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Citroen C-Aircross concept hints at new C3 Picasso

The carmaker's SUV concept will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next month. It features similar funky styling to the C3 released at the end of 2016.

  • Citroen's concept for Geneva Motor Show next month
  • New small model with SUV-inspired styling
  • Appears to hint at replacement for the C3 Picasso
Ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, Citroen has released details of its C-Aircross SUV concept. It's believed that this gives us the best indication yet of what to expect from the replacement for the current C3 Picasso.
Following on from the launch of the new C3 at the end of 2016, Citroen has retained much of the style of that model in this latest concept. For the exterior, Citroen has kept the bright colours and strong, graphic features of the C3. The lower part of the car’s body is highlighted with the colour-contrasting ‘guards’. There are plenty of other colour personalisation opportunities, too, including the edges of the headlights, wheel hubcaps, side guards, and the roof racks, which incorporate LED lighting on their tips. It’s fitted with 18-inch wheels. To get in to the cabin, there are opposing-opening doors, which reveal a stripped-back interior. A panoramic sunroof lets in plenty of light, and the concept has been fitted with wide, quilt-effect, sofa-like seats, which are equipped with built-in speakers and microphones. For the dashboard, Citroen has scrapped the conventional instrument binnacle, and instead there’s a colour head-up display, as well as a single-spoke steering wheel with simplified buttons. The centre of the fascia features a 12-inch touch-screen, and Citroen’s ConnectedCam, so you can share pictures of your journey to social media, while you’re driving.
Similar to the exterior, there are splashes of colour throughout the cabin, including on the air vents and seatbelt buckles.
Keeping things practical, Citroen has added lots of storage nooks and crannies, including a ‘pencil box’ running the entire length of the dashboard, a double drawer, a large glovebox, handbag storage in the centre console, storage bags on the backs and sides of the seats, and a compartment for wireless phone charging. Instead of having side mirrors, Citroen has replaced these with two side cameras. The images are then transposed onto the inside rear-view mirror. There’s also a rear view camera in the centre of the roof spoiler. There’s no details on what engine is in the C-Aircross concept, but Citroen has said it will have five driving modes: Standard, Sand, Off-Road, Snow, and ESP off. It is likely that this concept does give a very good idea of what Citroen’s next production car will look like; and, given that the C3 Picasso is currently the oldest car in Citroen’s range, it's presumably the next to be replaced. What's more, many car companies (including Citroen, as other recent concepts have shown) are striding away from MPVs and towards SUVs, so the strong suggestion is that perhaps the C-Aircross concept could be the Picasso’s replacement, although Citroen won't confirm this. There will be more details emerging at the Geneva Motor Show next month, but the production version of the C-Aircross concept is expected to be released in summer, with UK sales likely to start before the end of the year.