Our new Citroën - C3 Aircross Shine Pack (2023)

After a long 13 month wait almost to the day, the time has finally come. Our new Citroën C3 Aircross Shine Pack is ready for collection at the Stellantis branch in Neu-Isenburg. We are excited about the car and the handover and set off for Hesse with the fresh license plates.

I'm – of course – a bit skeptical. Small SUVs aren't my thing, and engines with only three cylinders aren't either. In addition, there was the delivery chaos of the last few months and the matter of non-deliverable equipment details and also the problem with customer communication. According to dispatchers, the Backup camera not be available as part of the City Package 2.

As always, things are very different, the Citroën surprises, but boring would also be bland. But we don't know that yet when we set off in the Fiat 500 C, the rental car from Stellantis.

Citroën C3 Aircross Shine Pack in the delivery area
Citroën C3 Aircross Shine Pack in the delivery area

On the way to the delivery of the Citroën C3 Aircross Shine Pack

Shortly before Neu-Isenburg the weather switches to heavy rain, dark clouds darken the sky. A bad omen? Mr. Rollwage welcomes us in the branch. Our fourth supervisor in just a few years, the staff carousel is obviously turning fast. The reception is friendly – ​​and while it's pouring rain outside, the Citroën sun is rising inside. A little.

The C3 Aircross Shine Pack is already ready for collection - just complete the formalities, attach the number plates and off you go.

Farewell drive - we will miss the Fiat
Farewell drive - we will miss the Fiat

Before that, a few words about the car itself. The C3 Aircross has the highest equipment level, the 130 hp 3-cylinder is married to a 6-speed automatic and the car also has a few extras on board. A large panoramic sunroof would be important to mention, the cold package with heated seats and windscreen, and theoretically the assistant for the blind spot (Blind Spot). Theoretically? The explanation follows.

Otherwise everything is standard on board, several assistance systems, DAB radio, navigation, LED light and much more. Citroën is known for good equipment levels. The list price was just under €13 30.000 months ago, which seems to be the new normal for compact cars. Now the Aircross would be almost €3.000 more expensive.

The C3 Aircross Shine Pack surprises

While our customer advisor is still taking care of the formalities, we chat about the new car. Inevitably, we come to the reduced level of equipment - and the reversing camera ... which is known to be missing. But it is there, says Mr. Rollwage. Honest? A look at the C3 in the delivery area confirms what has been said.

The reversing camera is on board. That's positive, because it's important to my wife, who will drive the new car on a daily basis, while I'll stick with my old Swedish cars.

Cut. Let's fast forward the story a bit.

Out of Neu-Isenburg, a few days later in the office. I look at the order confirmation from February 2022. The assistant for the blind spot catches my eye. It was ordered, confirmed, but not delivered. This solves the riddle that arose from faulty communication. The reversing camera, which is said to be unavailable, is there, but the blind spot is missing. No drama, the other way around would be worse, we can live with that. We will clarify the lower price.

Back to rainy Neu-Isenburg.

Perfect delivery in Neu-Isenburg

The sun is shining at Stellantis. Our supervisor is personable, competent, and the chemistry between him and the customer is right. That's worth a lot. The formalities are quickly completed, the car is inspected and the license plates are installed.

In contrast to the Delivery of the Berlingo 4 years ago, which didn't turn out quite so perfectly, everything is fine. My wife likes her new car and I'm, well, starting to like it.

New car deliveries are always such a thing. There are sellers who torment their customers with brand philosophy. Others think that you have to explain every detail in detail to guarantee the customer is satisfied. Because, as you have to know, the rating system is always lurking in the background.

The manufacturer's survey comes weeks after the purchase. Now it's the customer's turn, and high ratings are essential for employees.

C3 Aircross launch head - shall we press it?
C3 Aircross launch head - shall we press it?

Fortunately, there are salespeople with a fine antenna for the customer. We talk about cars, primarily about Citroën, of course, chat about the market and touch on the Saab topic. Yes, it would be nice if our new contact would stay longer in Neu-Isenburg. Because that's how Citroën is fun.

