Citroën Basalt arrives in Mzansi – three things you need to know

Citroën last week officially introduced the Basalt, a coupe-styled crossover that slots in between the C3 and C3 Aircross.

The Basalt rides on the same Smart Car platform as its C3 and C3 Aircross siblings, and its styling is a tribute to past models like the C4 and C4 Cactus.

Starting at R354 900, the Citroën Basalt enters a densely populated compact crossover SUV segment.

Under the bonnet

The Citroën Basalt range is powered by a single engine choice in the form of the three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine. It sends 81kW of power and 205Nm of torque to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Although the French carmaker did not disclose official fuel consumption figures at launch, online research suggests it will consume 6.3 litres per 100km.

This number is the same as the claimed fuel economy for the turbocharged C3 and C3 Aircross, which both feature the same powertrain.

Standard features

Exterior features included as standard on both Citroën Basalt Plus and Max trim levels are 16-inch alloy wheels, folding electric mirrors, LED headlights, LED fog lamps and LED daytime running lights.

Both models also get push-button start and keyless entry, a seven-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Reserved for the Max is a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a six-speaker sound system, a reverse camera and an electrochromic rear-view mirror.

Safety comes in the form of six airbags, tyre pressure monitor, rear parking sensors, electronic stability control and hill start assist.

Citroën Basalt pricing

The Basalt in Plus trim costs R354 900, with the Max stickered at R369 900.

The C3 range starts at R254 500 and goes up to R311 500 for the 1.2T Max. The C3 Aircross range starts at R378 900 for the 1.2T Max and goes up to R388 900 for the Max seven-seater.

The Citroën Basalt comes standard with a five-year/100 000km warranty and a four-year/60 000km service plan.