Just like its production models, French automaker Citroen is known for producing odd, yet oddly likable concept cars. Merging obvious production vehicle allusions and never-gonna-happen design study gloss, the concepts are usually a mixed bag, but almost always eye-catching. Such is the case with the latest C-Aircross Concept, which was just revealed ahead of its in-the-metal debut at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show next month. Following on the heels of Citroen’s Aircross Concept revealed back in 2015, the latest Aircross is a compact crossover that previews an upcoming production version of the crossover destined to replace the current C3 Picasso MPV. Clearly, Citroen is far more interested in SUVs, and as such, the production variant of this concept will offer the same softroader cues, including a tall body style, large wheels, flared fenders, and space in the back for things. The C-Aircross Concept also promises new interior tech and interior design, with a cabin space that’s just as wild, if not wilder, than the exterior.

And why not? Crossovers and SUVs continue to surge in popularity in a variety of markets, so the transition from MPV to SUV makes a lot of sense for the brand, especially with a (relatively) fresh design for the exterior panels and interior space.

Linda Jackson, Citroen’s CEO, had this to say – “The C-Aircross Concept demonstrates Citroen’s pursuit of its international product offensive. Based on the state-of-mind of New C3, it illustrates a different vision for the compact SUV segment, full of confidence and boldness.”

Although Citroen has expressed interest in tackling the U.S. market sometime in the future, the production variant of this concept will almost certainly not make it stateside. That said, interested European customers will likely get an eyeful with a debut sometime this fall, while an on-sale date will likely follow before the end of the year.

So then – what’s this thing really previewing, and what will actually make it to production? Read on to find out all the details.

Continue reading to learn more about the Citroen C-Aircross Concept.

Exterior

While I did just shoot down any and all hope that the production version of the Citroen C-Aircross Concept would come to the U.S. market, the French automaker does mention the styling was specifically crafted with a worldwide audience in mind. So who knows, maybe there’s hope after all. Probably not though.

Either way, the C-Aircross Concept takes its cues from the New C3 supermini city car, as reimagined for an SUV-like application.

Citroen C-Aircross Concept pictured on the left, New C3 supermini city car pictured on the right.

As you can see, there’s actually a great deal of crossover (see what I did there?) between the two. Both get slowly curving lines and smoothed-out panels, with thin, drawn-out features and rounded shapes from front to back. In fact, considering just how close the Concept is to the production C3, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the majority of the Aircross’ styling elements make it out of conceptual purgatory.

Of course, not everything will make it – the colors, for example, are not a likely candidate for production. But who knows, maybe folks will really respond to the blue paint, white roof, and Fluorescent Coral accents, and Citroen will do a special edition model. Added to the headlight surrounds, wheel centers, side skirt guards, and roof rails, the orange is a nice punctuation to the otherwise down-stated color scheme.

In front, we find the headlights mounted low in the bumper, using LEDs for the lighting element. The hood is short, while skid plates were added front and back with black coloring and a glossy finish. Above the squarish headlights is a trio of daytime running lights, one trio per side, which are connected by Citroen’s signature double chevron grille, finished with polished metal.

In the corners are wild-looking wheels that could possibly warp you to that tesseract dimension from Interstellar if you stare at them too long. A layer of “protective trim” was added to the flared-out fenders and side skirts, underlining the compact SUV with a black-and-grey camo design that seems to lift the whole thing up even further off the ground. More orange is found in the rear quarter panel, while the doors use a pillar-less design (more on that in a bit). The door handles are integrated with the body panels for a smoother look.

In back, there’s a roof-mounted duckbill spoiler above, plus a skid plate/diffuser element below. Citroen also gave the concept a new 3D light design sporting three individual “floating” sections per side. These are similar to the rear quarter window panels, which apparently increase aero efficiency and “conceal the interior of the vehicle without preventing light from entering the cabin.”

Speaking of aero efficiency, intakes in the front bumper, vents in the side skirt guards, and that rear diffuser element all contribute to making the SUV a little more slippery as it cruises through the air. “Each surface has been designed to take air flow into account,” Citroen says.

Finally, the automaker gave us exact exterior dimensions, which seems a little odd for a concept vehicle, but makes sense when you put them next to the figures of the outgoing C3 Picasso MPV. As a reference, the new concept vehicle is a little longer, a little narrower, and funny enough, not as tall as the MPV.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior

The first thing you’ll notice about the Citroen C-Aircross’ interior before you even step inside it are the rear-hinged, “suicide” doors used for the rear two points of entry, which makes that whole pillar-less design start to make a lot more sense. This helps to enhance the vehicle’s accessibility, and helps draw similarities to the previous Aircross concept and the CXperience concept.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely these doors will make it into production, and the same goes for the majority of the interior look and layout. However, I hope that’s not the case, because it’s quite the piece of design.

The colors used match and even exceed the showiness and flamboyance of the exterior, once again employing that Flourescent Coral orange for the carpeting, surrounds, and trim accents. Light grey and white are also used in abundance. Citroen contends the interior will be bathed in natural lighting thanks to the large windows in the flanks and the panoramic sunroof, as well as the rear quarter windows already mentioned.

