to the camouflage but the production-spec model should come with LED lighting elements, dual-tone alloy wheels and body cladding. The SUV is expected to stand out with Citroen’s iconic quirky design. 

Technical details are still under wraps. But Citroen states this made-for-India SUV will be part of the Citroen C cubed program which stands for Cool, Comfort and Clever. Expect it to feature Citroen’s renowned cushy ride quality as well.

The sub-4 metre SUV’s interior is yet to be seen. But since it will face tough competition from established rivals, it could come with touchscreen infotainment, connected car tech, cruise control, steering-mounted audio controls, multi-info display, a sunroof and automatic climate control. Safety should be covered by multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. 

Citroen is yet to reveal the powertrain options for the upcoming sub-4 metre SUV. But it could be based on Citroen’s CMP platform, it’s only global architecture for compact models. This platform supports 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options, though the latter remains a gamble. It should also feature an automatic gearbox. The engine will be manufactured in India under the PSA Groupe’s tie-up with CK Birla’s AVTEC. 

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Citroen has stated that the sub-4 metre SUV is on track for its scheduled 2021-end launch (Diwali). The SUV will feature high levels of localisation and could come at a competitive price. It will rival the Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Toyota Urban Cruiser as well as the upcoming Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.

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