Citroën C5 Aircross: test and buying guide for an ideal family SUV

The Citroën C5 Aircross, which was unveiled in April 2017 and has been sold in the Spanish market since November 2018, offers a very interesting range for those who need a family-oriented SUV where versatility and comfort on the road are the priority.

To the petrol and diesel versions we analyse in this buying guide, the interesting C5 Aircross Hybrid was added in November 2019, a plug-in hybrid with the DGT zero-emissions label, which, with 224 CV and a price from around 38,000 euros, is the top-of-the-range version.

Some of the rivals to the Citroën C5 Aircross are the Peugeot 3008, with which it shares its platform, the Skoda Karoq, the Renault Kadjar, the Hyundai Tucson, the Kia Sportage or the Seat Ateca. Compared with them, the C5 Aircross has a competitive price if we take advantage of the discounts.

Range and prices of the Citroën C5 Aircross

If we focus on the most affordable versions with PureTech petrol or BlueHDI diesel engines, the options currently come down to two: the 1.2 PureTech petrol with 3 cylinders and 130 CV, and the 1.6 BlueHDI with 4 cylinders and the same power. Neither of them has hybridisation, so they carry the DGT C label.

Previously, you could also opt for the 1.6 PureTech with 4 cylinders and 180 CV, and the 2.0 BlueHDI 180. But these two versions, always paired with the automatic gearbox, were in a “compromised” price position compared with the C5 Aircross Hybrid, which was favoured by not paying the registration tax. In the end, the Hybrid always made more sense… even if you didn’t have a plug.

If we focus on the versions currently on sale with petrol and diesel engines, they come with the Live Pack, Feel, C-Series and Shine trim levels. Rounding off, the starting price, with the 4,400 euros of discount that Citroën currently offers (of which 2,600 only if you configure and buy online), comes to 22,300 euros for the entry version, the C5 Aircross Live Pack PureTech 130 CV with manual gearbox, and 24,400 for the BlueHDI, that is, about 2,200 euros more than the petrol, a difference that repeats across all trim levels.

From the Feel trim onwards you can also choose, as an alternative to the manual gearbox, the EAT8 torque-converter automatic gearbox, which comes as standard on the top-of-the-range Shine versions. When the automatic is optional, it adds a little over 3,000 euros with the petrol engine, and around 2,200 euros with the diesel. A high price compared with what other brands charge for automatic transmission in cars of this type, especially with the petrol engine.

Petrol or diesel: which engine to choose?

Both engines are already well-known and widely used in various models of the Stellantis group. In this case, the price factor can make the difference. Because the more than 2,000 euros in favour of the 130 CV PureTech petrol buys a lot of kilometres. In addition, both engines offer very similar performance, with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration of around 10.5 seconds.

It is true that for a car of the size and weight of the C5 Aircross, which is also often used to make the most of its load capacity and spacious interior, the ideal would be to have the 180 CV of the now-discontinued engines. Although the 130 CV of the 1.2 PureTech and 1.6 BlueHDI can be considered a very reasonable option if you accept that, in certain situations (regaining speed on long gears after having to brake, climbing a slope with a load), to have a good throttle response you will have to make use of the gearbox, which has a smooth feel although with very long lever travel.

Driving either is very similar in terms of engine response: it is best to keep them above 2,000 rpm. I still find the petrol PureTech more “refined” and pleasant despite being a three-cylinder, while the BlueHDI comes into its own when driving for minimum consumption. From the 6.1 l/100 km WLTP homologated combined consumption of the petrol and the 4.9 of the diesel, we are around 7.5 l/100 km real-world in the first case, and 6 l/100 km with the BlueHDI, which increases its advantage when driven at high revs.

Personally, I would go for the petrol if it is for daily use and occasional weekend or holiday trips, and for the BlueHDI if you are going to spend many hours a week behind the wheel.

Dynamic behaviour of the Citroën C5 Aircross

In either case, the C5 Aircross stands out for its very high overall comfort. If you have been interested in this car, you have probably been told about the wonders of progressive hydraulic cushions. But the comfort the C5 Aircross offers is the product of many factors, not just the suspension. Worth mentioning, besides good acoustic insulation, are the smoothness of all the controls, the wide seats, the good visibility and a spacious cabin.

Of course the suspension does its part. In fact, it is an exclusive Citroën system, and the 3008, for example, does not have it. The “secret” lies in dampers that react with a softer calibration to small wheel movements, and firmer when the vertical travel of the wheels is greater. The mechanism is entirely mechanical, and its operation and the chosen setting are very good, although I could not say what percentage to attribute to this damping itself or to the fact that the calibration is clearly soft in any case. But you can feel that down there, between the wheels and the asphalt, there is something reminiscent, allowing for the differences, of an air suspension, without “floating” as much.

The best part is that despite the wide body movements, the C5 Aircross proves secure in its reactions when it comes to braking under load or changing lane suddenly. It lacks the cornering agility of cars that excel in this area, such as an Seat Ateca. But overall I would give it a good mark for dynamics if we also consider the operation of the steering, the brakes and the assistance systems (especially the active cruise control), bearing in mind that it is a car geared towards pleasant driving.

Worth noting is how the kilometres pass when travelling on the motorway if you activate the Highway Driver system, which combines active speed control and automatic lane-keeping. The downside is that it is only offered with the top Shine trim.

All versions of the C5 Aircross are front-wheel drive, although its generous ground clearance of almost 23 centimetres allows you to drive off-tarmac with some confidence. Incidentally, on tracks or dirt roads you also notice the comfort the suspension is capable of providing. To improve traction in this kind of situation, or on roads with unfavourable conditions such as snow or ice, the higher versions can be equipped with the Grip Control traction control with different operating programmes and the hill descent assist, as well as M+S tyres.

The Citroën C5 Aircross inside: cabin and boot

Versatility is one of the strengths of the C5 Aircross, with MPV-like details such as the large windows that provide good visibility and great interior brightness, or the individual rear seats of the same size with a longitudinal adjustment of about 15 cm. An arrangement that is not easy to find in SUVs of its category (it is offered as an option on the Skoda Karoq), and which widens the possibilities when travelling with passengers. Because of the seat layout, with the sides very close to the doors, one of the best seats for travelling is the rear centre seat.

As for the boot, with the rear seats in the position where passengers have the most legroom, it still offers a volume of 580 litres. A very good figure, which reaches 720 litres when the seats are slid forward without having to fold down the backrests. The tailgate can be electrically operated and opened with a foot gesture, and you can also choose between a spare wheel or a puncture repair kit.

If we move to the driving position we find a design whose shapes match those of the bodywork, with a pleasant presentation and good build quality, combining different types of materials always with a magnificent fit. I especially liked the Comfort seats (standard on the two top trims), which do not hold the body very firmly in corners, but are very comfortable for covering many kilometres behind the wheel. They can be ordered with electric adjustment and heating and massage functions.

I also like that, besides the touchscreen of the multimedia system, there are still buttons for directly operating the main functions. However, I do not like the digital instrumentation as much, with a screen of generous dimensions, but which does not offer the definition or image quality of other screens of this type, which are increasingly common.

Moreover, it causes annoying reflections when light hits it directly, and the graphics it displays favour an original, eye-catching design over functionality. However, storage provision is very well resolved, notably the space under the central armrest with its double lid, which can be refrigerated.

Citroën C5 Aircross image gallery