The Basalt marks Citroën India’s first attempt at making a lifestyle SUV. It does get a lot of things right in this regard, especially with the Coupe-SUV design and competitive pricing. While most buyers will opt for the convenient automatic transmission variants, the 6-speed manual was what I was keener to check out, especially paired with the enthusiastic 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor that produces 110PS and 190Nm.
Interestingly, there are a few differences between the automatic and manual transmission variants. Although both automatic and manual variants of the top trim have near-identical feature lists, the extendable thigh support for the rear seat is absent on the manual version, which simply doesn’t add up. I guess this is the company’s way of telling you to get an automatic instead. Jokes aside, the seats are comfortable and contribute to the overall comfort of the car. Also goes without saying that, the ride quality is indeed ‘Oh so French’.
The first thing you notice while shifting into gear is how damped the gear shift mechanism feels. Although smooth to row, it has a very soft, almost rubber-like feel while slotting in that makes you think twice if you’ve slotted into the correct gear or not. The clutch action is light. The bite is somewhat sharp, but you get used to it soon enough. Get moving and the 1.2-litre turbocharged engine feels responsive. The Basalt is quick; you only realise you’ve reached three-digit speeds when you look at the speedo. I thoroughly enjoyed signal-to-signal drag races in the Basalt.
Fuel efficiency is another trump card up the Basalt’s sleeve. Citroën says the ARAI-certified fuel economy is 19.5kmpl. I managed to get upwards of 15kmpl in my mixed city and highway run, which is very good for a turbocharged petrol engine, and it was mostly driven in dense Pune traffic.
The Basalt MT is an impressive SUV. It gets a brilliant steering, plush suspension and a hoot of an engine. It does miss out on small features like automatic headlamps, no fast smartphone charging, missing thigh support extenders and evident signs of cost cutting in the cabin plastics. At a starting price of ₹ 7.99 lakh ex-showroom, the Basalt MT is a rather good deal for a mid-size SUV. But at the same time, it could have been a lot more.
