First drive: the Citroen C3 Aircross crams seven seats into a tiny package

The Citroen C3 Aircross is a really difficult car to classify. Technically, it’s a seven-seater SUV, but if you compare it with cars like the Volvo XC90 or Skoda Kodiaq you’re going to be confused. That’s because the C3 Aircross packs all seven of its seats into a body that’s barely 10cm longer than a Volkswagen Golf.

It’s over a foot shorter than the aforementioned Kodiaq, and shares its mechanicals, interior, styling and technology with the bargain-priced Citroen C3. So if a Skoda Kodiaq is a holiday in Center Parcs, the C3 Aircross is like finding your own villa on Airbnb instead. You’re probably going to pay a lot less, but you’ll likely have a much less polished experience.

The Aircross looks a lot like the regular C3, with similarly rugged styling on a small scale. The body is quite square and boxy, the front end quite upright, and you get neat two-tone paint finishes and plastic cladding around the wheelarches for a bit of visual interest.

The main difference between the Aircross and the regular C3 hatchback is to be found at the rear, where there’s more rear overhang and a longer roofline hinting at the extra practicality inside.

There are two versions of the C3 Aircross. The five-seater models feature a bigger boot than the regular C3 hatch – 460 litres vs just 310 litres – but they also get much more rear legroom as the rear bench has been moved rearwards.

The seven-seater model’s second row seats aren’t as roomy, but as compensation you get a whole extra row behind them. This makes the C3 Aircross the smallest seven-seater you can buy – beating the Dacia Jogger or Citroen’s own Berlingo. The third row seats aren’t particularly spacious – an adult could squeeze back there, but they won’t be very comfortable. They’re much better suited to children, though if you’re fitting child seats you’ll only find ISOFIX points in the outer two seats of the middle row.

The boot in the seven-seater is also a bit compromised by squeezing those extra seats in. When they’re folded flat, you get a 330-litre load space – just a bit bigger than the C3 hatch, but you will need to cover up all the annoying gaps around the seats with a fold-out board Citroen provides, which isn’t the most elegant solution.

When the third row of seats are in place, boot space is negligible. Forget fitting suitcases in – you’ll barely be able to squeeze a picture of a suitcase into the tiny gap left over. This also means that the rearmost passengers have their heads very close to the rear windscreen, which can feel a little unsettling on the road.

Further forward, the C3 Aircross gets the same dashboard as the C3 hatch. There’s a minimalist digital strip for driver information just beneath the windscreen, while the infotainment screen is 10.3-inches across. It’s pretty low-rent, but clear and responsive enough, and comes with wireless smartphone mirroring as standard so you can easily bypass Citroen’s interface.

Though the materials used are pretty cheap, Citroen’s covered lots of the surfaces with fabric to make it feel a lot more plush – it’s certainly more stylish than the Dacia Jogger’s dashboard. The slightly corny tags on the doors, though, are a bit less classy, but you might enjoy them.

As for engines, you can choose between two. The entry-level cars get a 100hp 1.2-litre petrol engine paired to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the other option is a 1.2-litre petrol hybrid with 136hp and a six-speed automatic. The latter is probably the best option if you’re planning on using all seven seats, but the 100hp petrol is surprisingly peppy. It’s only available on the entry-level Plus trim, though.

There’s also an all-electric e-C3 Aircross available. This has 113hp and is only available with five seats, but is otherwise pretty identical to the standard model. A maximum range of 185 miles – more like 140 miles in the real world – limits its duties as a do-everything family car, but it’s really nice to drive with more performance than you’d expect from its paltry power output.

Whichever engine you choose, the C3 Aircross is happiest with a relaxed driving style. It leans quite a lot in bends thanks to the soft suspension, and the steering is tuned to be light and accurate around town rather than weighty and reassuring in the corners. It copes quite well with bumps, though not quite as nicely as the lighter C3.

Like the regular C3, though, the C3 Aircross is an absolute bargain. The basic 100hp petrol comes in at just over £20,000, which makes it a bit more expensive than a Dacia Jogger – but you get much more standard equipment, as the base Jogger doesn’t even have an infotainment screen.

The electric e-C3 Aircross, meanwhile, is less than £23,000, making it among the cheapest EVs on sale today.

The Citroen C3 Aircross won’t suit everyone – it’s no good if you need to regularly carry seven adults, for example, and you’ll soon realise you need to balance passengers and luggage carefully when your boot’s virtually nonexistent. But treat it like a generous five-seater with a large boot and the occasional capacity to carry some hangers-on, and you’ll find the C3 Aircross practical and surprisingly characterful.

If you want more space for passengers and luggage, a Dacia Jogger is a better choice, while those who don’t need all those seats and just want a cheap, practical car could consider a Skoda Fabia or an MG ZS.

You can get the best price by checking out Carwow’s best Citroen C3 Aircross deals, and browse used Citroens here. Remember Carwow’s the perfect place to sell your old car too, with our network of trusted dealers bidding to get you the best possible price.