Citroën Basalt first drive experience: unique and interesting

It’s estimated that people spend around 17 million minutes a day watching Instagram videos. What’s even more surprising is that most of the content people watch isn’t original, but rather a parody of something that’s popular – whether it’s the latest dance moves or transition videos. Unique content that doesn’t fit into these trends rarely stands out. So, in a world dominated by trends, does a unique car like the Citroën Baslat stand a chance of success? Why unique, you might ask? Because it’s a coupe SUV – a body style never seen before in a budget car. But if there’s one brand that’s never hesitated to take a chance and try something different, it’s Citroën. So, what does the Basalt have in store for customers?

Citroen Basalt review: exterior design

One of the most talked-about aspects of the Basalt is its coupe-SUV design. Now, I would advise not to get too excited, as the “SUV” part is somewhat overshadowed by the “coupe” character of the vehicle. Even though the Basalt is slightly longer than the C3 Aircross, it doesn’t actually look any bigger. Still, the Basalt looks pretty good, thanks to its sloping roof design and the way it elegantly ends with a small spoiler. My favorite part, though, is the plastic element near the point where the rear windows meet, with eyelash-like orange highlights that add a nice sense of fluidity to the profile.

Riding on 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, the Basalt looks impressive and stylish. The front is very similar to the C3 Aircross, featuring the same grille design, split LED daytime running lights, and headlamp clusters. However, unlike the C3 Aircross, there is no chrome on the lower half of the bumper. The black grille almost gives the impression that the designers forgot to work on this area, leaving a noticeable gap. Overall, I like the looks of the Basalt and I am sure it will be an eye-catcher when it hits the road.

Citroen Basalt review: interior upgrade

The interior, like the exterior, is also similar to that of the C3 Aircross. The dashboard is almost identical, featuring the same large 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the same 7-inch digital MID and three-spoke steering wheel. Thankfully, Citroen seems to have taken note of the feedback and has added features like automatic climate control, a wireless charging pad, a larger armrest with storage underneath, controls for all four windows on the driver’s side door, and electronically folding ORVMs. All of these are nice quality of life updates and the cabin feels nice to drive, too. Incidentally, these upgrades are now available for the C3 Aircross as well.

However, the Basalt does not come with a push-button start/stop system, which will be disappointing if you are a fan of sunroofs.We tested the car in heavy rains in Goa and I noticed the poor quality of the windscreen wipers.

Also read: Citroën Basalt You, Plus and Max models introduced

Despite the sloping roofline, the second row is pretty roomy. Despite being six feet tall, I was still able to sit without my head hitting the roof – there’s only about two inches of clearance, but passengers who are not that tall won’t have any problems. Plus, the seats are very comfortable, and there are separate air conditioning vents and two USB Type-A charging ports in the second row. But the main highlight here is the seat cushions. Citroën has added a unique feature to the second-row seats, which lets you adjust the under-thigh support by lifting the edge of the cushion, offering three steps of adjustment and up to 87 degrees of movement. It’s a very thoughtful feature – and one I’d like to see on more vehicles.

The trunk is also very spacious with a capacity of 470 liters. We were able to fit six small and medium-sized bags, including our camera gear, easily and still have plenty of room to spare.

Citroen Basalt review: engine performance

The Basalt is available with two engines – the 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated Puretech 82 and the 1.2-litre turbocharged Puretech 110. Our test car was fitted with the more powerful turbo-petrol engine, which produces 108bhp and 205Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The C3 Aircross is plenty powerful and the Basalt is no exception. While it’s not the best in its class, it shifts fairly quickly, especially when you opt for the manual gearshift.

You see, the gearbox is a bit of a letdown, as it takes time to shift gears, and at low speeds, the shifts are quite noticeable. Manually controlled shifting provides a more interesting experience, allowing you to let the revs rise before shifting. If you don’t, it will automatically shift once it reaches 6,000rpm.

Also read: Citroen Basalt vs Tata Curvv Specifications Comparison

While the cabin is well insulated from outside noise, it still makes its own noises. I noticed a constant whining noise in the cabin, like the one you hear when backing up. The engine and transmission make a lot of noise when operating normally, which definitely needs to be improved.

The suspension is a bit odd and unsettled. Initially, it felt a bit stiff over speed bumps and speed bumps. However, the ride quality improved noticeably when we encountered uneven and bumpy tarmac. The car absorbed the impacts well even when tackling undulations at higher speeds, but it didn’t really inspire confidence while cornering at high speeds. The brakes, while adequate for city driving, lacked the initial bite to instill confidence in more demanding situations.

Citroen Basalt review: Conclusion

The Basalt is another excellent but slightly flawed product from Citroën, however, unlike the rest of the Citroën range, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. It has a unique look, plenty of room inside and the added features make it even better. It’s also quite fun to drive if you can overlook the noise issues. Citroën might really have a winner on their hands. The car starts at Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom), which is a pretty tempting deal. Yes, that price is for the less powerful Puretech 82 engine-powered model, but getting this body style at such a price will surely tempt some customers. However, we’ll have to wait a while to see how reasonably the fully-featured Basalt we reviewed turns out to be priced.