Citroen is preparing to grab a segment that will soon see participation from bigger brands - mid-size coupe SUV space. While Tata Motors is ready to introduce the Curvv coupe SUV in the Indian market by late this year, Citroen has recently revealed the near-production coupe SUV concept called the Basalt. The Citroen Basalt has been snapped on its test runs numerous times now. Thus, revealing a lot about its exterior and interior design. The Citroen Basalt will be manufactured in India and will be exported to multiple foreign markets. But what exactly will the Citroen Basalt be like? Well, read on to find out all that we know about it so far.
2024 Citroen Basalt - Design
For starters, the Citroen Basalt will share its underpinnings with the C3 Aircross. Thus, the design remains familiar, but only up till B-pillars. From there onwards, the roof starts to taper down significantly in a coupe-like fashion with thick C-pillars. In fact, the Basalt will don a liftback-style boot lid, as seen on Skoda Octavia or other expensive coupe SUVs. The overall silhouette looks exciting in the spy shots and images released by Citroen. The SUV might boast of an impeccable road presence.
The front fascia looks identical to the C3 Aircross with the distinctive headlamp setup, typical of Citroens. For a sportier appeal, the Basalt will get a new bumper and radiator grille. Around the rear, things are more dramatic because of the coupe-like roofline. The SUV is expected to ride on a set of 17-inch rims. While the overall design architecture seems appealing, elements like pull-to-open door handles and the absence of LED lighting tend to kill the premiumness of their products. For the rugged appeal, the Basalt will get chunky black cladding running around it, along with large skid plates on the front and rear facets.
2024 Citroen Basalt - Interior & Features
The dashboard layout of the 2024 Citroen Basalt will be identical to the C3 and C3 Aircross. The Basalt will share the parts bin with the C3 Aircross to borrow components like the 10.23-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, steering wheel, seats, all-digital instrument cluster, centre console, and door pads. Talking of changes over the C3 Aircross, the Basalt will not feature roof-mounted rear AC vents. It will get a new centre console between the front seats, housing rear AC vents and a front centre armrest. The sloping roof might shave off the headroom by a small margin, in contrast to the C3 Aircross. The feature list will be long, but not as comprehensive as the Hyundai Creta's or its upcoming key rival - the Tata Curvv. However, the Citroen Basalt will score better in terms of comfort and space.
2024 Citroen Basalt - Specs
Since the platform underneath the Citroen Basalt is reported to be identical to the C3 Aircross, the powertrain choices could be the same as well. The Citroen C3 Aircross is currently on sale with a 1.2L turbo-petrol engine. The motor is potent in every manner and is capable of pushing out a peak power output of 110 Hp against 205 Nm of max torque. There are two transmission options - 6-speed MT and 6-speed AT. Considering the ride and handling characters of the Citroen C3 and C3 Aircross, we expect the Basalt to offer progressive handling manners with a supple ride quality.
2024 Citroen Basalt - Price & Rivals
The mid-size coupe SUV segment is yet to take shape, and the Citroen Basalt could be the first entry in this space. Another coupe SUV that is taking shape to go on sale in India this year is the Tata Curvv. It will be a key rival to the Basalt. The Citroen Basalt, however, will also compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor and more. The Basalt will be pitched as a more sophisticated vehicle than the C3 Aircross. Thus, we expect the prices to start from Rs 11 lakh, ex-showroom.
2024 Citroen Basalt - Expected Launch Date
An official announcement of the launch date is still awaited from the carmaker, however, media reports have that the launch could take place by mid-2024. Once launched, the Citroen Basalt could be the first of its kind in the Indian market.