[vigneshwaran_92]

Hi members,

This is my first post in this forum. Pls ignore if any mistakes made.

Recently went to Test drive Basalt in the Nungambakkam, Chennai as I am planning to buy a car in a year, upgrading from used Ford Fiesta Classic [2013]

My experience and feedback:

1. Sales person gave a walkaround of the car and its features.
2. Took me to a short test drive around the area.
3. Car is perfectly built to my needs.[Not a big fan of more tech. Need my car to be simple and trouble free]
4. Could not push the car much as the drive was limited to that particular area.
5. Steering was feather light that can be handled with a single finger.
6. Infotainment was clean and simple and the size also didn't bothered bonnet view.


In addition there were two persons from Stellantis plant [Seems to be some fresh GETs], who interacted with me about the car, Once I completed the TD and got the quotation.

I gave my feedback and asked them few questions that is bothering me and they responded them as below.

Question: Why have they still not updated the flap type door handles?
Answer: It requires some structural change and re engineering. They will update it shortly it seems.

Question: Asked about the middle passenger headrest
Answer Will hinder the rear visibility

Also they added for every six month, they are planning to provide the minor updates as per customer requirements.

Overall I am happy with the car. They are following up with me then and there and updating with me about the offers.

My Heart needs it badly, but brain is warning me on sales and brand existence in India.

Badly I Want Citroen to do more numbers and be in a safe place in the market.
They make good engineered cars but they are not marketing it properly.
They need to open more showrooms [Even in Chennai there is only two showrooms] and slightly compromise on their profits to sell more cars. Make people to feel their product and they it spread through their word of mouth. Fingers crossed.

Thanks!

[Bombastic]

Looks like Basalt has been a resounding success! So much so that they have decided to give it a price bump https://www.livemint.com/auto-news/c...005412138.html

On a serious note though, I do hope this is a hoax/they sell more. I feel it's so much more practical and classier than the Curvv, but it's sad that the public just hasn't warmed up to it. Of course, having a name like the Basalt, which is practically non-existent in Indian English, doesn't really help much lol

[pappyrohit]

I recently got a chance to test drive Citroen Basalt. It was a quick run in the city with some open stretches in between. My friends and I decided to check out the Basalt as one of them was interested in purchasing one. My experience with it -
- SA: The SA was a chill guy. He walked us through the features, answered our questions well. When we asked him about a few missing features which are common in that segment, like Cruise Control, push button start, etc., he answered with a straight face that Basalt does lack a few features but makes up for it with the drivability. Impressed with his confidence. Also, he was probably the first SA I met, who picked pothole ridden, part kutcha road in upscale Banjara Hills for test drive. They are really proud of the Machines ride and handling.
- Exteriors : Looked good in person. Looked a little plain and vanilla compared to Curvv, but didn’t feel like a bad design. The build quality seemed good. (we have two Japanese cars at home. Our standards are very low at this point, I guess) The doors felt hefty and had a reassuring thud when shut.
- Interiors: From a creature comfort point of view, sparsely equipped. My Grand Vitara feels loaded compared to this. Not even cruise control, nor keyless entry/push start. But, the interiors felt comfortable. The seats were very accommodating, ergonomics were on point. Passengers at back seat loved the comfort.
- Engine+ Ride/Handling : My favourite part, the ride. I read numerous posts about Citroen cars being famous for the superior ride and handling, and that day I couldn’t help but completely agree. SA’s chosen route was a nice little uphill road with lunar craters and tar patches in between. The car tackles them all without losing composure. Back seat passengers were unaware of how bad the road was. On a an open stretch with some moderate curves, the car didn’t wallow much and pulled the curve with ease. Seriously impressed. We wanted to test drive automatic, but only the manual was available. The 6 speed MT was a slick shifter. It was very drivable. I was able to drive uphill on the broken roads with 4 adults, in 3rd gear without any fuss. Nice engine. Seems nicer than my Grand Vitara’s engine.
- Pricing: The top spec AT variant without dual tone paint, costed roughly 18.5L INR OTR in Hyderabad. For that price, we would have to sacrifice quite a lot of creature comforts (really wanted that cruise control and auto headlamps). After service don’t seem to be a problem, as SA mentioned that Citroen cars are serviced at Mopar. We had a Mopar workshop near our workplace. The problem was ASS if we go on outstation trips. In conclusion and to be honest, compared to other competitors, Basalt felt like a car. Some cars like Curvv feel like you’re in a moving electronics shop with all the screens and gizmos. We test drove Curvv and it didn’t feel as enjoyable as the Basalt.

[hpaliwal]

I was in the CSUV (~₹15L KA OTR) segment and was eager to check out the Citroën Basalt. Having heard plenty about its ride quality—and even experiencing it firsthand in BluSmart’s eC3 cabs—I was curious to see if it could be the right fit for me.

