The what and why of Citroën – Interview Product Manager

Electric driving for all

To answer this, we sat down with Citroën’s product manager, Caroline Malléus. We wanted to know how the brand continues to shape its electric offering. After all, the Ami is available for less than 10,000 euros. It may not be a full-size passenger car, but that is precisely what you can also see as its added value. If you are 16 and have a moped license, you can drive off in the Ami. And especially in a downpour, the roof over your head is a nice idea.

Now an affordable variant of the Citroën ë-C3 is also available. Starting at just under 19,990 euros, you can buy this all-electric compact SUV. It is available with a 30 kWh battery pack, good for a range of 200 km (WLTP). Not much? Think of it as an “urban range,” with this car you’ll be fine for your daily drives in “center ville.

The question that arises is whether we can also expect a 15,000 euro electric vehicle, as a golden mean. Think of a size Citroën C1. Malléus emphasizes that the ë-C3 with the 30 kWh battery pack should become the car that can offer electric mobility for many people. And on top of that, it is a full-fledged car for a modest amount, according to her. In other words, for now, the ë-C3 is the model that will offer real value for money for many.

A brand with history

There is an incredible amount to tell about the history of Citroën, as with other French brands. The brand is known for quirkiness and comfort. But it is also notable that Citroën refers to history to a lesser extent than Renault does, for example with the Renault 5. Why hasn’t Citroën actually thrown it over the retro bow?

Brand values are the guide through history to the present day, according to Malléus. Comfort still prevails. The seats are remarkably comfortable, enveloping the occupants while the suspension filters out bumps with suppleness. Simplicity is also a characteristic that is significant for the brand, with which earlier models such as the 2CV and the Ami managed to convince many people. All of them cars that made mobility accessible to everyone.  

Yet there is also a contrast. For where Citroën still prioritizes comfort and ease of use, we don’t necessarily see visual references with the iconic models of the past. In our humble opinion, this is precisely how European automakers can distinguish themselves from less telling designs outside of Europe. We even once played car designer to see what the reincarnation of the 2CV would look like. Citroën seems to be deliberately going in a different direction. When we presented this observation to the product manager, a smile appeared. “We will think about it,” Malléus said. Perhaps there is a nod to the past on the drawing board after all….

Why doesn’t the Citroën C5 Aircross come as a seven-seater?

The Citroën C5 Aircross is pre-eminently a car for the family. With its long wheelbase of 2.78 meters, it offers plenty of space for passengers and luggage. And on top of that, the model is also larger in all dimensions than, for example, the new C3 Aircross, which is available with both five and seven seats. So you would expect that the C5 Aircross would also be available with seven seats. With the emphasis on would, because nothing could be further from the truth.

The C5 Aircross is only available with five seats, C ‘5’ that is. Not that the car’s name is really indicative of the number of seats, but Citroën does have good reasons for not offering the C5 Aircross with seven seats. These arguments come into their own best if we go back in time a bit. Imagine whizzing down the roads in your Citroën DS with your full family, i.e. a full back seat. This car was meant to be the ultimate comfortable, spacious and elegant family car.

With this feeling, you should also look at the C5 Aircross. The installation of an additional row of seats means that the interior space is filled more. Specifically, this would mean that passengers in the second row of seats would have to compromise on their space and thus comfort – and let that be exactly what is paramount in this car. That is why Citroën has kept it at five seats.

But there is more. Because there is no need for space in the rear for people in a third row of seats, the C5 Aircross’ body tapered more toward the rear. The positive consequence is that these lines improve the car’s aerodynamics, which you ultimately notice in the consumption. Nous comprenons.