The mid-size SUV segment is currently the hot-selling segment in the country, particularly among those who prefer to travel long distances with comfort. To fulfil this demand, manufacturers are operating at full blast to bring alluring products to the Indian market. One of them is the South Korean automaker, Hyundai, who recently launched the Exter in the country at a starting price of Rs. 6 lakh (ex-showroom). In this article, we compare the sub-four-meter SUV with one of its rivals, the Citroen C3, and see how these two fare against each other in their respective segments.

Dimensions compared

It is visible that the Exter takes over the Citroen C3 in terms of height, ground clearance, boot space, and fuel tank capacity. The Citroen C3, on the other hand, measures 166mm, 23mm, and 90mm more in terms of length, width, and wheelbase, respectively.

Interior of the Exter and Citroen C3 compared

Moving into the cabin, Hyundai offers three different interior themes to choose from depending on the variant. Apart from this, it gets an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment screen with wireless mobile connectivity, 4.2-inch coloured MID that supports 12 languages, voice-enabled sunroof, automatic climate control, footwell lights, paddle shifters, and BlueLink connected car technology.

Inside, the Citroen C3 comes equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, four speakers, steering-mounted controls, rear parking camera, and rear wiper with washer.

Safety and features compared

The standard safety list on the Hyundai Exter includes electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, hill assist control, and ABS with EBD. Moreover, features like a burglar alarm, three-point seatbelt, seatbelt reminder, keyless entry, and rear parking sensors are also an integral part of this package. Hyundai also offers a first-in-segment dashcam with dual cameras, TPMS, and six airbags as standard across all the variants.

In comparison, the Citroen C3 gets front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking camera with sensor, seatbelt reminder for the front seats, engine immobiliser, ESP, hill hold assist, and TPMS.

Engine and specifications

The Exter can be had in a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol and a 1.2-litre petrol-CNG engine. The petrol mill generates 82bhp and 114Nm of torque, and the CNG engine, on the other hand, is tuned to produce 68bhp and 95Nm of torque. While both engines come mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, the pure gasoline mill can also be had with an AMT unit. Hyundai claims an ARAI-tested mileage of 19.4kmpl for the manual and 19.2kmpl for the AMT. And for the CNG version, the claimed mileage of the Exter is 27.1km/kg.

The Citroen C3, on the other hand, is powered by a 1.2-litre NA petrol and a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine. The former produces 81bhp and 115Nm of torque and comes mated to a five-speed manual unit while the latter develops 109bhp and 190Nm of torque and comes solely paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Both engines return a claimed mileage of 19.3kmpl.

Variants and colours

The Exter can be had in seven variants including EX, EX(O), S, S(O), SX, SX(O), and SX(O) Connect. Customers can choose the five-seater SUV from six monotone and three dual-tone exterior colour options. The monotone options include Atlas White, Cosmic Blue, Fiery Red, Ranger Khaki, Starry Night, and Titan Grey. The dual-tone colours, on the other hand, include Atlas White, Cosmic Blue, and Ranger Khaki – all with Abyss Black.

Meanwhile, the Citroen C3 is available in three variants, including Live, Feel, and Shine across four monotones and six dual-tone colour options. These include Polar White, Zesty Orange, Platinum Grey, Steel Grey, Polar White with Zesty Orange roof, Platinum Grey with Zesty Orange roof, Polar White with Platinum Grey roof, Steel Grey with Zesty Orange roof, Zesty Orange with Platinum Grey roof, and Steel Grey with Platinum Grey roof.

Prices compared

The following are the variant-wise ex-showroom prices of both SUVs.