Basalt makes a solid entry

If you like your cars quiet, then the Citroen Basalt may not be for you. It gets noisy from the moment you approach it and, in a way, it’s a good thing, because it means that as you arrive at the car, it picks up your key approaching and unlocks with two very loud beeps. The same happens when you get out of the car and you walk away.

Bu seriously, the Basalt is a solid entry into a mid-range market that is beginning to spoil consumers for choice. It is a fairly basic six speed automatic transmission crossover coupe, which means that it combines the elevated ride height and four door practicality of an SUV or a crossover with a sleek, sloping rear roof line and sporty handling of a coupe.

When I say basic, I do mean basic. For example, its infotainment display is neat, but it is also relatively shallow and does not leave much room for an expansive map view.

As a result, when I’m using Android Auto, I’ve got to think twice about having the layout In multi-media mode, showing the audio track as well as map. In map view, Google Maps or Waze still does not take up the full screen either. On one side, you have a volume control, which I found very useful, as I often you want a volume control right on the infotainment screen. There is a control on the steering wheel as well, so it’s not actually necessary for the driver, but passengers appreciated it.

On the right hand side of the display, you have a Return menu to access your car controls, which is always very useful, since many cars with far larger displays do not show you how to get back to the car settings if you want them. So you can, for example, with a click of a button, go to the car’s own navigation or to the car radio controls if you don’t want to listen to Spotify. Or, simply go home to reach the general car controls, changing devices, changing light display settings, or the kind of alerts that you want to set for your vehicle.

The weird thing is that the instrument cluster in front of the driver is almost the same size as the infotainment display. In this case, it’s actually too big, because visibility of its edges is cut off by the steering wheel. It is functional, but probably too big for the amount of information that it displays.

On the steering wheel you have basic functionality but, while you have volume control for your music, you don’t have a forward or back button. For that, you have to go to the infotainment screen, so there is a bit of a disconnect, or at least a small puzzle.

Thankfully, though, below the infotainment system, and below the Thank You button (what some call the Emergency Lights, for some reason), there are physical aircon controls, which I always appreciate.

The gear lever is one of those strange step-style lever mechanisms, which means that you’re sometimes not quite sure what gear you’re in. You know when you’re in Park, when you’re in Drive, but going to Reverse can easily be confused with going to Neutral, although they are separated. 

The car seats are comfortable, with fabric seats that don’t get cold in winter or hot in summer. That’s incredibly practical and logical, and it is surprising that more manufacturers don’t go that route.

The physical handbrake harks back to your typical manual car, and that’s what symbolizes the extent to which this is a basic vehicle. The result is that you don’t feel like you can take on the traffic too vigorously, but simply settle back and allow the traffic to swirl around you.

As an SUV, don’t expect a 4X4, not that it’s intended to be. With a 1.2 litre engine, it is made for city driving, commuting, and family use. That said, it has a comfortable suspension. It takes Johannesburg speed bumps with aplomb.

It is also zippy enough to work around potholes, and it is comfortable enough for you not to be desperate to get to your destination when the traffic is heavy. It’s spacious, both front and rear, so it’s great for a family, and very practical. And then, when you out on the highway, it offers fairly spirited performance.

It is well priced at around the R355,000 mark for the Plus model, and it is stylish enough to appeal to any member of the family as a basic run-around.

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za, and author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI – The African Edge”.