Spare a thought for Citroën and the rest of its Stellantis stablemates next time you think about the country’s new car market. As if the group did not have enough challenges mired by long-standing perceptions about old legacies in Mzansi, it must now face an onslaught from competitive new Chinese firms.

Next year the Peugeot Landtrek bakkie is set to be built in Gqeberha. In theory, this could give Stellantis impetus to achieve better sales volumes — the light commercial vehicle segment represents great potential while the brand’s status as an exporter will allow benefits in local pricing.

One wonders how much the landscape would have progressed by the time that happens and the work that might need to be done to put Stellantis and its many arms back into the collective psyche of Mzansi car shoppers.

It is not that Stellantis brands’ products are of a poor standard, but the carmaker could do a lot more to market themselves more effectively. Visibility is sorely lacking.

The revised Citroën C3 Aircross, for example, was launched earlier this year. As a sensibly-priced, family-friendly crossover, it plays in prime turf. This could have been a prime opportunity for the brand to make a splash and yet, after the press launch, the manufacturer seems to have done almost nothing to sustain interest.

Which is a pity because it has a few aspects going for it. First, price. It kicks off at R344,900 and the seven-seater is R10,000 more.

We should note there was another C3 Aircross before this model. We tested it in 2022 and found it delightful but pricey: it carried a basic sticker of R399,900 at the time. So how did they manage to launch a new model at a significantly cheaper price? Well, the difference is the old C3 was a European-specification car.

This new one is a more budget-focused expression, manufactured in India. So yes, that means it has an emerging-market flavour — but not in the same, unpalatable way that a Renault Triber might exude.

Citroën has a knack for characterful, if not conventionally attractive cars and the new C3 Aircross fits that ethos with its distinctive front-end, wagon-like profile and upright posture. Chinese cars have been accused of appearing like overly aggressive facsimiles of familiar European options, but the Citroën could not be accused of being an imitator. It strikes you as a quintessential French compact.

The vehicle is 4,323mm long, 1,796mm wide and 1,665mm tall. The five-seater’s luggage compartment is 444l, extending to 839l with the seats folded. The seven-seater leaves a paltry 44l with the third row erected but the seats can be removed, enabling 511l.

While the interior is clearly a more economical revision of the previous C3, it exudes a durable impression. If you have experienced the previous vehicle, you will notice certain cuts. The doors for, example, feel much lighter, closing with a hollow thud that is not particularly assuring.

Safety equipment is not as comprehensive as before. The basics of anti-lock brakes and stability control are covered, but while the old C3 Aircross had six airbags, this new model makes do with two.

Infotainment is handled by a 10″ touchscreen arrangement, laying claim to being among the largest in its class, with a display that offers good clarity with fairly straightforward menus. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported. Clever storage pockets abound, while the fitment of front and rear USB ports, as well as roof-integrated air-conditioning vents in the seven-seater, will appeal to your passengers.

Power comes from a 1.2l three-cylinder, turbocharged-petrol engine unit. It produces 81kW/205Nm. The pairing is linked to a six-speed automatic and drive is to the front wheels.

The combination is agreeable, with the Citroën serving plucky performance in a way that is surprisingly smooth and tractable, but given its displacement you may expect it to be more economical. Our car returned a consumption figure of 8.5l/100km after the week of driving, which is not especially frugal, off the quoted 6.3l/100km mark. Road manners are tidy, while a 200mm ground clearance allows fairly carefree traversing of gravel roads.

Pricing includes a five-year/100,000km warranty and four-year/60,000km service plan.

The India-sourced Citroën C3 offers different textures compared with its European predecessor, with certain compromises, but it has brought benefits from a pricing perspective.

Whether South African consumers will take notice remains to be seen.