Chennai: Citroën India seems to have found the right rhythm in 2025—and it’s not just the suspension doing the smoothing. Riding on its Citroën 2.0 “Shift Into The New” strategy, the French carmaker has delivered a strong Q4 performance, with sales trending at nearly three times that of Q3 so far. For a brand still carving its space in India, that’s not just growth—it’s momentum with intent.
Unveiled in August 2025, the Citroën 2.0 roadmap set out a clear mission: deeper localisation, wider dealer and service reach, and a sharper focus on India-first products and ownership experiences. Just a few months in, the strategy appears to be translating from PowerPoint slides to actual number plates on the road.
The surge in sales has been powered by a broadened and refreshed product portfolio, including the Aircross, C3X, Basalt, Aircross X, and a series of special editions that added flair to the lineup. Among them, the Basalt X grabbed particular attention by introducing CARA—India’s first intelligent in-car assistant. Designed to make life behind the wheel a little smarter (and conversations with your car slightly more interesting), CARA supports music control, navigation, hands-free calling, weather updates, reminders, web searches, and even flight tracking. In short, it’s the kind of co-driver who never asks for a chai break.
Beyond domestic sales, Citroën India’s export story is also picking up pace. Vehicle exports rose by a healthy 18.8% in 2025, driven by strong demand from Africa and ASEAN markets. This growth underscores India’s rising importance as a manufacturing and export hub within Citroën’s global network. Adding more fuel to this trajectory, exports of the Basalt are scheduled to begin in 2026, further strengthening the brand’s “Made in India, Made for the World” push.
Commenting on the performance, Shailesh Hazela, CEO & Managing Director, Stellantis India, said that the Citroën 2.0 strategy is delivering tangible results. He highlighted the company’s sharp focus on localisation, India-first product interventions, and improved customer accessibility, noting that the impact is clearly visible in Q4’s 3X sales growth over Q3 and the strong contribution to Stellantis India’s export performance. With Basalt set to enter global markets next year, he added, India is fast becoming a core pillar of Citroën’s long-term plans for product development, manufacturing, and technology.
Citroën has also worked on making ownership simpler and more approachable. In 2025, the brand partnered with HDFC Bank, IndusInd General Insurance, and Sundaram Finance to offer flexible financing, digital loan approvals, and streamlined insurance solutions. On the mobility front, collaborations with urban fleet operators are helping integrate Citroën’s electric vehicles into city ecosystems, quietly nudging EV adoption forward.
Looking ahead, Citroën India plans to continue expanding its retail footprint, scaling exports, and accelerating India-first innovations, with a strong emphasis on sustainable mobility and electric vehicles. With growing engineering and digital capabilities anchored in India, the brand is positioning the country not just as a market, but as a global innovation base.
In simple terms, Citroën’s India story is entering a new chapter—one where sales are rising, exports are expanding, and the strategy seems to be working. Not bad for a brand that prefers to let comfort do the talking… and now, apparently, CARA too.