My requirements were simple: a petrol AT with decent power output (>100 bhp) and just a couple of must-have features—Android Auto and maybe cruise control. I wasn’t interested in a sunroof, digital instrument cluster, or connected car tech.

Having test-driven the Tata Nexon, XUV 3XO, Sonet, Kushaq, and Kylaq, I found that space was always a trade-off. You could either have good rear-seat space or decent boot space, but not both. The Basalt, on paper, seemed to solve this dilemma. It offered better space than anything else at its price point, paired with a powerful (and torquey!) engine and an Aisin TC AT. I went in expecting the car to seal the deal for me.

Since the KHT showroom in BLR was a bit far, I called them at 10 AM, and by 2 PM, the car was at my doorstep for a test drive. Some quick takeaways:

1. Space is definitely a plus – a balanced mix of rear-seat comfort and boot capacity.
2. The cabin, however, was a letdown – it felt outdated compared to competitors. The roof lining, textures, dashboard plastics, and even the steering wheel size gave it a utilitarian feel. I couldn’t pinpoint one major flaw, but the overall experience was closer to a WagonR than an XUV 3XO. It just didn’t feel like a premium, aspirational product.

There was no wow factor. Yes, the ride quality is good, but the 3XO and Kushaq aren’t far behind. And let’s be real—I drive in the city. I can’t justify buying a car just to handle potholes. It’s not an enthusiast’s car either (maybe the C3 Turbo AT is, but a 0-star safety rating makes that a tough sell).

Maybe I’m not the target audience for the Basalt. But then, who is? Citroën’s marketing suggests it’s aimed at young, urban buyers—it’s positioned as a lifestyle statement. Yet, their messaging is vague. The Dhoni ad only highlights three things: safety, comfort, and design. Compare that to eMotorad’s campaign with Dhoni—they did a far better job of creating buzz. “Citroën = most comfortable car” isn’t a strong association in the public consciousness.

Look at the last two brands that successfully entered the Indian market: Kia and MG. Both were urban-first brands and focused heavily on cabin experience. Kia shook the market with tech and features—Sonet and Seltos propelled it to the #6 spot in CY24, surpassing Skoda, VW, Honda, Nissan, and Renault.

MG, despite its challenges (especially the China angle), also carved out a niche. Without the Hyundai connection that Kia had, MG had to work harder—leveraging Benedict Cumberbatch to push the “British” branding. But beyond PR, their real play was premium cabin experience.

Step inside a Kia or MG, and it feels premium—something Honda, Maruti, and Toyota don’t quite offer at this price point. Even a non-auto enthusiast would be drawn to the Astor or Sonet. These brands removed the risk of choosing a new entrant by offering true differentiation. Buyers weren’t just picking a car—they were upgrading to a segment-defining experience.

And that’s where Citroën falls short. Sure, the ride quality is good, but is it 10X better than a Sonet or XUV 3XO? Is it compelling enough to convince buyers to take a gamble on a relatively unknown brand? Right now, the answer seems to be no.

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by v.anand

Citroen or PSA 1.2 Puretech Petrol engine (Turbo and Non-Turbo) is apparently a big nightmare with respect to reliability.... The main cause for concern is the wet type timing belt that gets rapidly deteriorated.

...

Unless the design has changed for India (highly unlikely), this car should not be on the shopping list of anyone.

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Well, the wet type timing belt has been replaced with a chain, an year ago as per the Stellantis statement.

@ashkamath is right. the known belt issue has been resolved in 2023: Source

I was unsure if the models sold in India have the older version (with the wet belt) or the updated version (chain drive instead of belt). So I visited the Akira Automobilia L'Atelier Citroen Bengaluru service station in Indiranagar this evening and they confirmed that the 1.2 Puretech engine in India does have a chain drive (and not the earlier wet belt version). Even showed me a pic of an open engine to confirm the same.

That said, the Naturally Aspirated 1.2 (82 PS version) does have a timing belt, but that runs dry and not bathed in hot oil like the 110 PS turbo version! So this does not have such issues.

[samdm]

Light weightedness for Basalt comes in handy despite being considerably less powerful than Curvv. Although the difference is barely noticeable but still surprised. I always expected Curvv to be faster.


No wonder, at triple digit speeds, it still felt quite some more juice left though I didn't have any gals left to test

[carhead]

Sad to see the Basalt not even crossing 100 monthly sales. A relatively capable car with good value proposition. Should not be seen with the baggage of the C3 feature goof ups.

I don't see major service issues on TBHP threads. Bu then sales are admittedly low so maybe lesser complaints?

