Citroen is removing safety technology from two of its three models in Australia due to the semiconductor chip shortage.
All C3 hatch and C5 Aircross SUV models arriving from April onwards will come without blind-spot monitoring and front and rear parking sensors, usually standard on both model lines.
Models that have already arrived in Australia during the first quarter of 2022 are unaffected.
Like the Expert from sister brand Peugeot, Citroen Australia has removed safety equipment but hasn’t reduced the price.
The C3 and C5 Aircross received price increases of $1450 and $2350, respectively, for 2022. They’re priced at $30,440 before on-roads for the C3 Shine and $49,340 list for the C5 Aircross Shine.
“The global automotive industry faces an exceptional situation with the accumulation of the health crisis and a worldwide shortage of semiconductors,” said a spokesperson for Citroen Australia.
“Our global teams are mobilized to drive our manufacturing activity in this unstable context, and we need to adapt accordingly.
“Despite our continuous effort to deliver our customers the best possible experience, and in order to help minimise the impact on vehicle availability, there has been an adjustment in the specification of the MY22 Citroen C3 and MY22 Citroen C5 Aircross.”
“The pricing for the MY22 Citroen range remains as published in January. We cannot comment or speculate on future pricing, however we remain committed to customer satisfaction and ensuring we provide the best possible Citroen offering available to Australia,” added the spokesperson.
Though the two models lose these key features, they still offer a suite of active and passive safety technology including:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Driver attention alert
- Traffic sign recognition
- Reversing camera
- Front, front-side and curtain airbags
Citroen Australia wouldn’t confirm when the features would be returned to the C3 and C5 Aircross, and has thus far ruled out its dealers retrofitting them later as, for example, General Motors has done with deleted features in some markets.
It says there’s currently no retrofit solution available, and says it’s continuing to work with the factory to evaluate any specification adjustments.
The recently introduced C4 is unaffected.
Citroen recently revealed an updated C5 Aircross in Europe, but it has yet to be locked in for an Australian launch.
The company says local evaluation is underway.
Updated C5 Aircross shown
It’s unclear if the missing features will return with the mid-life update.
Citroen isn’t alone in nixing key features due to the chip shortage, with the likes of Audi, BMW and Skoda removing items including active safety technology such as blind-spot monitoring.
Fellow Stellantis brand Peugeot has gone one step further, dropping not only adaptive cruise control from its mid-sized Expert van but even dropping side thorax airbags across all Experts bar the limited edition Sport.
Despite this, prices were still increased by between $1950 and $2250 compared with last year’s model.
MORE: Everything Citroen C3
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