Citroen Officially Reveals Basalt SUV: India’s First Affordable SUV Coupe

French car manufacturer Citroën’s upcoming Basalt SUV has now been officially revealed. The launch of the Basalt SUV is expected to happen in the first week of August. Citroën is calling the Basalt “India’s first SUV Coupe.” We have seen this type of design in cars from higher segments; however, this is probably the first time we have come across something like this in the affordable segment. The Citroën Basalt will compete with the Tata Curvv in this segment.

Presenting the design philosophy of the brand, Pierre Leclercq, Head of Citroën Design, said, “The New Citroën BASALT is a new type of silhouette, complementing C3 and C3 Aircross in India. It brings together the best of two worlds: the robustness and versatility of an SUV and the roominess and efficiency of a Coupé. The proportions of BASALT mix the strength of SUV codes, with its fenders and claddings, while its fastback silhouette brings out the elegance of a Coupé. The falling roofline is also a nod to iconic models, such as the CX (1974) and more recently, the popular C4.”

The Citroën Basalt SUV gets a design inspired by the C3 and C3 Aircross, which are already on sale in India. Citroën says that the SUV harmoniously merges the dynamic elegance of a Coupé with the robust practicality of an SUV, creating an unparalleled driving experience. The side profile of the SUV reveals the striking Coupé silhouette, characterized by smooth, flowing lines that convey a sense of motion even when stationary.

The roofline stretches to meet the boot, which itself is large and provides great accessibility. The Basalt gets strong fender lines and squared wheel arches, giving it a rugged look. The front end of the SUV features the Chevron logo, which extends to meet the twin LED DRLs. The SUV also comes with body-colored inserts in the grille, giving it a sophisticated look. Both the front and rear feature silver-colored faux skid plates, adding to the car’s muscular appearance.

The design of the tailgate is similar to other Citroën models. We see Basalt branding on the tailgate along with the Citroën logo. Citroën has yet to reveal the interior of the Basalt, but we expect it to be similar to the C3 and C3 Aircross.

The SUV is expected to come with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, and a multi-function steering wheel.

We hope that, unlike Citroën’s other offerings in the Indian market, the Basalt will include features like automatic climate control, cruise control, push-start button, and electric ORVMs.

The Citroën Basalt will be offered with a petrol engine option only. It will be powered by a 1.2-liter, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that is already used in the C3 Aircross. This engine is expected to be offered with both 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission options.

Price is another factor that we feel Citroën should be extremely careful about, especially since they are launching it before the Curvv. If they price the Citroën Basalt aggressively and offer a decent number of features, it should do well in the heavily competitive Indian market.