[samdm]

Originally Posted by carhead

Sad to see the Basalt not even crossing 100 monthly sales. A relatively capable car with good value proposition. Should not be seen with the baggage of the C3 feature goof ups.

I don't see major service issues on TBHP threads. Bu then sales are admittedly low so maybe lesser complaints?

Stumps me too. Till date, I haven't seen another Basalt in Delhi NCR. Marketing is where they ended up lacking the most.

Now Citroen has roped in an external agency to do the RCA with existing owners as to why Basalt sales numbers are low. They called me up and I am meeting them this Saturday. They also promised to pay some amount for devoting my time. Sad somewhat but can't say no to green

[Bombastic]

Originally Posted by samdm

They called me up and I am meeting them this Saturday.

At least this shows that they are still committed, even if only for the time being. I hope you bring up the lack of hygiene features in the segment like cruise control (mandatory!) and 360 camera (at least as an option, even if as an aftermarket accessory, and installation to be a paid service done in house). These 2 are key misses I feel. I would have one by now in my garage if only these 2 features were present. In fact I even spoke with Citroen about it, and the response I got was that any aftermarket accessory would void the warranty, and that was the end of that.

And obviously, this is applicable to the AirCross and C3 as well, though one could argue that the hatchback is a city car and does not really need them, which is fair. But the AirCross should have them for sure. And the least they can do for existing owners is tie up with vetted third-party vendors and give it as an aftermarket accessory without voiding the warranty and insurance, and provide it as a feature going forward. Just my two cents.

[Zezé]

Originally Posted by samdm

......

Now Citroen has roped in an external agency to do the RCA with existing owners as to why Basalt sales numbers are low. They called me up and I am meeting them this Saturday. ................

As you are an existing owner of a Basalt, we would appreciate it if besides giving your feedback to the external agency, you did an ownership review for the benefit of members of the Team-BHP, who have this car on their shortlist.

[codelad]

Originally Posted by samdm

They called me up and I am meeting them this Saturday.
...

During my (ongoing) hunt for a new car, I was really impressed with the Basalt (their top-of-the-line manual variant) when I test-drove it last month. Loved the way it handled 120~130 kph speeds, the overall design, the space, their simple no-frills approach, etc.

And this was despite suggestions from friends about the uncertain future of Citroen and possible problems with service/support.

As it turned out, wife was disappointed (almost felt cheated) that she couldn't find the thigh-support adjustment on the rear seat that she was so looking forward to, after high praises from multiple video reviewers she had watched on YT. This also exacerbated those friendly warnings from before and I eventually skipped the car.

That this "feature" should exist only on their top-of-the-line AT variant (as I learned later), is just impossible to make sense.

If there's one thing I would bring to their attention, this would be it - as silly as it sounds.

[Bombastic]

Originally Posted by samdm

They called me up and I am meeting them this Saturday.

Where you able to speak with them, buddy? Any (good) news for the community, or for the brand?

[samdm]

Sorry folks. Was busy past week in its entirety.

I did meet the survey folks, although I understand the limitations of having a third party to do things for you.

You may not always meet the most enthusiastic kind. Nothing responses in survey is one thing, relating to them is another.

I talked at lengths about missing features such as CC, ADAS, 360 cam to name a few. I didn't even bother thinking of a sunroof. And even the top model, comes top empty. I mean the car looks very understated from inside. You won't realize you're sitting inside a 16L top model. Yes mechanics are fine but this is not the nineties. You need some technology by your side.

The person asked me what would make me sell Basalt in future - I simply said I would do it as I find support for repair and lesser availability of parts in market.
He also asked what made me select basalt and what was my feedback on it. I simply said I liked the car so much that I ignored the shortcomings.

Survey also focussed on things such as how's the ingress experience, boot space practicality and economics of service and future that I want to see Citroen moving into...I gave them good points to note. Ingress is a little too picky topic - it's a car, you're supposed to drop down and settle if you're tall. Boot space is excellent and service economics I haven't come across so far yet.

Overall pretty balanced survey it was. Almost made me sad to see Citroen struggling to keep up the sales. Viral rage marketing is what they need in this seemingly deaf sect of segment - consumers simply go by what they see or are told through visuals.

[Bombastic]

Thanks for the update, and for sharing our feedback with Citroen, sir, you have done us a big favoour. Were there no Citroen representatives present at all? And are you really planning on selling off your Basalt so soon?

[samdm]

Originally Posted by Bombastic

Thanks for the update, and for sharing our feedback with Citroen, sir, you have done us a big favoour. Were there no Citroen representatives present at all? And are you really planning on selling off your Basalt so soon?

Not at all. It was purely a response to a hypothetical question asked by the surveyor about what would lead to me selling off my basalt in the future.

Yeah, no Citroen guys were there but I can understand why they hired third-party surveyors in the first place!