Citroen C5 Aircross launched in India at Rs 29.90 lakh

Citroen's much awaited SUV, the C5 Aircross is launched in two trim levels with a single diesel engine that is mated to an automatic transmission. This is the brand’s first offering in India which is manufactured at the brand’s Thiruvallur plant near Chennai.

The Citroen C5 Aircross is available in two trims, namely — 'Feel' and 'Shine', both priced at Rs 29.90 and Rs 31.90 respectively. Both are fully loaded with many premium features as standard with the latter getting the addition of LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof and a hands-free electric tailgate.

Read our review of the Citroen C5 Aircross here.

Powering the Citroen C5 Aircross is the FCA sourced 2-litre diesel engine (also found in the Harrier, Hector and the Compass) that delivers a peak output of 174.5bhp and 400Nm. The engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission which delivers power to the front wheels. AWD is not available even as an option. The C5 Aircross gets a terrain mode control dial that alters the traction control for sand, mud and snowy terrains. No statements about offering a manual variant for India have been officially made yet.

Citroen has equipped the C5 Aircross with their 'Progressive Hydraulic Suspension', which minimises the bumps filtering into the cabin. We can vouch for it doing what it's supposed to do, as the Citroen C5 seriously impressed us with its ride quality on our not-so-good Indian roads. Watch our full review down below.

The C5 Aircross gets an interior with high quality materials complemented by leather and chrome detailing. Both the Feel and Shine variants get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual zone climate control and push button engine start/stop. At the rear, the C5 Aircross gets three individual seats with a function of slide, recline and fold to free up space for passengers or luggage. Also present is an LED reading lamp and a USB socket. Furthermore, the Shine variant adds in LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof and a hands-free electric tailgate to its list of features.

On the safety aspect, the C5 Aircross is equipped with 6 airbags, ESC, traction control, hill start assist and descent control and a blind spot monitor.

At Rs 29.90-31.90 lakh the C5 Aircross is pricier than its arch rivals, the updated Jeep Compass (priced at Rs 16.99-24.49 lakh) and the Hyundai Tucson (Rs 22.55-27.33 lakh). Although, it remains to be seen how Volkswagen prices the upcoming Tiguan facelift, which again benefits from local manufacturing.

The C5 Aircross will be sold via the brand's unique 'La Maison' dealership network and has a warranty of 5 years or 50,000 kms. With prices now revealed it remains to be seen how the C5 Aircross will compete against its rivals in real world performance. Citroen also plans to introduce more localised models in India soon.