Citroen C3 Aircross real world fuel economy tested, explained

The Citroen C3 Aircross is the French manufacturer’s contender in the midsize SUV segment and it goes up against some established competition in the form of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara and others. We’ve now put the SUV through our instrumented tests to see just how fuel efficient it is out in the real world.

Citroen C3 Aircross turbo-petrol mileage

Powering the C3 Aircross is a solitary 110hp, 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine. Max torque is rated at 190Nm for the 6-speed manual and 205Nm for the 6-speed torque converter automatic. In terms of fuel efficiency, the Citroen C3 Aircross MT returned 9.76kpl in the city and 14.04kpl out on the highway. As for the automatic, it was slightly less efficient than the manual as expected, managing 9.46kpl in the city and 13.62kpl on the highway.

Both versions get fuel-saving auto start/stop tech but owing to high ambient temperatures during our test (around 40 deg C) the system never switched the car off, in order to keep the AC running to keep the cabin cool. And for reference, while cruising on the highway, the manual sits at just 2,000rpm at 100kph while the automatic spins at a slightly higher 2,100rpm at 100kph, both in top gear.

Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing

Before our real-world fuel efficiency test, we fill the tanks of our test cars to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendation. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout our test, we ran the air-con and other electricals like the audio system, indicators and wipers when required, just like how a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling them up to the brim again.

Also see:

Citroen C3 Aircross review: Midsize SUV with a twist

Citroen C3 Aircross automatic review: Gets the basics right

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara petrol-AT real world fuel economy tested, explained