So far, we’ve only driven the hybrid and all-electric versions of the C3 Aircross, but if you’re looking for some insights on the 99bhp pure petrol powertrain then we’ve had a go in the standard C3. Click these blue words to read that review.

So, tell me about the hybrid…

Interestingly, the hybrid C3 Aircross is actually the most expensive of the bunch. No matter what spec you go for you’ll pay £750 more for the hybrid versus the EV, but it’s an excellent little powertrain.

Despite only being a 48V setup it’ll run in all-electric mode for a surprising amount of time. The teeny electric motor whines away but does a good job of making the Aircross feel reasonably nippy off the line. Citroen actually reckons almost 50 per cent of your urban driving will be done without waking the petrol engine.

When the little turbo three-cylinder does kick in the handover is smooth and the engine feels keen. It’s not the most pleasant sounding three-cylinder, but it’s also not as rough as a small four-pot. The six-speed auto gearbox is a little sluggish at times, but you are offered a ‘Low’ mode if you want it to hang onto gears for longer.

We wouldn’t bother. With only 134bhp on tap you won’t be getting anywhere very quickly, and most of the engine’s effort will be converted into noise. It’s a Citroen, it’s not supposed to be sporty.

On that note, the steering is also feather-light without any feel, although the brakes are well set up in the hybrid with consistent pedal feel through the travel.

What’s the e-C3 Aircross like?

First impressions are that it really isn’t very fast. Yes, it still zips off the line like every EV if you plant your right foot down, but the 92lb ft of torque and 0-62mph time of 12.9 seconds should make it fairly obvious that this isn’t going to accelerate like a Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

But, despite the larger footprint than the standard e-C3, the e-C3 Aircross is still intended to be an urban runabout. It’s a supermini with a bit more space, so 111bhp is probably plenty. Top speed is just 89mph and there’s a fair bit of wind noise at motorway speeds, but you’ll likely buy one of these for pottering about town and for that it feels well-judged. Again, the steering is exceptionally light and so is the brake pedal in the EV.

Oh, and where the hybrid gets its ‘low’ mode, the e-C3 Aircross gets a ‘comfort’ mode that decreases the amount of regen and seems to give you even less power to play with. There’s no sport mode and no paddles behind the steering wheel – this is as basic as they come.

How’s the range?

Citroen claims a WLTP range of 188 miles, which is two miles more than Vauxhall reckons you’ll get out of the almost-identical Frontera Electric. In reality both will manage less than that. On a mixed drive in mild Spanish weather, we were looking at a real-world range of just under 150 miles. Eep.

You do get useful 100kW DC rapid charging though, meaning a 20 to 80 per cent top up should take just 26 minutes.

Is the Aircross comfortable?

Ah, now here’s where Citroen wants to set itself apart from the other Stellantis brands. Standard fit on all trim levels of the C3 Aircross is the ‘Citroen Advanced Comfort Suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions’.

What that means is the standard bumpstops are replaced with fancy new hydraulic stops that absorb and then dissipate the energy created during an impact. It’s unique to Citroen and won’t be shared with other brands in the megacorp. In practice it allows the C3 Aircross to be less stiffly sprung because the shocks can cope with bigger impacts, meaning the overall ride quality is really quite impressive.

A quick word of warning though – those soft springs also mean that there’s a fair bit of body roll through corners if you’re pushing on. With over 100kg of extra weight on board compared to the hybrid, the 1,504kg EV in particular likes to wallow about a bit.

Content published on 21st August 2006

Road Test: Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi Club 3dr

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