2025 has been a big year for Citroen in the UK, after the total remodelling of the whole range. So, we asked Taylor if Citroen has noticed any increase in corporate/fleet interest? Or is it too early to tell?
He said: “It has been quite a challenging year for the brand in so far, because we’ve completely refreshed the whole range. In the last 12 months, every model in the Citroen range has either been heavily facelifted or is a brand-new model. That’s fantastic, but because we’ve done that, it has put pressure on the group in terms of being able to produce at speed.
“We’re not quite up to full speed at the moment. So, the market share for Citroen has suffered as a consequence of product availability. We’re now getting through that, and as we come into quarter four, we will see much more Citroen production coming to the UK – and we will start to grow market share again. Therefore, we’ve had to really manage our channels quite closely.
“Over the course of the last nine months, as a consequence of that stock availability in the UK, what we have seen is a marked step-up in terms of interest from rental and leasing companies. Specifically on C3 Aircross and E-C3 Aircross – we just didn’t get [that] on the previous generation car! C3 and specifically E-C3 are performing as well as any Citroen ever has in salary sacrifice (sal-sac), which is something we really want to go after – and we’re now generating orders.
“Where we’re doing quite well is for lower taxpayers. So, E-C3 is a small car, that’s well-priced, and it’s performing better than any Citroen has really in that arena. Of course we’ve just brought in the E-C3 Aircross, and that’s gaining interest, too. Citroen as a brand hasn’t operated previously in that area of the market, and it takes time for customers to get accustomed to a brand, and where it sits. So that’s positive, and with E-C3 Aircross we’re seeing an increase there.
“Then, there’s the new C5 Aircross – we will definitely have a strong opportunity in the sal-sac area, there’s no doubt about that. We expect to do quite well in business contract hire (BCH) and personal contract hire (PCH) as it’s in the biggest segment in the UK, and it’s a car that enables us to the take the fight to the opposition in a way the previous car couldn’t. The technology in this car is far more sophisticated, things like the plug-in hybrid technology now has very useable EV range, for day-to-day life.
“Whereas the previous generation C5 Aircross was acceptable at the start, quite quickly the market overtook it in terms of capability. Now we’re back, right in the heartland of where we want to be.”
We moved on to ask if current fleet customers were new to the brand?
Taylor said: “It is a combination; we have a loyal customer base in general. From a sal-sac perspective – absolutely! We’re seeing more people new to the brand in the leasing sector, although we do need to grow our conquest customer base, and that’s how we’re going to take market share moving forwards. As I said, we do have a very loyal customer base, and whilst the whole range has been completely renewed, there’s a new design language, there’s new technology in the cars – and that’s fantastic, but it’s not alienating the previous customer base. We’re optimistic this is going to build.”
Citroen has previously been well regarded in the fleet arena, and we asked Taylor if his mission with the new range was to bring fleet business back to where it was before?
He said: “That is exactly it. I’m afforded the privilege of reintroducing and rebuilding Citroen in fleet. With the new model range, that is something that had to happen with Citroen – because the fleet market is hyper competitive, there are lots of incredible cars available.
“The cars we’re bringing to market now are standout. The technology is of its time and moment, and we’ve been quite clear from the outset, in terms of the development of this new range that we will offer multiple powertrains. So there’s been a clarity of thought from the outset. To say yes we understand there’s a ZEV mandate in the UK, and we understand there are CO2 regulations across Europe, but we understand there’s a path to achieving those. Therefore, there have been no big statements from the Citroen brand to say that we are going fully electric.
“Multiple powertrains give customers more choice, an electric car isn’t for everybody, be that in the fleet or retail arena. I think that’s really important, as it shows an understanding of the market, it shows we know people still want choice.
“We had to be electric, every model now has an electric option. It would have been a mistake not to, but we’ve seen other brands in Europe that said they were going to be all-electric, doubling back and saying they’re not going to be all-electric now, and they’re reintroducing other powertrains.”
We moved on to the new C5 Aircross, and asked Taylor if he thought it was a massive chance to conquest?
He said: “You’re exactly right. This for us is a conquest car. The C-SUV segment in the UK is the biggest, it is therefore the most competitive segment, and the last C5 Aircross did at best okay.
“This car, the ambition is much bigger, we want to get this car into the top ten C-SUVs in the UK – that’s where I want to see it, and then we’ll see where we go from there. I think this car affords us that opportunity, because of the multiple powertrain line-up, it has the capability to compete in every single channel in the UK market as well.
“We want customers to get in the entry-level model and not feel shortchanged, like they are in some other manufacturers in the UK market. Sometimes, if you buy into the entry-level specification, you’re doing without some of the material quality, some of the richness that exists further up the range. What I think we’ve done well with this car, is that you’ve got that right from the entry point of the range and think that comes across quite strongly.”
So where does Taylor think new C5 Aircross fleet buyers are going to be conquested from?
He said: “I would imagine they will come from other C-SUVs. The new C5 Aircross is quite a big C-SUV, it’s definitely towards the middle and upper part of the segment in terms of scale. What could be interesting, is whether we see D-SUV customers, or even slightly bigger cars traded for the C5 Aircross. As cars become more expensive, as long as people don’t feel like they’re compromising, then I think people are prepared to make a switch into new brands – and that’s one thing that’s been good about electrification, as we’re seeing people are more brand agnostic. They’re more open to trying out new brands than previously. We know that people in the past that haven’t liked, or have had a negative opinion of Citroen, that when presented with this car, question that belief, and they buy into it – because they like the way it looks.
“Our job now is to make sure that people who were loyal to Citroen in the past come back with us, we know they will, and we’re confident about that, because there is enough of what Citroen is about in this car. We also have the opportunity to deal with people who previously didn’t like Citroen, and they’re speaking very favourably about the new car. So that’s a real opportunity for us.
“The new C5 Aircross is our halo car, it’s the pinnacle of the current Citroen range, and we’re very confident that it’s going to perform well.”
With EV an option with the C5 Aircross for the first time, we asked Taylor what the powertrain mix would be for fleet?
He said: “We’re forecasting around a 30% mix for the electric, and 70% mix for ICE and PHEV versions. Which is in line with what we need to be doing going into next year, and that is genuinely where we see it.
“There are certain areas of the market that are still quite difficult to get into – rental being one of them, and a key part of the market! Rental companies are now starting to provide electric cars on their fleets; they’re still not at the pace of the rest of the market.
“We will obviously operate in Motability, but we will be controlled by the amount of the advance payment. It is not a car that we’re looking to flood the Motability market with. We want to be very careful in terms of the residual value on the vehicle, for us it’s a true fleet, leasing, salary sacrifice, and retail car.”
Finally, we asked Taylor what he saw as the key C5 Aircross spec and drivetrain for fleet? He said: “In terms of our trim mix, we expect Max (the top trim), to be the best-seller in the UK. Again, because of our pricing strategy, and the level of equipment you get on our cars, we tend to see in the UK, people gravitate to richer specification cars. Our best-selling models are in the higher trims – and we expect it to be the same with the C5 Aircross.
“The first models have just hit the UK, and we will have a full demo fleet for fleet customers to try. Getting people behind the wheel is going to be critical. We’ve got a car in the biggest segment in the UK, powertrains that can suit everybody – we’re open for business!”
