Citroen C3 Aircross Is Full of Quirks, Says Review

Nobody cares, of course. They're too busy buying Volkswagens. And they should, considering this particular C3 Aircross configuration costs €28,000. But if you're a hardcore car guy, you have to admire Citroen for being different.

See those lights at the top of the car? Yeah, those aren't the headlights, which are below that. Want to stand out? Then how about orange mirrors and orange stripes for the rear quarter glass. And who else but Citroen would think of making the middle of the alloy wheels square?

The C3 Aircross looks like an off-roader, thanks to chunky silver cladding at the front and back. But power goes strictly to the front wheels. Despite this, there's a hill descent function activated by a big button which makes you wonder where you would use it.

Power comes from two versions of the 1.6-liter diesel or three of the 1.2-liter 3-cylinder petrol engine. Marek suggests you're better off with automatic gearbox, available only with the 1.2 turbo making 110 HP. This prevents you from stalling the engine, which is apparently a common problem.

Even though the Aircross looks like it would be more comfortable, the suspension is firmer than in the regular C3 hatchback. But Citroen has really stepped up its interior design game in the past few years. Nothing else has this color of seat fabric or air vent trim.

Speaking of the interior, we have to come back to the quirks. Because of the chunky handbrake they installed, there's no room for cup holders. Also, the aspect ratio of the reversing camera feed doesn't match the screen. If you want to disengage the annoying lane-keep assist, a bright warning light will be displayed on the dash. And we could go on for a while, but it's better to enjoy the review.