Used Citroen C3 Aircross cars for sale

Used Citroen C3 Aircross pros and cons

Is a used Citroen C3 Aircross a good car?

The Citroen C3 Aircross is a classic case of the French doing things their own way. While plenty of small SUVs like the VW T-Cross or Skoda Kamiq look rather plain and boxy, the C3 Aircross looks like a little fondant pastry in the window of a French bakery. 

Actually, the early versions of the C3 Aircross looked really cute and very cake-like, but an update in 2021 made it look just a touch more sensible. 

That update brought along slim headlights, replacing the slightly bug-eyed look of the original, but some nice pastel paint options — and the possibility of having a contrast-colour roof in red, white, or black — remained available. There are nice 16- or 17-inch alloys too, and some pleasantly chunky plastic cladding options. 

While the C3 Aircross is definitely a small SUV in shape, it never came with four-wheel drive, although there was the option of some clever traction control and chunkier tyres if you ever intended to head off the tarmac. 

Inside, no matter which version you go for, there are lots of hard, cheap plastics, although the overall quality levels are actually pretty good, and Citroen livened things up a bit with some nice bright, soft-touch trim and neat-looking instruments. The front seats were designed around Citroen’s special mixed-density foam and are super-comfy. 

Space in the back isn’t great though. Higher-spec models come with a rear bench that slides back and forth, but even all the way back it’s going to be tight for adults, and only just about good enough for kids. Tall teens will definitely complain, so if that describes your family, consider a Skoda Kamiq instead. The optional big glass sunroof looks great, but it robs a crucial inch of headroom in the back. 

The upside is that the boot is pretty decent by the standard of small SUVs, and at 410 litres it’s much roomier than, say, a Nissan Juke. 

Citroen has monkeyed around lots with the C3 Aircross’ trim and equipment levels over the years, and there are plenty of special editions, including a version made with surfing company Rip Curl. The best bet is to go for a Feel model, which usually came with air conditioning and a decent touchscreen infotainment system. That touchscreen will work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the Citroen software is really fiddly and annoying to use. The on-screen air conditioning controls are also really annoying. 

Early models came with a non-turbo 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 82hp (surprisingly peppy, actually) or turbo versions with 110hp or 130hp. There was also a 1.5 diesel with either 100hp or 120hp. Citroen has trimmed down the engine choices over the years, though. The 82hp engine came initially with a five-speed manual, but a six-speed was fitted to the perkier engines, and a six-speed automatic was optional. 

The petrol engines are actually pretty frugal — close to 50mpg is do-able — so there’s less of a need to go for the diesel. The C3 Aircross was always set up to have really soft suspension, which is terrific around town, where the light and quick steering helps when you’re parking. That soft suspension makes the C3 feel very squashy on a twisty road though, so it’s not as much fun to drive as a Ford Puma.

Even so, the C3 Aircross is a hard car not to like. It looks quirky, is very comfortable, and just about practical enough, as long as you don’t need to carry tall people in the back. 

What to look for when buying a used Citroen C3 Aircross

The C3 Aircross has been recalled a good few times — for unexpected engine cut-outs, problems with emissions, issues with rear wheel hubs and wheel bolts, and seat sensor problems. There’s also a worry that the ‘wet-belt’ timing belt of the petrol engines — the belt runs through the engine’s oil reservoir — can lead to major problems if it’s not changed regularly, preferably ahead of the stated schedule. 

Citroen finished in a very strong fifth place overall in the most recent Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, which indicates that Citroen is doing something right in reliability terms — only 15% of owners reported a problem, which is well below the average. The C3 Aircross finished in 20th position in the Top 50 Cars To Own list — oddly, a lower position than the C3 hatchback with which it shares its parts.

Citroen C3 Aircross FAQs