Citroën Basalt: A Comprehensive Review and Breakdown of Key Specifications

Introduction

Of late, we have seen a new body style added to the automobile world. Called the SUV Coupe, this style combines a coupe-like low, rounded roof with a raised body with high ground clearance and body cladding – like an SUV. Mass market players such as Citroen, Mahindra and Tata have been displaying SUV Coupes at motor shows in the recent past. Now, Citroen is gearing up to launch Basalt – its attempt at an SUV Coupe.

The Basalt uses the same C-Cubed platform which underpins the C3 and C3 Aircross. It has well over 90% localisation. It shares many parts with its siblings. Powertrains include a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions and a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. There is no AT available with the naturally aspirated engine (not even an AMT), which could prove to be a disadvantage for the car. In terms of features, the Basalt is not bare bones, but it’s not well equipped either.

Citroen Basalt Pros

• Good road presence and unique SUV Coupe styling make the Basalt stand out from the crowd
• Nice-looking cabin that’s spacious & practical. Plenty of storage spaces
• Peppy 1.2L turbo-petrol mated to the 6-speed MT (great to use!) or AT is fun-to-drive
• Sorted suspension offers an excellent ride & handling package. Again, a great driver’s car!
• 470-litre boot can accommodate a healthy amount of luggage
• Features like the 10.2-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, connected car tech, 7-inch digital instrument cluster, rear seats with adjustable under-thigh support, soft & bolstered headrests and more
• Safety features such as 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold, TPMS, 3-point seatbelts + reminders for all 5 occupants, ISOFIX, etc.

Citroen Basalt Cons

• SUV Coupe styling can polarise opinions; this body style is not for everyone
• Missing plenty of features – sunroof, ventilated seats, keyless entry & go, 360-degree camera, cruise control, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming IRVM…
• Only petrol powertrains on offer. No Hybrid, diesel or EV options
• Quality of cabin materials doesn’t feel great; cost-cutting is pretty evident in certain areas
• As is typical of SUV Coupes, rearward visibility is poor
• Long-term reliability & after-sales service quality are big unknowns; dealer network is small. Example, a metropolitan city like Mumbai has just 2 outlets in the far suburbs, while Bangalore has 1

Exterior

Design & Styling

While the Basalt’s design may not be appealing to all, it is among the nicer-looking SUV Coupes. The front end resembles the C3 Aircross, but one glance at the side and rear, and the difference is clear. In typical coupe fashion, the roof slopes towards the rear into a liftgate and the rear windshield is small. The Basalt is longer than the C3 Aircross, but not as wide or tall. It also runs on smaller 16-inch alloy wheels. It has plenty of creases and curves, but they are subtle. Features include LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, 3D effect halogen tail-lamps and a shark fin antenna. There is a black cladding running along the wheel arches and sides and black inserts on the doors and C-pillars. There are no roof rails provided.

The Basalt measures 4,352 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width (without mirrors) and 1,593 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,651 mm which is 20 mm shorter than the C3 Aircross.

The Basalt is available in 5 monotone body colours – Cosmo Blue, Platinum Grey, Steel Grey, Garnet Red and Polar White. There are 2 dual-tone colours available as well, including Polar White with Platinum Grey roof and Garnet Red with Perla Nera Black roof.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Being built on the same platform as the C3 and C3 Aircross, the build quality is also very similar. The doors don’t feel heavy, but they aren’t light either and the same goes for the bonnet and liftgate. The build quality is satisfactory and the panel gaps are consistent, there are some areas where the fit and finish could’ve been better. Spot weld marks are visible and the bonnet does not close perfectly. On the other hand, the paint quality is very good.

Wheels & Tyres

The Basalt gets a set of 16-inch urban diamond-cut alloy wheels which looks smart. The wheels are shod with 205/60 section tyres and the spare is a 15-inch steel rim with a 185/65 section tyre.

Ground Clearance

Unladen ground clearance of the Basalt is rated at 180 mm which is good enough for most driving conditions. Citroen also went on to mention that the car has an approach angle of 19.2 degrees and a departure angle of 21.2 degrees.

Standard & Extended Warranty

Warranty details of the Citroen Basalt will be disclosed during the time of launch. We expect it to get a similar warranty to the C3 Aircross (2 years or 40,000 km). As always, we strongly recommend you get maximum coverage.

Safety

Citroen has equipped the Basalt with all the necessary safety features such as 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold, TPMS, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all 5 occupants, ISOFIX, rear parking sensors, a reverse camera and more. However, some features such as an emergency stop signal, auto-dimming IRVM, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and a 360-degree camera have been left out. This will likely be the reason why some people might not consider purchasing this SUV Coupe.

The Basalt has not been crash tested by any independent body such as the Global NCAP. However, it must be remembered that the C3 and eC3, which are based on the same platform, performed very poorly in Latin NCAP crash tests (0 stars).