Citroen Basalt Coupe SUV to be launched in India on August 9

Citroën will launch the new Basalt coupe SUV in India on August 9. When launched, the Citroën Basalt will be the company’s fourth model launched in India under the C-Cubed plan and will compete with the upcoming Tata Curvv coupe SUV in the mass-market SUV segment. The latter will be launched on September 2, 2024.

The Citroën Basalt is based on the same Stellantis Smart Car platform as the C3 and C3 Aircross, and looks very similar to the C3 Aircross from the front. But from the side it looks very different, with new alloy wheels and a sloping roofline that extends all the way to the boot lid and merges into the wide tailgate. At the rear, the model features wraparound LED taillights, a silver skid plate and a two-tone bumper. The Basalt is also similar in size to the C3 Aircross, measuring around 4,300mm in length.

Also read: Tata Curvv rival, Citroen Basalt Coupe SUV unveiled ahead of India launch

Citroën Basalt: interior, features

The Citroen Basalt, unveiled last week, uses the dashboard of the C3 Aircross. The C3 Aircross’ dashboard features a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless connectivity to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display. In addition, the Basalt is equipped with electric folding mirrors, keyless entry, automatic climate control, a 15W wireless smartphone charger and one-button start/stop. A highlight is that the rear bench seat has adjustable thigh support, which is a first-of-its-kind feature in its class.

In terms of safety, Citroën has equipped the Basalt with a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), hill-start assist, six airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), rear parking camera and electronic stability control (ESC).

Citroën Basalt: powertrain

The Citroen Basalt is available with two engines: a 1.2-liter turbo petrol engine and a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated engine. The former has an output of 108 hp and 205 Nm of torque, while the latter has an output of 81 hp and 115 Nm of torque. The naturally aspirated engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, while the turbo petrol engine is also mated to a 6-speed automatic torque converter.

The turbocharged petrol engine has a fuel consumption of 19.5 km/l with the manual gearbox and 18.7 km/l with the automatic gearbox, while the naturally aspirated petrol engine has a fuel efficiency of 18 km/l.

Also read: Citroen C3, C3 Aircross get LED projector headlights, automatic climate control, six airbags and more

In Citroen India’s product line-up, the Basalt will be positioned above the C3 Aircross. Hence, it will be priced higher than the Aircross (Rs 9.99 lakh – Rs 14.11 lakh). In terms of market competition, the coupe SUV will compete with the Tata Curvv, Hyundai Creta, Honda Elevate, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Kia Seltos and MG Astor.