The new Citroën C5X aims to blend the inherent practicality of an estate car with the styling and raised ride height of an SUV. Does it succeed?…
Price from £26,490 | On sale June 2022
The new Citroën C5X is a lot like the Palace of Versailles, which once housed France’s noble elite. Both are big, both are unashamedly luxurious and, for those who enter either, both are designed to deliver an experience to remember. Indeed, the C5X stands proud as the largest and most luxurious car that Citroën currently makes.
How large? Well, it’s actually longer than most large SUVs, including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Peugeot 5008. And it’s impressively imposing in the metal. The exterior takes inspiration from Citroën’s Cxperience concept car from a few years ago, mixing the classic lines of a shooting brake silhouette with the raised ride height of a 4×4. For such a bold concept, we reckon the finished product is surprisingly cohesive.
From launch, the C5X is being offered with a choice of either 1.2- or 1.6-litre petrol engines (badged PureTech 130 and PureTech 180) producing 128bhp and 178bhp respectively, or there’s a plug-in hybrid version (badged PHEV 225) with 222bhp. The latter is equipped with a 12.4kWh battery pack and is good for a claimed 34 miles of zero emissions running in ‘Electric’ mode.
In terms of kit, there are three trims to choose from: Sense Plus, Shine, Shine Plus and a limited Premiere Edition. Even entry-level Sense Plus models are pretty well equipped, with 19in alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 10in touchscreen infotainment system and a reversing camera, while mid-rung Shine trim introduces a heated steering wheel, a larger 12in infotainment screen and a head-up display. We wouldn’t bother going any higher because the real value appears to be towards the bottom of the C5X range.
Speaking of which, the C5X doesn’t cost a king’s ransom, with prices for the PureTech 130 starting at £26,490 and plug-in hybrid models starting from £35,190. Yes, that’s a touch more than an equivalent Citroën C5 Aircross, but less than you’ll pay for most rivals, including the Santa Fe, Sorento and even the competitively priced Ford Kuga.
What’s it like to drive?
We were given the opportunity to drive the range-topping PHEV 225. As we mentioned earlier, it’s good for a claimed 34 miles of pure electric driving, but you can expect closer to 25 miles in the real world.
With a fully charged battery, the C5X defaults to Electric mode, which is as quiet and as smooth as you’d expect. Performance is leisurely but there’s enough oomph to deal with rush hour traffic and the accelerator response in this mode is nicely calibrated. However, if you want to join a motorway quickly or make a sudden overtake there’s often a delay between putting your foot down and the petrol engine firing up to help out.
Mercifully, once both systems are working in unison, the C5X feels genuinely sprightly, with Citroën claiming an official 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds. That’s quite a bit quicker than the similarly priced Ford Kuga PHEV (9.2secs) and Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV (8.8secs).
The Kuga will be back on your coattails in the corners, though. Despite having a sportier look than the high riding C5 Aircross on which it’s based, the C5X still suffers from plenty of body lean and doesn’t hide the weight of its batteries and electric motors very well if you try to make a quick change of direction. The light steering could also do with offering a stronger sense of connection to the front wheels, but take it easy and the C5X does at least handle predictably.
And, of course, the upside of soft suspension is a nice plush ride. The C5X is fitted with what Citroën calls ‘Progressive Hydraulic Cushions’ – in effect, hydraulic bump stops – and active dampers (the latter being reserved for the PHEV models). Combined with relatively small standard-fit 19in wheels, the C5X glides over minor road imperfections and does a good job of cushioning you from ruts and potholes. It’s only when you come across something with a really sharp edge that you feel a sudden thwack.
In fact, we’d go so far to say that the C5X is one of the calmest and most cosseting SUVs to cover big distances in. Any engine noise fades away by 70mph and it’s better than most rivals at stifling wind and road noise – partly thanks to an acoustic laminated windscreen.
What’s it like inside?
You sit lower in the Citroën C5X than in most SUVs, but higher than you would in a traditional raised estate car like an Audi A6 Allroad or Mercedes E Class All-Terrain. We actually found the driving position to be more natural than the sit-up-and-beg type in the closely related C5 Aircross.
The C5X also benefits from what Citroën calls its ‘Advanced Comfort Seats’. Lined with memory foam, these are soft like your favourite armchair, while still offering support in all the key places – plus they can also be adjusted for height and lumbar support on all trims. Combined with customisable digital instruments and a clear, easy to read head-up display (standard on Shine models and above), the C5X makes long stints behind the wheel feel effortless.
Visibility, however, could be better. The C5X’s thick windscreen pillars can cause problems at junctions and, as with most cars with swooping, coupé-like rooflines, the view out of the back gives you a good idea of what it must be like to be trapped inside a post box. To help mitigate this, all models get front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. A high-definition 360-degree camera comes as standard on Shine Plus models.
In higher-spec cars you get a large 12.0in landscape-oriented touchscreen (which shrinks to 8.0in with Pure trim) mounted high up on the dashboard. It isn’t as user friendly as the infotainment systems you get in the Santa Fe or Sorento, but the graphics are pleasingly crisp and the screen responds fairly quickly to inputs. Better yet, you get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring – a first for Citroën.
Interior quality is also impressive, with a pleasing palette of materials on show, from wood inserts to ‘Paloma’ leather with a ‘perforated chevron design’ on our range-topping Shine Plus test car. The whole interior feels a real step up from the C5 Aircross and, unlike in that model, you also get physical controls to adjust the temperature. There’s no need to faff around with the touchscreen.
Unsurprisingly, there’s acres of legroom in the rear, but that coupé-like roofline means headroom is acceptable rather than plentiful; those more than six feet tall might feel their hair brushing the headlining.
Boot space isn’t brilliant, either. At 545 litres (485 litres for the PHEV) there’s still enough space to cater for most families’ needs, but the C5X can’t compete with larger, boxier rivals, such as the Santa Fe.
Keyword: 2022 Citroën C5X review: price, specs and release date