Citroen Basalt Driven: Here Are Its Pros & Cons

The spacious boot and comfortable rest seats makes the Basalt an ideal choice, but the lack of features and power hold it back

The Citroen Basalt has been launched with prices starting from Rs 7.99 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom pan-India) and we have already put the SUV-coupe through its paces. It has a unique styling, good in-cabin space and is a practical offering for a family, but has its own set of limitations that might affect your buying decision. After our experience behind its wheel, here’s a look at what we liked and what we did not like.

PROS

Unique Styling 

The Basalt is an SUV-coupe and that particular design characteristic makes it stand out from the rest of the mainstream SUV models. The sloping roofline combined with the tall stance gives it a distinctive look, which doesn't go unnoticed on the road and is sure to grab attention.

Massive Boot

It gets a boot space of 470-litres, which you can use to fit a lot of luggage. The Basalt’s boot is wide and deep, which allows you to carry even larger suitcases with ease, and for additional luggage, you can fold the rear seats for extra space. However, there is no 60:40 split. Also, the higher positioning and the shape of the boot opening makes it easier to put luggage in.

Benchmark-setting Rear Seats

If you want a chauffeur driven experience on a budget, the Basalt is one of the ideal cars for you. Even though it has a sloping roofline, there is ample amount of headroom, even for 6-foot tall people, and you don't need to compromise on knee room and legroom either. The best part of the rear seats is the adjustable underthigh support for the outward passengers, which helps them find their most comfortable seating position, making the Basalt's rear seat experience the best in its class.

Also Read: This Is What Each Variant Of The Citroen Basalt Offers

CONS

Not So Feature Rich

While the Basalt does get a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and comes with automatic climate control, it does miss out on some premium features which its rivals offer.

The presence of features like leatherette upholstery, push-button start/stop, powered driver seat, and a sunroof would have made it more appealing to buyers in the compact SUV segment.

Not So Premium 

The Basalt does have a unique exterior design, but the interior is pretty basic, which misses out on the premium factor. There is a lack of premium materials in the cabin, especially soft touch padding, which makes the cabin feel a little dull and basic. Use of more soft touch materials would have made the cabin feel more plush.

Not So Sporty

Citroen offers the Basalt with a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine options, which are good for regular driving. But if you're looking for a more enthusiastic drive experience with this SUV-coupe form factor, then unfortunately you won't get that with the Basalt. 

The automatic gearbox feels a little slow, which makes you plan the overtakes in advance, and you miss out on the exciting drive experience that you can get from its rivals in the compact SUV segment.

Price & Rivals 

Prices of the Citroen Basalt range from Rs 7.99 lakh to Rs 13.83 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom pan-India) and it is a rival to the upcoming Tata Curvv. The Basalt also acts as a bigger alternative to subcompact SUVs like the Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV 3XO, and Tata Nexon, while also competing against the lower variants of compact SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Maruti Grand Vitara.

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