Citroen’s Upcoming 2021 Small SUV Will Be A Petrol-only Model

Citroen’s is planning a petrol-only small SUV and a new car for the Indian market every year

• Citroen’s small SUV will be the first SUV borne out of the C-Cubed programme.

• It will probably use a 1.2-litre petrol engine manufactured in India.

• The SUV’s small size suggests it could be a Tata HBX rival.

• Expect premium features such as auto AC, LED lighting and traction control. 

In a recent interaction with the media, French carmaker Citroen revealed that its upcoming small SUV for India will be a petrol-only model as part of its C-Cubed programme. The French carmaker hasn’t yet hinted at a name for the SUV, though What we do know is  Citroen’s second offering for India is expected around Diwali 2021 after the soon-to-be-launched Citroen C5 Aircross. It will not only kickstart the C-Cubed programme for Citroen but will also make its world premiere in the country. 

The smaller petrol-only SUV will be based on an all-new platform developed by Citroen. This car will be made in India, but sold in both domestic and international markets. Citroen has not given out any information on the petrol engine that will power this SUV. The company has a joint venture the CK Birla Group to manufacture engines at a facility in Tamil Nadu, where petrol engines between 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre are being developed. We expect one of the smaller engines to be used in this SUV, probably Citroen’s 1.2-litre turbo petrol motor, considering its size as revealed by spy shots.

Pictured: Citroen C5 Aircross

Our initial guess was that this SUV would rival the likes of the Maruti Vitara Brezza or Hyundai Venue, but the Citroen SUV looks smaller than them. It’s more likely to go up against the upcoming Tata HBX, an SUV that is looking to carve out a spot for itself below the sub-4 metre SUV space.

A boxy profile in the spy pictures is indicative of the fact that despite its size, the upcoming Citroen SUV could have roomy interiors. Also, we have already seen a floating touchscreen in one of its test mules. What remains to be seen is how far Citroen will go when it comes to loading it with features. We expect auto AC, LED lights, traction control, and a digital instrument cluster seeing how they are becoming more and more prevalent in the market. Citroen is unlikely to offer a sunroof, wireless charging or ventilated seats as this SUV will be a budget offering.

Pictured: Citroen C5 Aircross

Citroen has reaffirmed its plans to launch a new model in India every year, under its C-Cubed programme, starting with this small SUV. The carmaker will sell these cars both in India as well as globally.

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