Citroen Basalt

Citroen introduced the Basalt 5-seater SUV in the country on September 9, 2024. The Citroen Basalt comes with a sloping roofline that gives it a SUV Coupe styling. It is the fourth model under Citroen's C-Cubed program for the Indian market, following the C3, C3 Aircross and eC3. 

The Citroen Basalt shares its engine options with the C3 hatchback, which includes a 1.2L NA petrol and a 1.2L turbo petrol. Both manual and automatic gearbox options are on offer. This model comes as an affordable alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and the newly launched Tata Curvv. 

Citroen Basalt Price and Variants

The Basalt SUV Coupe is available in 3 trims - You, Plus, Max and in total 6 variants. The Citroen Basalt price in India starts at Rs 7.99 lakh, which goes up to Rs 13.62 lakh. All the prices are ex-showroom, New Delhi. 

Expert Opinion - We suggest you the Citroen Basalt Plus Turbo variant. It comes with a good amount of features such as a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Other features include LED projector headlamps, TPMS, Engine idle start/stop, automatic AC, and 7-inch full-colour LCD instrument cluster.  

Citroen Basalt: Key Features

• 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit
• Wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
• Adjustable rear seat under-thigh support
• Reverse parking camera
• 16-inch machined alloy wheels
• Automatic AC
• Engine idle start/stop
• LED Projector Headlamps, LED DRLs

The Citroen Basalt comes with 6 airbags including dual front airbags, 2 curtain airbags and 2 front side thorax airbags as standard. Other features include hill start assist, ESC, 3-point seatbelts, power windows, automatic climate control and LED projector headlamps, and LED DRLs. 

The higher variants get a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, which is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It gets front fog lamps, 4 speakers sound system, tyre pressure monitoring system, rear armrest, power mirrors, adjustable headrests, and 7-inch full-colour LCD instrument cluster. 

Engine Specifications

The Citroen Basalt is available with two petrol engines - a 1.2L, 3-cylinder, naturally-aspirated and a 1.2L, 3-cylinder, turbocharged. The naturally-aspirated petrol engine produces 80.8bhp at 5,750rpm and a peak torque of 115Nm at 3,750rpm. It is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. 

The 1.2L 3-cylinder, turbo petrol unit is capable of producing 109bhp at 5,500rpm and 190Nm at 1,750rpm. The torque output increases to 205Nm between 1750-2500rpm, when paired to an automatic gearbox. Manual and Automatic choices include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque convertor automatic.

For suspension duties, the Citroen Basalt gets MacPherson Strut with Coil Spring at the front and Rear Twist Beam with Coil Spring at the rear. The braking duties are handled by a ventilated disc at the front and drum at the rear along with an anti-lock braking system (ABS). 

Citroen Basalt Mileage

The Citroen Basalt 1.2 NA petrol is claimed to offer an ARAI certified mileage of 18kmpl. In real world conditions, it should return a fuel efficiency of around 13-14kmpl. 

On the other hand, the Basalt Turbo manual has an ARAI certified fuel economy of 19.5kmpl. The efficiency drops to 18.7kmpl with the automatic gearbox option. In real conditions, the Basalt Turbo could return a mileage of around 15kmpl. 

Citroen Basalt Exterior

The Citroen Basalt comes with the familiar face, which we have already seen on the C3 Aircross. Designers have made subtle changes to keep things fresh. Big changes are visible from the B-pillar onwards. It comes with an eye-catching design, featuring sloping roofline that merges nicely in the rear glass. 

The side profile looks well proportionate, featuring strong creases and 16-inch alloy wheels. The rear has angular tail-lights and the sloping roofline gives it a unique styling. The front fascia has a C3 Aircross-like grille, flanked by new LED projector headlamps. 

The Basalt is available in 5 exterior colour options - Polar White, Steel Grey, Platinum Grey, Cosmo Blue and Garnet Red. It is also offered with 2 dual-tone paint schemes - Polar White with Perla Nera Black Roof and Garnet Red with Perla Nera Black Roof. 

Citroen Basalt Interior

The cabin of the Citroen Basalt looks similar to the C3 Aircross, featuring the similar dashboard layout. It comes with a simple yet functional dashboard, featuring dual-tone BLack and Beige scheme with contrasting treatment around the AC vents and on the dashboard. 

It features the same 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, which we have seen on the C3 Aircross and the C3 hatchback. This unit is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is a 7-inch fully coloured TFT display for instrumentation, while the 3-spoke steering wheel has controls for audio & infotainment. 

The big addition is the automatic climate control feature along with a sliding front armrest. The top-end variant gets adjustable thigh support for the rear seats, which is also the segment-first feature. For rear occupants, it gets seatback pockets, door pockets for 1-litre bottles, a folding centre armrest with two cup holders and a charging slot.

Dimensions and Boot Space

The Citroen Basalt measures 4352mm in length, 1765mm in width and 1593mm in height. It rides on a 2651mm long wheelbase, which is longest in its segment. The SUV has a kerb weight of 1233-1240kg, while the gross vehicle weight stands at 1643-1650kgs. 

The new Citroen Basalt has a boot space of 470-litres, which is more than sufficient to carry 3-4 suitcases. The boot space is expandable by folding the second-row seats. It rides on a 16-inch wheelbase wrapped with 205/60 section tyres. 

Infotainment and Connectivity (Music System)

The Basalt gets a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. For music lovers, the SUV Coupe supports Radio, Bluetooth connectivity and telematics. It comes with 4 speakers and tweeters. 

Safety Features

Citroen claims to have increased the structure rigidity with the use of 85% high grade steel. The company aims to achieve better safety ratings in the Global & Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program). It comes with 6 airbags including dual front airbags, front seat side airbags and curtain airbags as standard. 

Other safety features include Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Hill Hold Assist, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), ISOFIX, 3-point seat belts for all seats, and reverse camera.

Warranty and Maintenance

Citroen is offering a 2 years/40,000 kilometres warranty with the ICE models including the Basalt, C3 and C3 Aircross. Customers can also opt for extended warranty by paying additional. 

Competition

In terms of pricing, the Citroen Basalt undercuts most of its rivals. The SUV Coupe directly rivals the Tata Curvv SUV Coupe. However, it also comes as an alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Honda Elevate, Skoda Kushaq and VW Taigun. 

Citroen Basalt: Pros and Cons