Citroen Aircross Safety Rating: Great buy under Rs 15 Lakh?
Key Highlights:
- The Citroen Aircross 5-seater scored 5 stars and 4 stars in the Adult and Child Occupant categories in September 2025 Bharat NCAP tests.
- Citroen sells the compact crossover as the ‘Aircross X’ now (updated from ‘Aircross’ or ‘C3 Aircross’ initially).
- The new and improved Citroen Aircross X is arguably the best car available on the Indian market for under Rs.15 lakh ex-showroom.
French automaker Citroen set foot in the country back in 2019 (then under PSA Group and now, Stellantis) with its headquarters and vehicle manufacturing plant set up at Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. The company initially launched the midsize crossover C5 Aircross as a halo CBU product before introducing the India-specific C3 hatchback in July 2022. The Citroen C3 is part of the brand’s ‘C-cubed’ affordable car program (based on the modular CMP platform) that also paved the way for the e-C3, Aircross and Basalt.
As of early 2026, Citroen India has five products in its expanding portfolio: C3 X, e-C3, Aircross X, Basalt X and C5 Aircross. The ‘X’ tag denotes the slew of premium features currently offered across the range. Owing to severely under-equipped variants in the initial phase, Citroen models could not convert their early hype into sales figures. The company misjudged India as a cheap car market rather than a value-driven market.
Now, Citroen India is trying their best to get back on track with compelling products and pricing, alongside superior performance and ride quality. Let us explore the Citroen Aircross X, one of the best all-rounders in the portfolio, in detail!
Citroen Aircross X: NCAP Safety Ratings
The current ‘Aircross X’ has not been tested in any NCAP. However, in the Bharat NCAP test conducted in September 2025, the Citroen ‘Aircross’ 5-seater achieved 27.05/32.00 (5 stars) in Adult Occupant Protection and 40.00/49.00 (4 stars) in Child Occupant Protection. Although Bharat NCAP is aligned to Indian driving standards (and often criticised for being inferior compared to other NCAPs), a 5-star AOP rating is an impressive feat. This stands true especially since the initial under-equipped ‘C3 Aircross’ scored an abysmal zero-star rating in Latin NCAP, back in November 2024. Citroen India has not tested the new or old version in Global NCAP.
NCAP crash safety ratings are not a legal requirement in most countries. They are voluntary assessments initiated by the manufacturers themselves. Of course, a good NCAP score is a great marketing tool among safety-conscious buyers.
Citroen Aircross X: Top Safety Features & Highlights
As mentioned before, the current Citroen Aircross X packs a lot compared to the older ‘C3 Aircross’ and ‘Aircross’. Safety features expand to six airbags, a 360-degree parking camera (only reverse parking sensors), ESP, hill-hold assist, TPMS, auto-dimming IRVM, etc. Other highlights include a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment, a 7.0-inch TFT instrument console, front ventilated seats, roof air vents, best-in-class climate control (goes down to 14°C or lower), reclinable second row, removable third row, wireless charging, Cara voice assistant, MyCitroen Connect app and more.
There is no sunroof, which, despite being a non-essential feature, will be a dealbreaker for many. The Citroen Aircross X still accomplishes the basics extremely well, especially considering its sub-15-lakh price tag.
Citroen Aircross X: Specs & Fuel Efficiency
The Citroen Aircross X gets the same petrol engine and transmission choices as the C3 X and Basalt X: 1.2-litre PureTech 82 NA 3-cylinder (82ps @ 5,750rpm; 115Nm @ 3,750rpm; 5-speed manual) and 1.2-litre PureTech 110 turbo 3-cylinder (110ps @ 5,500rpm; 190Nm @ 1,750rpm / 205Nm @ 1,750rpm; 6-speed manual / 6-speed TC automatic). ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency figures stand at 17.5km/l and 18.5km/l (17.6km/l for AT), respectively.
Higher trims of the Aircross X ride on 215/60R17 wheels, while lower options make do with 205/65R16. The compact crossover boasts a wheelbase of 2671mm and a minimum turning radius of 5.4 metres.
The Citroen Aircross X (in fact, the entire Citroen range) is praised the most for its plush ‘Flying Carpet’ ride. It can handle almost all broken terrains with ease; anything that it can’t handle is best left for at least an AWD crossover. Furthermore, the PureTech 110 mill is easily the best-performing engine available in this price category. It has transformed the C-cubed range into some of the fastest affordable cars the Indian market has ever witnessed.
Citroen Aircross X: Variants, Pricing & Colours
The Citroen Aircross X is offered in three trims across nine variants, two seating configurations and two powertrain choices. Ex-showroom (Delhi) prices are as follows:
- You: Rs.8.49 lakh
- Plus: Rs.9.97 lakh
- Turbo Plus 7S: Rs.11.57 lakh
- Turbo Max 5S: Rs.12.42 lakh
- Turbo Max Dual Tone 7S: Rs.12.80 lakh
- Turbo AT Max 5S: Rs.13.57 lakh
- Turbo AT Max 7S: Rs.13.94 lakh
- Turbo AT Max Dual Tone 7S: Rs.14.14 lakh
There are 10 colour choices, including four dual tones. Choices include Polar White (+/- with Perla Nera Black roof), Steel Grey, Deep Forest Green (+/- Perla Nera Black roof), Cosmo Blue (+/- Polar White roof), Perla Nera Black and Garnet Red (+/- Perla Nera Black roof).
Unmatched yet Underappreciated
The Citroen Aircross X is undefeated in terms of ride comfort and performance. It ticks all the crucial boxes while also looking the part. Objectively, it is the best car available on the Indian market for anyone who can stretch their budget to Rs.15 lakh ex-showroom. Sales figures, albeit nowhere near those of its competitors, are gradually climbing. The compact crossover offers stellar value compared to mid variants of the Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos. The Aircross X is also a worthy alternative to the likes of the Renault Duster and Nissan Tekton.
FAQs
1. Are the Citroen C3 Aircross and Aircross X different?
The Citroen Aircross X is the latest equipment-rich iteration of the compact crossover, following the initial ‘C3 Aircross’ and the ‘Aircross’ afterwards.
2. Is the Citroen Aircross X available in diesel format?
No, the entire Citroen lineup (except the C5 Aircross) comes only in NA and turbo petrol avatars.
3. Which are the main competitors of the Citroen Aircross X?
Renault Duster, Nissan Tekton, mid-variants of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and lower variants of Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Maruti Suzuki Victoris.
4. Is the Citroen Aircross X automatic DCT?
No, the Citroen Aircross X automatic gets a 6-speed torque converter.
5. Does the Citroen Aircross X come with a sunroof?
No, the Citroen Aircross X misses out on a sunroof despite ticking many other boxes.