Citroen Basalt X 1.2 Turbo Automatic First Drive Review

When Citroen’s recently updated Basalt X rolled into our CarWale garage, I couldn’t hide my smirk. Mainly because this Basalt X replaced the earlier Basalt back in early September 2025 with the promise of a richer equipment list. And to set the tone, the car always had its basics spot on - be it driving dynamics, space, or build quality. What it didn’t have was an interesting equipment list. Well, that’s finally been put to rest.

We now welcome the latest Basalt X in its 1.2-litre turbo-petrol automatic Max dual-tone guise. So we decided to spend quality time with this easy-going, highway-friendly automatic to understand its behaviour in the real world. Read on to find out what we experienced.

Up front, the Basalt X immediately grabs your attention with its stacked lighting setup, featuring slim LED DRLs that slice across the top and the chunky, square-ish headlamp units sitting underneath. These are tied together by a broad blacked-out grille that looks functional more than flashy, while the contrasting red accents on the bumper try their best to inject some attitude. It’s a clean, squared-off face that doesn’t shout for attention, but the black roof does help add a bit of excitement.

In profile, the coupe roofline takes charge of the Basalt X’s personality. The long and gently sloping rear section gives it a distinctive silhouette, one that feels more athletic than upright. What stands out here is how the roof and window line flow into the rear haunch, making the car look more cohesive than most SUVs trying this style. The 16-inch dual-tone alloys look smart without being over-styled, and the thick black cladding running along the wheel arches and lower doors lends some visual ruggedness.

At the rear, the Basalt X leans into its wide-shouldered look with those protruding tail-lamps and the broad, squared boot section. The prominent Citroen logo sits neatly between the lamps, and the bumper gets generous matte black cladding that balances out the visual weight. If you haven’t figured it out already, I like this design!

Walk up to the Basalt X and the car unlocks itself with the mirrors folding out, which is a nice touch. However, the old-school door handles and visible keyhole immediately pull the experience down a notch. But swing the door open, and your eyes feast on the pleasant beige-and-black theme, exotic golden accents, stripes on the plastics, mix of glossy black and brushed silver, and attractive ambient lighting. You just can't run away from the fact that it has a clean and straightforward cabin design. Although overall quality is acceptable, at this price of about Rs. 15.5 lakh (On-road, Mumbai), it does sit on the borderline in a few areas. That aside, getting in and out is effortless. The sloping roof, in fact, doesn’t interfere with entering the rear.

Once in the driving seat, the steering wheel feels good in your hands. It's small in diameter and pleasantly thick, and the sliding armrest is genuinely useful since the steering adjusts only for tilt, not reach. As for the layout, it is simple and easy to get used to. There’s a crisp seven-inch driver display and a wide 10.25-inch touchscreen that’s bright, responsive, and uncomplicated. Its processor feels competent enough to keep transitions smooth, touch responses consistent, and wireless Android Auto working well. Interestingly, I feel the audio quality is way better than I'd expected. The physical AC toggles are also nicely executed - easy to use on the move, with a small display that stays visible even in bright daylight. The rear camera, however, could have been clearer.

Let's talk about the seats now. Front-seat comfort is mostly sorted. There’s ample head-, leg- and shoulder-room, backrests are large and supportive, and the firm cushioning works well for longer journeys. However, it's the seat squab that could use more contouring, plus there’s not much in terms of lumbar support, which you feel over time. Ventilated seats are a welcome addition and work effectively, but the fan noise is quite audible since the cabin is otherwise very well insulated from external noises. Now, while the driver’s seat gets height adjustment, the front seatbelts don’t get height adjustment, a function I really look forward to. Elsewhere, storage under the armrest is decent and there’s a dead pedal too.

On to the second row. It is spacious in terms of knee- and legroom for someone like me who's around 5ft 6in. Headroom, too, is adequate, but taller people may feel restricted. Shoulder room, however, is tight for three large adults, so it’s best suited to two adults or three slim occupants. We also admit that the centre tunnel and the rear AC vents intrude oddly into the middle passenger’s space, mainly because the front armrest had to be positioned further back to clear the handbrake. Otherwise, the middle seat cushioning and backrest are passable, but the fixed middle headrest feels like an afterthought compared to the nicely contoured adjustable ones on either side.

The backrest angle itself is very comfortable, and you do get an armrest with cupholders. Another limitation to mention is that the bench has no recline, no split-fold, and a thigh support mechanism that feels decades old. It works, but locking it into a desirable angle is a guessing game. Boot practicality is one of the Basalt’s strengths. With minimal intrusions, the 470-litre space is fully usable and well-shaped. The opening, however, is slightly narrow, and the tall boot lip means heavier luggage needs a bit more effort to load.