No, we don't want extensive instruction, we say when asked. We're familiar with the subject and we want to take the C3 Aircross out onto the road and into the rain. Secure? yes we are sure

Since the delivery area is a bit cramped, Mr. Rollwage takes over this part and maneuvers the Aircross outside. The small city SUV is ready for the first drive. Now that the sun is breaking through and the clouds are clearing, shall we press the start button?

Not quite yet.

Before that, we look at the interior and its finish and look for something specific to Citroën. Will we find anything? Only then do we start the three-cylinder. I haven't healed my skepticism yet. How good is the Citroën?

- Sequel follows -

22 thoughts on "Our new Citroën - C3 Aircross Shine Pack (2023)"

  • Have fun and safe driving with the new car. I'm also curious about consumption in the harsh reality of everyday life and reliability.

  • I'm curious to see how the 3-cylinder consumes and to further reports. Are there also practical values ​​for the 500?

    After all, small EVs emit 125 g/km in the German electricity mix (see my comment below). In addition, the larger CO2 backpack of production as a climate mortgage for future generations. If we leave out the backpack, that's 12,5 kg per 100 km. Divided by 2,32 (that's how many kg of CO2 is produced when one liter of petrol is burned), that's around 5,4 l/100 km.

    Combustion engines can do that today. Maybe the C3 too? If he can do that, he's a climate protector and superior to EVs. It is a tragedy that the EU is already cutting off this technology today without having an abundance of climate-neutral electricity at its disposal. It is a tragedy not to rely on climate-friendly fuel (E85). Then 5,4 liters would only contain 0,81 liters of fossil fuel and the CO2 emissions per km would only be 19 g ...

    Don't even think about it (sorry for that). The mood immediately plummets.

    • E85, yes that would be it. It's just a shame that our politicians don't see this and take up this environmentally friendly fuel again.
      It's good for me and I can still refuel my 9-5 BP in nearby Switzerland. However, not a cent cheaper than E10, but at least it is E85 and the 95 should have 10 hp more power 😉

    • For the 500 there is nothing resilient. He was here too short for that and the driving pattern was too one-sided urban. I'm also curious about the C3, 3 cylinders and automatic, we didn't have that yet. Incidentally, there is now also the other Swedish brand - as a teaser you can already say that the Citroën is better in this chapter.

  • Congratulations on the new one!
    It's a shame about the "old" 500 that has to be sold... (that would have been my choice 😉 )
    Nevertheless, always an accident-free journey.

    • See above

    • It is “design only”. The concept car had these roof rails, the C5 Aircross also adopts the design. I couldn't read about a functionality in the press releases either. But it looks good 😉

      • Ahh, ok.
        Thanks for the quick reply, Tom. 🙂

        That was just the first thing that “caught my eye” when I looked at the picture. 🙂
        (I never noticed that on the manufacturer's homepage before)

  • Another SUV on the road !!, .... the SUV haters will curse you as a climate killer ......, but relax! .... anything smaller than my 9-7x is not an SUV! They're just XNUMXWD station wagons—does it actually have XNUMXWD? Otherwise he doesn't even come close to an SUV. I always find it funny when, according to statistics, more SUVs have been sold again and I look at advertising from the manufacturers and SUVs in Polo size are advertised.
    Have fun with it and always leave a hand's breadth between all obstacles!!

    • Thanks! The C3 Aircross could pass as the pup of the 9-7x I think. And of course, as a compact city car, it doesn't have all-wheel drive 😉

    • Yes, exactly …
      SUVs as you described in the first two lines are “of course completely “useless” …. 😉 😉
      According to your definition, luckily I even have almost a “small car” with my Mexican Swede from 2011. 😉 😉

      PS – let’s get a bit more serious about this:
      With the story of Henryk Fridman (wouldn't give names otherwise, but "he" himself published or "revealed" it everywhere).
      Someone buys an Audi e-tron with almost 5x2m, approx. 340 hp and well over 3000kg (by the way, according to the list you can also get the car for well under 3000kg), in order - as according to their own statements - to do something for the environment and climate to do good. REALLY? Oh no, no???

