Car Deal of the Day: a particularly plush Citroen C3 Aircross for £144 per month

• One of the most comfortable small crossovers
• Top-spec trim and a 129bhp petrol engine
• £1,997 down and then £144 per month

If you squint a bit (okay, quite hard), the Citroen C3 Aircross is the brand’s modern equivalent to the classic 2CV. It’s an affordable car that doesn’t take up too much space on the road, but can comfortably seat four inside a tall roofline, and is set up to prioritise comfort rather than sporty handling. See what we mean?

When we say affordable too, we’re talking about the £143.99 per month lease deal we’ve found from Xcite Car Leasing through our sister site Carwow. There was a time when you could’ve bought a 2CV for the £1,997.86 initial payment on this deal, though it would have been pretty ropey, whereas here you’re getting a brand new car.

Specifically, it’s a C3 Aircross in Max trim, with the 1.2-litre turbocharged Puretech petrol engine, and a six-speed automatic gearbox. That should make it even easier to drive than the 2CV’s dashboard-mounted shifter did, and while the 129bhp Puretech’s output doesn’t sound that much, it’s still a hundred horsepower more than Citroen ever put in the ‘tin snail’. With it, 0-62mph comes up in 9.2 seconds, or about 20 seconds quicker than the classic…

Obviously we’re being a little silly here, and the C3 Aircross is really aimed at rivals such as the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, and Ford Puma. It’s not as dynamic on the road as any of those but it still grips well, and it’s among the comfier compact SUVs, with a pliant ride and seats specifically designed to be squashy yet supportive. And while the Aircross’s cabin can feel a touch cheap in places, it might as well be a Rolls-Royce compared to an old 2CV.

Running costs shouldn’t add too much to that £144 monthly payment, with a fairly sensible insurance group rating of 18, and the promise of 48.5mpg economy in mixed driving. A 410-litre boot completes the sensible picture, while standard equipment in top-spec Max trim includes a touchscreen with satnav, a head-up display, automatic air-con, keyless entry and start, and cruise control with a speed limiter.

The lease deal comes with a modest 5,000-mile allowance, though you should be able to negotiate a few more for minimal extra cost, if you expect to be going further afield. Maybe you could spend the money you save on picking up a pristine 2CV for the weekends…

Our Deal of the Day selections are taken from the site of our sister site Carwow. Prices and offers are subject to change, while terms and conditions apply.

Check out the Citroen C3 Aircross Car Deal of the Day or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day here...