Value-focused Citroen C3 platform set to underpin C4 successor

“When you look at what people expect in this segment, you don't need to be full of technology,” he said. 

This pared-back approach was something Citroën would be pursuing for future models, Koskas added; like Dacia, the firm believes there is a market for such cars.

Citroën will also look to its Oli concept car for ways of cutting the price of its models by taking a more ‘essential’ approach. 

“The cost of cars is increasing but the amount of money that people can dedicate to the car is not increasing," Koskas said. "It's even worse in the electric world, because you ask people to buy cars that are more expensive.

“To go back to a well-equipped but still simple and essential product is something we see as absolutely necessary, because the amount of money that people can dedicate to a car is not increasing like the prices of the cars.”

Koskas predicted that this will become a trend in the market for a segment of the market over the next few years, adding: “It's not somewhere where all brands will go, but there will be a place in the market and where we want to be.”

Citroën will “comply with all government legislations” concerning the level of active and passive safety equipment and technology needed to sell cars in Europe, but Koskas said “the regulations on safety are getting more and more severe” and hinted at disquiet within the car industry about Euro NCAP trying to add its own requirements on top. 

The car safety testing body “would like to have more, more and more”, he said.

He added: “To meet the safety regulations of the different states or the European Commission is already something where you have to add a lot of features, additions and so on to the car; that is our job and we do that.”

Koskas said the UK’s ZEV mandate, which requires manufacturers to sell a set percentage of EVs in increasing numbers each year, ensures that a sharp focus will be maintained on reducing the cost of EVs in order to ensure more widespread adoption.

“The mandate is good learning, because, as it's a step every year. Every year we have to make additional effort, and this will not be done if we are not able to lower the cost. So we need to continue to lower the cost. We have not finished the race for sure.”

More generally on EV sales, Koskas acknowledged that EVs need to be pushed at the moment and the reported sales volumes “are not completely natural” when compared with the demand.

Still, Citroën won't look to heavy discounts, as this would hurt residual values and the firm wants to help boost sales in a “clean way”. 

Citroën’s performance in Europe in 2023 will likely mirror that of 2024, with a market share of around 3.5%. 

Koskas said “to stabilise is something I’m quite happy with in tough market conditions”, particularly as it has been a changeover year for the C3, with production stopping for around three months.

With a full year of C3 sales, a facelift for the C4 and a new C5 Aircross SUV coming in 2025, there will be “fireworks for Citroën” and a return to growth, said Koskas, as it looks to push above a 4% market share.

Koskas also believes that Citroën can have a cost advantage over rivals with the C5 Aircross and its more sophisticated underpinnings by being clever about where it sources parts – something it has control over, as the car is the only model built at its plant in Rennes, France.