Features-wise, the Basalt X brings a genuinely upgraded experience with its soft-touch leatherette-wrapped dashboard and the unique Mars Brown dual-tone interior. In addition to the equipment mentioned till now, there's also a wireless charger, cruise control, speed limiter, and auto-dimming IRVM, but as of now, there's no sunroof.

Where safety and tech are concerned, the Basalt X again delivers. A four-star BNCAP rating, six airbags, ESP with hill hold, ISOFIX, TPMS, and an optional 360-degree camera give it the necessary edge over rivals. Furthermore, Citroen’s new CARA voice assistant claims navigation integration, reminders, weather, media, and in-car support, giving it the modern connected-car flavour.

Making the Basalt alive is an 80.8bhp/115Nm, 1.2-litre naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol with a five-speed manual. There’s also a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder, making 108bhp/190Nm with the six-speed manual, and an interestingly higher 205Nm with the torque-convertor automatic. We’re reviewing this turbo-petrol automatic today.

What you’d normally expect from a three-cylinder, in terms of setbacks, gets thrown right out the window. What instantly impresses is its eagerness to get moving. And once rolling, it feels alert and picks up speed like it has a point to prove. It’s peppy, full of gusto, and pulls cleanly all the way to the redline. Overtakes are handled with ease, and it’s quite impressive for a motor of this size and these modest output figures.

But not everything’s rosy. What you eventually stop appreciating is the constant engine noise filtering into the cabin. Since the engine’s output is so energetic, there’s a tendency to drive fast, and when you rev it, you will hear it. Fair enough. But the issue is that it sounds hollow and tends to whine when given a proper throttle input. After a point, it gets to you, and we’ll get back to why in a bit.

The idle start/stop also could’ve been better calibrated. On multiple occasions, it cut the engine as soon as I braked to pause in slow-moving traffic, creating unnecessary panic. It soon became a habit to switch it off every time I got behind the wheel. I also experienced jerky low-end drivability between 10kmph and 45kmph, thanks to the tall gearing and the gearbox’s unsmooth downshifts.

To give you an idea, our tests show that anything under 32kmph keeps third gear off the menu, while sixth doesn’t arrive until roughly 79kmph! Evidently, the engineers believed this was the surest way to extract the most linear performance from the perky three-cylinder once the turbo starts to sing. Thankfully, upshifts are butter-smooth, and in the absence of paddle shifters, the manual override on the gear lever gets the job done well.

Visibility over the bonnet, the sides, and around the A-pillar is good. Rearwards, though, it’s a different story. The rear windscreen is tiny and heavily raked, and the thick C-pillars force you to rely on the rear camera. Now, back to the elephant in the room. This cabin is surprisingly well insulated from road, wind, tyre, and suspension noise. You only hear the engine and the ventilated seats roaring, which dampens the experience in the overall scheme of things.

The Basalt X has reasonably light steering, with almost three turns from lock to lock. This translates to reasonably quick responses, whether for parking, U-turns, or higher-speed driving. There’s no need for constant corrections at highway speeds, either. Then, steering returnability after a full U-turn is excellent but comes with a catch. It only works after about a quarter turn from the straight-ahead position. Anything less, and you need to manually wind the steering wheel back. Apart from this vagueness around the dead centre, the overall steering responses are more than adequate.

Shifting focus, this car has reassuring driving dynamics. It feels planted and stable in a straight line, and despite some lean when pushed through corners (courtesy of its height), it’s a car that genuinely puts a smile on your face. And like most Citroens, regardless of road conditions or speed, the ride quality is absorbent, flat, and composed. A combination that’s hard to find in our market. As for the brakes, they’re confidence-inspiring even under harsh braking. A little more bite and I’d have gone even faster!

Let’s look at what could be downers for the Basalt X first. The constant engine noise isn’t something you can entirely ignore. In the city, the jerky low-speed behaviour can occasionally catch you off guard, just like the over-enthusiastic start/stop that cuts the engine the moment you pause in traffic. Rear visibility is another weak link, and the unexpected roar from the ventilated seats, along with the vague dead-centre steering feel, doesn’t help either. These quirks do take a bit away from the experience.

On the contrary, chances are that once you start living with the Basalt X, it’ll grow on you faster than you’d expect. If you’ve ever missed the solid, planted charm of a Fiat or the fuss-free road manners of the old Duster, one long drive in this Citroen will make those memories rush back. Out on the highway is where this 1.2 turbo automatic truly comes alive. Then there’s the reasonably spacious and neatly put-together cabin, comfortable seats, adjustable rear thigh support, and the tilted headrests. And don’t forget the 470-litre boot, coupe roofline, and the dual-tone flair that swells its ego.

But I’ll say this confidently - the Basalt X may not be perfect, but it has a charm and a sophistication that might just surprise you. Maybe even more than you thought possible. I’ll leave it at that for now!

Pictures: Kapil Angane