Citroen Basalt coupe SUV launched in India: Pros and cons

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Citroen Basalt coupe SUV has been finally launched in the Indian market after a lot of hype. The Basalt comes as the first-ever mass-market coupe SUV in India and it also comes as the brand's fourth offering in the country. Interestingly, Citroen Basalt has been introduced at a time when homegrown auto giant Tata Motors has launched the first mass-market electric coupe SUV Curvv EV and unveiled the ICE variant of the car ahead of its scheduled launch on September 2.

The Citroen Basalt is based on the same C-Cubed architecture, which also underpins models like C3 and C3 Aircross. The French auto giant is expecting to see a rise in its sales numbers thanks the Basalt, especially during the upcoming festive season. HT Auto has already reviewed the all-new Citroen Basalt. Based on the driven review, here is the list of pros and cons of the coupe SUV.

Citroen Basalt: Pros

The first thing that Citroen Basalt grabs attention with is its design. The coupe SUV design has been so far restricted to the luxury car segment. However, the Badsalt comes democratising that in the mass market. The unique coupe SUV styling makes the Bsalt stand out in the crowd, while also offering a strong road presence.

The Citroen Basalt gets a compact and simple-looking cabin, which is spacious and practical at the same time. The 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and other connected car tech, a seven-inch fully digital instrument cluster, soft and bolstered headrests, rear seats with adjustable under-thigh support along with 470-litre of boot storage capacity enhance the upmarket quotient of the coupe SUV. The rear backrest can be folded to expand Basalt's cargo space considerably.

The Citroen Basalt packs a wide range of safety features, which certainly enhance its appeal to consumers who seek better safety while buying a new vehicle. The Basalt gets safety features like six airbags, an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), three-point seatbelts, seatbelt reminder for all five occupants, hill hold assist, a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), ISOFIX etc.

Powering the all-new coupe SUV is a peppy 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. There is an automatic gearbox on offer as well. These powertrain combinations ensure the customers can choose the variant as per their choice of powertrain. Also, the manual gearbox is smooth and offers peppy performance, while the automatic unit is fun to drive.

Watch: Citroen Basalt review: Can the Curvv-rival trigger French Renaissance?

Citroen Basalt: Cons

While the coupe SUV body style brings freshness to the Indian passenger vehicle market's mass-market segment, there are negative opinions about this design as well. The coupe SUV is not for everyone, which means the styling can polarise opinions. The sloping roofline towards the rear means the headroom for rear occupants is less, especially for tall people. Also, the coupe SUV's body style makes the rearward visibility poor.

Citroen Basalt's cabin materials don't feel premium, as the automaker opted for cost-cutting measures to keep the pricing affordable. The cabin misses out on several features, which are increasingly becoming popular and common in an upmarket car. These missing features include a sunroof, ventilated seats, keyless entry, a 360-degree surround view camera, cruise control, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming IRVM etc.

Another major thumbs-down point is the powertrain. Citroen Basalt is available only with a single 1.2-litre petrol engine option. Non-availability of diesel, hybrid or electric versions of the Basalt is a major missing point. Despite being dubbed as a premium coupe SUV, the Basalt misses out on a diesel engine, while its rival Tata Curvv gets a wide range of powertrain options including petrol, diesel and an electric version as well.