Citroen C4 AirCross: French brand's first SUV from $31,990 | CarAdvice

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Citroen C4 AirCross: French brand’s first SUV from $31,990

CITROEN C4
By Tim Beissmann
FIND DEALS

The Citroen C4 AirCross is now on sale in Australia, finally giving the French manufacturer a competitor in the booming local SUV market.

The C4 AirCross is available in a single specification, Exclusive, which features a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The entry-level front-wheel drive is priced from $31,990 before on-road costs, while the optional all-wheel drive system adds $2000.

The pricing makes the C4 AirCross the most expensive of the PSA-Mitsubishi compact SUV triplets, with the Citroen positioned above the mechanically identical Mitsubishi ASX and Peugeot 4008.

The entry-level ASX is priced from $28,490 in FWD CVT form and $32,490 as in AWD, making it $2500 and $1500 cheaper than the Citroen respectively, while both equivalent variants of the 4008 are $500 less than C4 AirCross.

Like its siblings, the Citroen C4 AirCross’s 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 110kW of power (at 6000rpm) and 197Nm of torque (at 4200rpm). All three are identical in terms of fuel consumption, with the FWD drinking 7.9 litres of premium unleaded per 100km and the AWD slightly thirstier at 8.1L/100km.

Accelerating from 0-100km/h takes 10.2 seconds in the FWD and an extra seven-tenths in the AWD, which is 65kg heavier at 1460kg in total.

The C4 AirCross is 4341mm long, 1799mm wide, 1625mm tall, and rides on a 2670mm wheelbase. The boot has a capacity of 416 litres, which expands to 1193 litres with the rear seats folded forwards.

Justifying the C4 AirCross’s price premium is its equipment list, which trumps both the ASX and the 4008. Standard exterior features include 18-inch alloy wheels (with a 16-inch steel spare), automatic headlights and wipers, LED daytime running lights, front and rear foglights and rear parking sensors, while the cabin scores a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, climate control with pollen filter, and a six-speaker audio system with AUX/USB inputs and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

The C4 AirCross’s comprehensive safety kit includes a range of active and passive systems, headlined by electronic stability control, hill-start assist and seven airbags: dual front, side, curtains, and a driver’s knee bag.

A panoramic glass roof ($1500), xenon headlights ($1500) and black leather trim ($2000) are available as options.

The Citroen is covered by a three-year/100,000km warranty, which matches the Peugeot but trails the Mitsubishi by two years and 30,000km.

The C4 AirCross joins the ASX and the 4008 in the small SUV category, which has grown by 68 per cent so far this year. The ASX has a 12.8 per cent share of the market, trailing the Nissan Dualis (20.9 per cent), Hyundai ix35 (19.7 per cent), Subaru XV (17.2 per cent) and the Volkswagen Tiguan (14.2 per cent). The 4008 made a modest start to sales in June, with 60 vehicles delivered around the country.

 

2012 Citroen C4 AirCross manufacturer’s list prices:

  • Exclusive 4×2 – $31,990
  • Exclusive 4×4 – $33,990

 

  • Daniel

    Well, I wouldn’t buy one in the first place, but it’s less inflated than I thought it would be and it does looks SO much better than the ASX, so it probably is worth it to some people. It’s not bad, but I think you could do better for the price. I think that about the ASX too. Unless you need the AWD, you’re better off just getting a high-spec Focus or something.

  • lbrinsmead

    Much better external design than Mitsubishi’s.

  • Rightindicators

    Probably made in Japan, build quality and reliability should be on par…

    • ted

      100 per cent made in Japan!

  • Chest Rockwell

    Meh

  • Able

    Where is the manual and where is the diesel? Not good enough Citroen! 

    • ted

      The Diesel is manual only and as diesel manual is less than one per cent of this sector, little point in selling it here and its much the same for manuals which account for just a few percent in this sector. The vast majority of cars in this sector are auto petrol and as you go up the sector in price – and the AirCross is at the upper end of the sector – its effectivly 100 per cent auto petrol.

  • Peterjohnanderson

    I drove a Citroen DS3 Sport for nearly two months late last year in France. These are really good cars. This bull sh*t about build quality is spoken by folks who don’t know what they are talking about – probably never even sat in one let alone driven one. We are planning to go to France again and I intend to lease another Citroen (C3 Picasso auto diesel next time).

    I am seriously thinking about replacing my current Mazda 3 when its time is up with a Citroen C4 or perhaps one of these C4 Aircross models.

    Regards,
    Peter

    • Jo

      Yup. I have to agree when people go on about the reliability of Citroens. I have a C4 VTS for almost 5 years now and no issues whatsover. Only time I have to claim a warranty fix was for the car radio! 

      With a bubs on the way and it’s getting increasingly hard to drive manual with a burgeoning belly, I am looking at replacing the VTS with this + AWD, but I am iffy about the choice offered. The pug version may look less striking but at least there are choices and fixed price servicing offered. I have checked with the dealer that does the Pug and also Citroen, unfortunately they are not planning to do fixed price service for the Citroen! This is essentially the same car and same dealership!!!

  • Nmrenwick

    Gorgeous. Best looking of the three by a country mile. I also have no experience to support the French build quality woes. My DS3 DStyle is not only beautiful but a great drive and I’ve had no problems. My Mum adores her Renault Fluence Privilege. It is classy, quiet and feels as solid as a rock. 

  • MisterZed

    Not the first Citroen SUV.  The first was the C-Crosser (based on the Outlander).

    • ted

      First sold in Australia, the C-Crosser was never sold here.

      • MisterZed

        The headline of the article states “French brand’s first SUV”.  It doesn’t say anything about Australia.

  • Jack

    Numberplates are on wrong the wrong way on the white car

  • tonsta

    Nothing moves you like a citroen, driven them for many years still have a cx2200, 1976, a c5 had the xsara, the 2cv best cars i have ever driven, lot of mouths in this world that know it all, all the time, get a citroen up ya and learn the truth fools.