Did you know that at 5.5 million kilometres, India has the second-largest road network in the world? And it’s expanding at an impressive rate. That said, about 40 per cent of the roads are unpaved, which, if you do some math, equals 2.2 million kilometres. That’s the kind of findings Citroen has considered while developing the “C Cubed” strategy. According to that, three heavily-localised models will be introduced, starting with what’s been unveiled today – the new C3.

The design is unmistakably Citroen. It looks like a shrunken C5 Aircross, which has been on sale in India for a couple of years. And in silhouette, the C3 doesn’t look like a traditional SUV would. It’s more on the crossover side. Even Citroen says that the C3 is a hatchback with an SUV-inspired design. One of the most eye-catchy aspects is at the front. The converging lamps merging into the central chrome bar will vow many. Also, the protective cladding gives the C3 a more muscular stance – a must for most compact car buyers in the country.

Let’s gets some numbers into the game. The Citroen C3 stretches 3.98 metres in length and rides on a wheelbase 2.54 metres long. The company says that courtesy of those figures, along with width and height (still under wraps), the C3 will have one of the roomiest cabins in the segment. At 180mm, the ground clearance is impressive too. And so is the 315-litre boot space.

For India, Citroen has devised eleven colour options, covering single- and dual-tone finishes. For the body, there are four shades – Ice White, Platinum Grey, Artense Grey and Zesty Orange. The last two are also available as roof colour choices. In addition, Citroen will offer customisation options for the upholstery and the dashboard as well.

As you’d expect, specific details about features, variants and the powertrain aren’t out yet. That said, Citroen has been kind enough to give us a glimpse of what can be expected. The list of creature comforts will include a segment-best 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Even the instrument cluster is expected to be full LED. The kit will also include three USB ports, a 12-volt accessory socket and a multifunction steering wheel.

Reports suggest that the C3 will be a petrol-only model. However, there will be manual and automatic transmission options. The powerplant is likely to be a 1.2-litre unit with a turbocharger. Expect the horsepower figures to hover around 100.

The C3 has been designed specifically for emerging markets like India and South America. And courtesy of over 90 per cent localisation, the pricing should be competitive too. It will be launched in India in the first half of 2022 and will be built at the Chennai plant.

Rivals? It’ll try to be part of the same game as the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger. In other words, it’ll most probably undercut the likes of the Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet. And besides competing with the Magnite-Kiger tag team, the C3 will also give a run for the money to premium hatchbacks and micro SUVs.