Citroen To Launch A Kia Sonet Rival in 2021

Groupe PSA is ready to enter the Indian auto market in 2020 with the Citroen brand. The French auto manufacturer was earlier expected to launch the C5 Aircross SUV in the Indian auto market by the end of this year. However, the introduction of the SUV has been delayed due ongoing unfavourable circumstances to the first quarter of next year. A good news here is that the auto company has confirmed that its first made-in-India model, the sub-compact SUV codenamed C21, will be launched on time. The Citroen C21, which will be the first car under the C-Cubed program of Citroen for India, will be a sufficiently premium sub-4-metre SUV that will take on the Kia Sonet.

Groupe PSA has decided to maintain the investment and project timeline for the C-Cubed program, in which the first made-in-India vehicle will be launched next year. This is the same as what was announced in 2019 by Carlos Tavares, the chairman of the managing board of Groupe PSA. After the C21 will be a premium hatchback which will compete against the Tata Altroz, Hyundai i20 and Maruti Baleno. All of them will be made in India and underpinned by the Common Modular Platform (CMP) which is specifically developed for developing auto markets. The compact SUV is anticipated to borrow the design traits from the C3 hatchback which is currently available globally .

While the powertrains of the Citroen C21 have not been confirmed by the French automaker, the compact SUV is expected to receive its power from a wide range of motor options: a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated gasoline burner, a 1.2-litre turbo petrol motor and a 1.5-litre oil unit. The transmission duties are likely to be undertaken by a 6-speed MT at the beginning and an AT later. 

The Citroen C21 is expected to be launched in the Indian auto market next year.

Since the C21 will have a high localization level, the compact SUV is expected to be aggressively priced and fiercely compete against the other sub-4-metre compact SUV cars in the Indian auto market.