Citroen C3 Vs Renault Kiger: Two French Subcompact SUVs Battle It Out

Citroen and Renault are adding some French cars into the mini SUV competition, we tested both cars to know for ourselves which is worth your money.

Renault Kiger vs Citroen C3

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

New Delhi: Citroen does not claim that its C3 is an SUV but one look makes it clear that it is competing with entry-level subcompact SUVs. Nearer to the C3, would be another subcompact SUV from France and that is the Renault Kiger of course. Both the Kiger and the Magnite are smaller and affordable micro SUVs and the C3 seems to be a new competitor in that space. Here is a quick comparison between the C3 and the Kiger.

Which is the biggest?

Both cars fall below the 4m space with the C3 having a length of 3,981mm while the Kiger has a length of 3,991mm. The C3 has a width of 1,733mm while the Kiger is 1750mm wide. In terms of wheelbase, the C3 comes in at 2540mm along with the Kiger having a wheelbase of 2500mm.

Which car has more power?

The C3 is available with a 1.2l petrol which makes 82bhp and 115Nm along with a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. Then there is the more powerful turbo variant which makes 110bhp and 190Nm. The turbo C3 comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The Kiger meanwhile has a 1.0l petrol which makes 72bhp and 96Nm while the more powerful turbo version is a 1.0l turbo developing 100bhp and 160Nm. Both Kiger variants have a 5-speed manual gearbox but the Kiger 1.0 also has an AMT gearbox option while the Turbo has a CVT option. In terms of mileage, the C3 turbo delivers 19.4 kmpl while the Kiger turbo manual delivers 20kmpl.

Which has more features?

The Kiger has an 8-inch touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster while also having features like  Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an Arkamys audio system, climate control, wireless charging, ambient lighting, a rear view camera, 4 airbags and a PM2.5 air filter. The C3 has the bigger 10-inch touchscreen along with wireless smartphone connectivity but lacks the rear camera or the wireless charging features.

Which car is better value?

C3 prices are not out yet but we expect aggressive pricing given its high localization level. The Kiger meanwhile is priced between Rs 5.99 lakh to Rs 10.57 lakh. Between the two, the C3 offers distinctive looks and more power while the Kiger offers more features and more gearbox options. That said, these two French SUVs are both good-looking and will have their own fan following. We expect the C3 to undercut almost all SUVs in terms of prices and be a valuable alternative.