As the world shifts its focus from quality to spec, legacy brands are forced to do one of two things. Punch above their weight and take on the established luxury brands, or adapt and create machines with heavy spec sheets at competitive prices. Citroën, to its credit, has found a third option with the Basalt: lean into personality, price it honestly, and let the product do the talking.
The Basalt brings a new angle to the Citroën line-up. A brand that really only offered a good budget crossover in the C3, which was cheap but a touch rough around the edges, and the C5, which reaches for the premium segment, now offers a new name in its line-up that, after my first drive, left a favourable impression.
Power comes from a lively 1.2-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder that produces 81kW and 205Nm, which, on paper, appears modest but in practice translates into more convincing performance. No, it’s not fast, but it maintains highway speeds without strain while keeping consumption low. It’s responsive at low speeds and doesn’t reveal a tinny, stressed quality that typically plagues more affordable 3-cylinders.
Paired with an intuitive 6-speed automatic, its transmission is sharp enough to stay out of its own way. It responds well to driving modes, drops a gear when needed, and returns a consumption of 6.3l/100km.
Its platform is competent. Comfortable in the city, smooth on the highway, and composed in the corners at low speeds, with a dose of body roll when you are overeager. ‘Easy’ would be the best word to describe the driving experience. It isn’t particularly unique, but it ticks all the necessary boxes we look for in a comfortable family crossover.
A coupé design often has its drawbacks: limited rear headroom, legroom, and boot space. However, the Basalt’s roofline (though less sleek than many rival coupés) provides impressive head- and legroom for taller passengers, along with a rated boot space of 470 litres.
Inside, it’s typically Citroën, with a focus on more artistic, youthful design elements. The use of bright colours throughout the interior gives the cabin a unique character, with a blend of squared shapes that add personality.
Starting at R354,900, the Basalt Plus comes equipped with safety tech such as ABS, traction control, hill-hold control, rear parking sensors, six airbags, Isofix, and central locking. If you want more options, the second spec level is the Max at R369,900, which includes an electromagnetic rearview mirror, a rearview camera, two extra tweeters to complement the 4-speaker sound system, a leather (PVC) steering wheel, and a rear boot light. Of course, the tech level is sufficient as standard, with an easy-to-use 10-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside a 7-inch digital driver’s display.
The Basalt is a well-priced vehicle that plays in the same price bracket as the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Haval Jolion, Kia Sonet, and Suzuki Grand Vitara. It offers a different aesthetic thanks to its coupé silhouette and is on par with its competitors’ standards in interior quality and spec levels. It’s best described as a strong option if you are looking in this space, but preference might lead you in a different direction.
The Citroën Basalt left a strong impression. It’s practical, it looks good and ticks all the boxes required of a R350k crossover. Add to that plenty of personality and decent power, so, should you dig youthful styling in an affordable package, the Basalt is well worth a look.
