The brand new Citroen C3-XR SUV will be launched on the China car market on December 21, giving Citroen credible contender in the booming compact SUV segment. The C3-XR debuted as the C-XR concept on the 2014 Beijing Auto Show in April and the production version debuted earlier this month in Paris.

The Citroen C3-XR is manufactured in China by the Dongfeng-PSA joint venture. There will be two engines available: a 163hp 1.6 turbo and a 1.8 with a yet unknown output. The 1.8 will be the base model. Transmission: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic, sending power to the front wheels.

Size: 4257/1748/1542mm, wheelbase is 2655mm.

The exact origin of the platform is a bit misty, with some Chinese media saying it is based on the same platform as the Citroen DS 6 SUV, and other saying it is based on the same platform as the Peugeot 2008 SUV. Length and wheelbase compared:

C3-XR:   4257, 2655.
DS 6:    4553,  2732.
2008:    4180, 2540.

There are no plans to manufacture the C3-XR anywhere else in the world, but it is possible that the China-made car will be exported to neighboring countries in the future. Price in China will start around 120.000 yuan and end around 160.000 yuan, positioning the C3-XR just above the Peugeot 2008 (100.000-140.000 yuan).

Still got that weird rear bumper. On the right a twin-exhaust pipe in a specially spared area. On the left just such an area again, but without any pipes. Disturbing.

News you Need to Know: