CITROEN is entering the compact SUV market with an Aicross version of its new C3 that will have seating for seven people.

Details are scant at the moment but at 4.39 metres long and with a muscular look, the newcomer is said to be competitively priced - likely to start below £20,000.

The C3 Aircross is to be released later this year and comes with a high and horizontal bonnet, widened wings and tracks as well as body protection around the wheel arches and sills.

A customisable two-tone roof, chunky bumpers and raised ground clearance underlines its SUV character.

Sittiing on the car maker's new Smart Car platform, the Aircross will be available with a choice of petrol, hybrid or all-electric powertrains.

Citroen says the C3 Aircross will be fully revealed in the summer and the vehicle follows on from the original Aircross designation of the C3 which arrived in 2017.