      Then his long-term parking permit is withdrawn because the car is far too heavy.
      As a result, HF gets really upset about it and even makes it public (incl. dov. press and film contributions).
      And then finally announces that he will “return” the car and buy a “combustion engine” instead. Ouch.

      You can (unfortunately) see how seriously he really takes “environment and climate”.
      ... I always have to smile and shake my head a little when I hear things like that.

      • I recently learned that in the German electricity mix, one kWh probably emits around 500g of CO2 on average...

        There should also be an app that shows the current hour on the cell phone. With a lot of wind and sun, the current value of the last hour can probably drop well below 400g CO2.
        Nevertheless, if even small cars need 0 kWh per 25 km at 100 degrees Celsius and with the heating switched on at Swedish motorway speeds, one can easily calculate that they will never bear the larger CO2 backpack of their production. I don't know the Fuzzi and its 3000 kg SUV you're referring to, but I wouldn't blame it for swinging back to a lighter combustion engine. Maybe that's okay for the moment...

        • One of these apps would be the electricitymaps overview. Unfortunately, not quite as informative as it used to be (essential for students of energy economics), the site has become more and more popular in recent years, which probably results in a viable business model. Many features have disappeared behind a paywall (EUR 500 per month) but consumption/production + emissions are still available. However, a comparison with trading volumes, stock market prices, etc. is no longer possible.

          At the time of this comment (02.04. 9:59) the emission value of the production is p. kWh 287 g with a total share of 70% (!) from renewable energies.

          For comparison: Sweden has the same feed-in from renewables at the same time, but only 23 g per kWh 😉

          • That is interesting.

            The values ​​(S and D) do not sound plausible at first. Who knows what it is and if there isn't an explanation?

            For example, if the share of nuclear energy in the Swedish grid were higher than in D, this would plausibly reduce CO2 emissions per kWh with an identical share of renewables.
            Presumably that is already the or at least part of the explanation?

          • Sweden has nuclear power - we don't anymore. Is it because of that?

            • That's right, 50% of Sweden's electricity comes from nuclear fission. In the next few years it will probably be even more, Sweden has got back into the construction of kilns after the exit from the exit.

              • Previously, there was harsh criticism of the German energy industry, which, according to Swedish estimates, endangers the stability of the European power grids. A very interesting development.

              • Interesting again. But the free flight of numbers is bad...

                If you study it (is that so apparently?) you certainly learn a lot, but you probably want to despair again and again?

                Be it the monthly costs for a helpful app or accounting tricks and non-expanding checksums for space requirements, C02 emissions (cross-border, national, local) and so on. There is hardly anything that is currently globally lobbying, ideological, political and national self-interested and controversial as the question of measures to combat climate change, future lifestyles and sustainable energy production and storage.

                It's a really touching topic. Thank you for the input and continue to enjoy your studies!

                Didn't exist in my time, but today I would be very interested and interested. And as the next question, how does Sweden produce 50% of its electrical energy atomically and synchronously at the same time 70% by means of regenerative energy at a certain point in time? That would then be 120% of an energy production that can only amount to 100% of itself. The topic is truly complex and stakeholders and commissions have already filled simple basic questions with regulations and supposedly meaningful answers to the point of inscrutability.

                I hope that you will successfully complete your studies and that you will be able to move into and fill an unaffected academic position in your job. That would be a dream job 😉

  • I would say that Citroën was able to hoard plus points with the delivery. I'm excited to see how the story continues.

  • Hi Tom,
    I'm also a friend of Citroen, although I don't own one anymore.
    I know tastes differ, especially when there is still pride in ownership
    comes to that.
    But this C3 Aircross doesn't go at all in terms of design.
    The front is an optical catastrophe in my eyes.
    But please don't spoil your wife's joy.

    • The design of the C3 Aircross was extremely polarizing right from its debut. With the facelift, Citroën has sharpened it, you like it or you reject it.

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