By Sbu Mkwanazi

After 17 years of unsuccessfully trying to convince my wife and 16-year-old twin boys to take a spontaneous family road trip from Joburg to Ballito, it finally happened! My secret weapon to win them over? The five-seater, Citroen C3 Aircross Max 1.2T 6AT, which we fell in love so much we dubbed her Airbus.

With no accommodation booked for our halfway mark in the KZN Midlands, I knew that at the least we would park at a camping site and keep ourselves busy by using Android Auto to compare playlists, thanks to a crystal-clear sound system. Four USB ports were a hit as all occupants could charge the multiple devices they had packed for the trip.

For R344,900, the cabin is reasonably appointed with comfortable seats and a practical interior that withstands a family’s mishaps like coffee spills, food crumbs and suitcases being moved in and out of the car regularly.

On the road, the 3-cylinder, 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol unit offered one of the smoothest drives in it segment not only on the N3 but on municipal roads as well, as we searched for cute eateries and interesting activities to do. With 81 kW of power and 205 Nm of torque driving the wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission, we happily averaged a fuel consumption figure of 6.8 l/100 km.

The road trip allowed us to thoroughly spend time with this surprisingly spacious crossover (wheelbase of 2,671 mm and an overall length of 4,323 mm), realising just how much value you get for this price point.

Features include a 7-inch instrument cluster, a reverse camera with park distance sensors and handy steering wheel controls that allow you to dedicate more attention to making memories with the family, instead of constantly looking for dials on buttons, as in some of its competitors in the R300,000 to R400,000 segment.

Luckily, we did not have to sleep in the car as we booked accommodation at the very last minute, and when we off-loaded three suitcases, two laptop bags, tennis rackets, plenty of food and snacks, as well as way too many drinks, we realised that the 510 litres of boot space swallows whatever you stow in there — and more.

Safety also played a huge role in convincing the family to relax and enjoy more than 1 800 km of fuss-free driving, as electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-hold assist, tyre pressure sensors and two airbags always had our backs.

The most noticeable hassle with the car is turbo lag, but once you are airborne, you channel your inner Julius Malema and cruise nicely. The lack of what have become basics, such as cruise control and rear airbags, might also be an issue for some potential buyers.

Final verdict

If value for money is your top priority as a family, then there is simply no other vehicle in this segment that offers so much (like a customer promise of 48-hour repairs) at such a low price point. If you are willing to give up some soft life features in exchange for stretching your rands, this is for you.