New 2021 Citroen C3 Aircross: UK prices and specs revealed
The updated Citroen C3 Aircross SUV is on sale now from £17,320, with three trim levels and three powertrains to choose from
The newly-facelifted Citroen C3 Aircross compact crossover is now on sale in the UK, ahead of arriving on roads in June. Prices for Citroen's Nissan Juke and Vauxhall Crossland rival - which has had its first major overhaul since its launch in 2017 - start from £17,320 with a line-up of seven models to choose from.
Updates for 2021 include a new look, interior tweaks that enhance practicality and storage, plus some new cabin technology.
The design changes are most striking at the front, with a revised lower apron section that features a larger air intake and a sharper looking front bash plate. The C3 Aircross’s distinctive split headlights remain, but the lower lights move from the rounded squares of the old model to thinner rectangular units, linked in to a new front grille.
Changes elsewhere aren’t as significant, but the car’s colour palette has expanded with seven new shades, and buyers now choose from a total of 70 contrasting body and roof paint schemes.
The C3 Aircross’s Colour Packs remain though. These add a dash of contrasting colour to the front skid plate, mirrors and rear quarter windows. A new diamond cut and gloss black alloy wheel design also arrives, available in 16 and 17-inch sizes.
On the inside, the basic design and layout of the dashboard remains, but Citroen has introduced new trim options with three “ambiences” for UK buyers to choose from. Basic cars use grey cloth seat upholstery with soft grey plastic dashboard surfacing, but a scheme called Metropolitan Graphite introduces graphite man-made leather and grey fabric upholstery with a strip on the upper part of the seat backrests and a dashboard strip in flecked grey.
At the top end of the line-up, buyers can choose real leather upholstery with the Hype Grey ambiance, combining grey-green leather on the seats and dashboard with graphite man-made leather swatches. Both the Metropolitan Graphite and Hype Grey schemes are now available with the Advanced Comfort seats seen on the larger C5 Aircross, too.
Elsewhere inside, high-spec versions of the C3 Aircross are now available with a larger and sharper nine-inch central touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There’s also a new, larger central console with more storage space, that can be accessed by those up front and passengers in the rear seats.
Core driver assistance technologies such as speed sign recognition, automatic emergency braking and automatic high-beam control are included. Further assistance features, such as a head-up-display and a top-down style 360-degree parking camera, can be specified. Off-road functions such as hill-descent control and a grip control selection feature can be optioned.
The engine line-up in the UK consists of three options, with no electrified options available. The range kicks off with a PureTech 110 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine developing 108bhp and sending drive to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. CO2 stands at 134g/km, rising to 136g/km depending on spec. It’s also available with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
More power is available with the PureTech 130, developing 128bhp, which is also offered with the choice of a six-speed automatic gearbox. Citroen will continue to offer a diesel - the 108bhp BlueHDi unit with a six-speed manual transmission.
The line-up features three trim levels: C-Series, Shine and Shine Plus.
Entry level C-Series cars are only available with the PureTech 110 1.2-litre petrol option and a six-speed manual gearbox, priced from £17,320. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels and the ‘Regal Red’ colour pack for the exterior. Automatic LED headlights with daytime running lights are also included, along with grey cloth upholstery, the new centre console and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with smartphone mirroring technology. A six-speaker sound system is standard too.
Safety equipment includes lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, cruise control with speed limiter function and reverse parking sensors.
Mid-range Shine models start from £19,615 with the PureTech 110 manual, extending to £21,195 to the PureTech 130 with an automatic gearbox. This is the entry point to the diesel line-up too, with the BlueHDi 110 manual priced from £20,825. Black is the tint for the exterior colour pack, while it receives Mica Grey cloth upholstery too, alongside the new nine-inch touchscreen system with navigation. Active safety brake with forward collision assist also comes as standard.
Range topping Shine Plus cars start from £21,225, again for the PureTech 110 manual, while an automatic PureTech 130 petrol and a BlueHDi diesel are also offered. Shine Plus cars use a white exterior colour pack and also use the Metropolitan Grey interior ambience with advanced comfort seats. Front parking sensors and a rear view camera are standard, as is keyless entry and a flat-folding front passenger seat.
What's life like with a Citroen C3 Aircross? Click here to read our long-term test report...
