Citroën South Africa has confirmed to CAR that the Basalt is, indeed, penned in for local introduction. Here’s when you can expect the company’s stylish crossover/SUV to arrive in SA…
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When revealed in March 2024, Citroën stated the Basalt, following the C3 and C3 Aircross, signifies a “new stage” in the French manufacturer’s international offensive. However, at the time (and as the press material stated), the coupé-styled crossover/SUV was penned in to be introduced to only the Indian and South American markets in the second half of 2024.
Related: Citroën Basalt Vision Debuts as Stylish SUV Coupé
However, now, upon reaching out to Citroën South Africa, the firm has confirmed to CAR that the Basalt is, indeed, also “on the cards” for SA, with the local arm of the automaker saying, “The Basalt is on the cards for SA for the first half of 2025.”
Positioned above the C3 Aircross, which we recently sampled on the SA launch, in Citroën’s line-up, the Basalt, when it makes landfall on local shores, is set to compete against the likes of Kia’s Seltos and the Suzuki Grand Vitara.
Related: Review: Citroën C3 Aircross
The Basalt model line-up scheduled for our market has yet to be confirmed, though. However, a fair bet would be that the newcomer will employ Stellantis’ familiar 1.2-litre turbo-triple, which can also be found under the bonnet of its C3 Aircross stablemate, with entry-level derivatives possibly making do with a naturally aspirated unit of similar capacity and the same number of cylinders. As a reminder, the turbocharged three-pot, which is coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission, produces 81 kW and 205 N.m of torque, while the atmospheric triple churns out 61 kW and 115 N.m.
