A few weeks ago, the first spy shots of Groupe PSA’s DS7 Crossback SUV being tested in India had surfaced on the internet. Now, another vehicle from Groupe PSA, the Citroen C5 Aircross SUV, has been spotted in India, undergoing testing in Chennai.

The Citroen C5 Aircross SUV is 4,500mm long, 1,840mm wide and 1,670mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,730mm, which makes it longer than the Hyundai Tucson but shorter than the Tata Harrier. Its ground clearance is rated at a significant 230mm.The C5 Aircross made its debut in April 2017 in Shanghai, and subsequently went on sale in many European markets. The C5 Aircross is based on Groupe PSA’s EMP2 platform that also underpins the DS 7 Crossback, the Peugeot 3008 and the Vauxhall Grandland X. 

As far as styling goes, the C5 Aircross comes with an urban SUV look, with short overhangs, a floating roof and chunky body cladding and wheels.  Up front, it gets a two-tier lighting setup with full LED lights all around.

The C5 Aircross comes with multiple safety features such as multiple airbags, blind spot assist, smart headlamps with an auto high beam feature, attention assist, cross-traffic detection and hill-hold assist, to name a few.

The C5 Aircross is sold with a range of petrol and diesel engine options globally; starting with a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol good for 130hp, a 1.5-litre diesel good for 130hp and a larger 180hp, 2.0-litre diesel. Gearbox options include a 6-speed manual and an 8-speed auto. The C5 Aircross gets some off-road features in the form of Grip Control - with selectable modes for different surfaces - and hill-descent control.

While some of the abovementioned engines are shared with the more luxurious DS 7 Crossback, an important point to note is that Groupe PSA has started manufacturing the 1.2-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines at its Greenfield facility located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. These powerplants are currently being exported. The plant is owned by PSA AVTEC Powertrain, a 50:50 JV set up in 2017 between Groupe PSA, France and AVTEC.

The PSA Group will use CK Birla’s Tiruvallur facility in Tamil Nadu for manufacturing its vehicles in India. The C5 Aircross spotted on test in India is registered in Tiruvallur, thus confirming this news.

While it has not yet been confirmed whether the Citroen C5 Aircross could be headed to India, the model could be a test-mule for the made-in-India engines and transmissions built by PSA-Avtec. Additionally, Groupe PSA has also acquired the rights to the Ambassador name from Hindustan Motors, but what it chooses to do with that remains to be seen.