Handsome, for a start off. Most individuals agree that Citroën’s most up-to-date layout design – chevrons attractively built-in into the bonnet, “technical” lights, Airbumps along the doors – give its most recent selection a distinction and a cohesion it under no circumstances achieved right before. It is also much better hunting, you could argue, than its siblings from DS and Vauxhall, and on a par with the (rather different-wanting) Peugeot.
Identical goes for the inside. Our Flair Moreover exam automobile (which for after carried only £1000 value of alternatives: a Black Pack and metallic paint) experienced a simply intended but classy fascia with big, high-mounted central screen and an instrument set forward of the driver.
The seats are wide and cozy, while they never have a lot side guidance in corners and are essentially explained in the maker’s blurb as “flat”, which does not sound a great deal of a compliment to the seat designer’s artwork. Nevertheless, they are comfy with generous cushions and good lumbar guidance. The rear seats and bordering space are ok for grown ups, even though the rear compartment feels a very little gloomy.
The plug-in Aircross’s battery, carried under the rear seat, is claimed to be very good for up to 34 miles and to just take about two several hours to cost. Right after four or 5 tests in serious-planet use, we found the car or truck could commonly realize 30 miles, and under no circumstances less than 28, just before the motor was necessary.
Making use of our 7kW dwelling charger, a whole cost took about two hours and 20 minutes to total. And although the combined WLTP gas intake determine (in particular untrustworthy since everyone’s driving/charging routine is unique) is quoted as 157-222mpg, with an accompanying CO2 output of just 32g/km, our personal 480 miles of different use netted a grand complete of 108mpg – nevertheless outstanding – with about 44% of electric powered-only managing.
Driving is largely a pleasure. The car or truck glides about in its electrical manner, with a exact and very predictable stage-off that shades most purely petrol cars and trucks. Acceleration is robust up to about 60mph, and the motor vehicle will cruise at about that speed, electric powered only, however everything extra than sustained suburban speeds depletes the battery swiftly. You’d battle to see more than 15-18 electrical-only miles on the motorway.
There are three driving modes: electric only (works best in city), hybrid (for which the system itself decides how to match motor and motor, dependent on demand from customers) and Activity (where by equally electric power units blend for leading effectiveness). If you get started in town, it is likely that even in hybrid method you are going to exhaust the battery ability just before the motor begins. If you strike an A-road, the engine will chime in to aid, preserving the battery for afterwards.
It all will work properly: integration of the energy models and transmission is seamless and really sleek and quiet no matter what setting you are employing. It is quite brief off the mark for a auto of this style: a -62mph dash can take 8.7sec, with the true surge in the 1st 30-40mph, which is why in slippery conditions this two-wheel-drive car requirements its traction regulate. The steering and managing are quick and precise, conserve for an intrusive lane-departure process whose ‘off’ switch is concealed behind the steering wheel. Switching it off is a requirement for effortless progress, but also a distraction.