Citoren says it hopes the interior manages to create “a modern and relaxed atmosphere, with an overall impression of minimalist style.” That means a very low-impact control scheme, an elevated, one-piece dash that’s covered in fabric used elsewhere in the car, and lots of horizontal lines. The steering wheel is a squared-off, single-spoke unit with thumb-length multi-function controls. Citroen is also quick to point out that the single-spoke design is an allusion to the brand’s heritage.

The seats are also quite interesting, using a very shapely design with generous lateral bolsters, and a “suspended and raised” positioning. There are four seating positions total, with two in front and two in the rear, with both the front and rear passengers enjoying embossed Alcantara with a quilted application, plus lots of the same fabric found elsewhere where in the car. The rear uses a sofa-like bench. Citroes says the seats take inspiration from “the world of bedding,” although but hopefully not to the point of putting the driver to sleep. Then again, looking at the brightness of the orange, that’s probably not a problem.

Running the length of the car is a prominent center console that stops short of the rear seating area to increase rear legroom. The center console offers copious amounts of storage and practicality, complemented by additional storage compartments scattered around the cabin. For example, the dash, door panels, and seat backs all get storage, while you can even store luggage under the center console.

On the technology front, there’s a very nifty looking color heads-up display for the driver that projects pertinent info just out of the corner of his or her periphery, using colors specifically picked to match the interior’s upholstery and trim. There’s also a bin in the center console specifically for wireless charging of your phone.

Entertainment and further information comes from the large 12-inch touchscreen mounted to the center of the dash. This is part of Citroen’s new Human-Machine Interface, which acts as the central control hub for both vehicle and infotainment parameters, and can be reconfigured to display dual outputs in either a 1/3 -2/3 split, or 2/3 – 1/3 split, offering passengers their own entertainment options while the driver utilizes it for purposes related to driving. Of course, you can go full screen if you want as well. Included is the Citroen Connected Nav system with 3D connected navigation, plus voice recognition for hands-free control.

If desired, rear-seated passengers can use the seatback-mounted tablet holders for their own entertainment options. Or, if you wanna show off your media, there’s also the Mirror Screen functionality, which will automatically sync with electronic device. It’s a feature Citroen already offers on its production vehicles, as is the ConnectedCAM feature and HD camera, something that was first shown on the New Citroen C3.

Finally, if you happen to be in the sharing mood, there’s Citroen’s Share with U app, which allows its users to share games, music and videos amongst those riding with them. To be completely honest, this app sounds like a copyright violation waiting to happen, but maybe not.

If you prefer not to share, you can instead have your own individual musical experience using speakers mounted in both the individual front headrests and rear headrests. The headrests also have microphones to create “audio bubbles” to help facilitate communication between the passengers, which makes sense in a helicopter, but not so much an SUV.

As a replacement for the usual mirrors, the C-Aircross Concept uses rear-facing cameras to project what’s behind the vehicle. Also included is a camera mounted in the roof spoiler for an even more commanding view of what’s behind.

At the heart of all this interior tech is the Citroen Advanced Comfort program. According to the automaker, the C-Aircross Concept was “designed as a cocoon and comfortable living space for its driver and passengers,” and it comes “equipped with a number of features that promote physical and mental well-being.”

Drivetrain

Interestingly, Citroen declined to mention anything about the C-Aircross Concept’s engine and drivetrain. If we were to guess, we’d say the same lineup used in the C3 Picasso makes a lot of sense, with a variety of both gas and diesel variants. These include a 1.2-liter PureTech gas unit making 109 horsepower, a 1.6-liter VTi 16v gas unit making 120 horsepower, a 1.6-liter BlueHDI diesel making 98 horsepower, and a 1.6-liter e-HDI Airdream 8v making 90 horsepower. Both a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic are on the table for cog-swap duties.

That said, Citroen did mention that the concept gets Grip Control, which more than likely means it’s FWD only. According to the automaker, Grip Control can be selected via a controller in the central console, and offers a variety of different drive modes to help you take on whatever happens to be in your way. These modes include Standard, which is useful for you’re just cruising down the road in a, er, standard fashion, Sand, which will lock the front wheels to make them turn simultaneously and make it less likely you’ll get stuck in very soft surfaces, Off-Road, which supposedly acts like a limited-slip differential for surfaces like mud, grass, and dirt, Snow, which offers further variable torque between the wheels, and ESP Off, which will turn off the electronic stability program and leave it to you to find the grip.

Of course, if Citroen is serious about making the C3 Picasso into a real SUV, available AWD seems like a must, but we’ll have to wait and see if the brand follows through.

Conclusion

While definitely not the craziest concept we’ve ever seen from Citroen, it’s not exactly the most down-to-Earth concept we’ve even seen either. We fully expect several of the features showcased on this concept to make it into production, while others will likely get shelved as a good idea that doesn’t quite make sense from the perspective of the bean counters.

When it comes to stuff that’ll make it, the general exterior design we see will probably not get a major overhaul, while the color scheme likely will. The interior design, 12-inch touch screen, heads-up display, and microphone inter-vehicle communication system will all likely get the axe, but the rear-backup camera, high-end fabric, rear tablet holders, and wireless charger should all make it.

The only real big question is what we’ll see under the hood. Make sure to check back with us in a few months to see what Citroen decides to do with the C3.