The new Citroën Basalt will launch in South Africa before the end of Q1.

• Citroën’s new model will go on sale before the end of the first quarter of this year.
  
• The distinctive SUV-coupé model will compete in the local B-segment.
  
• Specifications and pricing for the local Basalt model have not yet been confirmed.

If there is one brand that could successfully design an attractive, perhaps paradoxical, SUV-coupé, it would almost certainly be Citroën. The French car manufacturer is a master at creating sleek, sporty designs and blending form and function. The new Basalt is a testament to that.

Set to launch in South Africa at the end of the first quarter of 2026, this new derivative will sit alongside the C3 and Aircross and form part of Citroën’s global C-CUBED programme. This aims to produce cars that are cool, comfortable and clever. It’s also intended for emerging markets such as India, where it has been on sale since 2024, and South Africa. This strategy underlines a clear intention to create cars that can handle rougher roads thanks to a raised ride height and practical tyre options. Any adventure beyond a gravel road, however, is limited by the front-wheel-drive setup.

Although there are no details about the powertrain, it would be logical to assume it uses the same two engine options as the current C3 and Aircross. Kicking off the range could be a 60kW, 115Nm 1.2-litre naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine, with higher models possibly receiving a powerful 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder rated at 81kW and 205Nm. The former comes with a manual gearbox while the turbocharged lump gets a 6-speed automatic.

International specifications also reveal dimensions of 4 352mm in length, 1 765mm in width and 1 593mm in height. The deceptive design neatly packages 470 litres of boot space. By comparison, it is slightly longer than the Aircross but narrower and sporting a lower roofline.
Citroën says the Basalt will include the following features:

More information, including detailed specifications and pricing, will be available closer to the official local launch date.

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