Citroën C5 Aircross

Citroën C5 Aircross (2018 – present) | Expert Rating [hide]

Summary

The Citroën C5 Aircross is a medium-sized SUV/crossover. It was initially launched in China, with European sales starting in late 2018. It basically replaces the Citroën C4 Aircross and C5 estate models.

The C5 Aircross has received consistently good reviews from the UK media since it was launched. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 71% as of October 2021, which is quite high for this sector and puts it ahead of most of its rivals – although still behind its class-leading sister model, the Peugeot 3008. It’s also the best score of the Citroën models we have collected ratings for over the last year.

The Citroën C5 Aircross has received particular praise for providing a very comfortable ride (at the expense of handling) and clever interior design. Its exterior styling is distinctive, which can be somewhat polarising.

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door SUV/crossoverEngines: petrol, diesel
Price: From £23,230 on-road

Launched: Winter 2018/19Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

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Media reviews

Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

The Car Expert

Score: 8 / 10“The Citroen C5 Aircross will turn some buyers away with its looks while attracting others. But this newcomer is right up with the best in its overcrowded segment and very much worth checking out.”
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Auto Express

Model reviewed: HybridScore: 7 / 10“The Citroën C5 Aircross builds on the refinement offered by petrol and diesel versions with a smooth powertrain, but it also shares the same lifeless steering and peculiar ride. It’s still close to matching the appeal of its sister model, the Peugeot 3008, for a lower price.”
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Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol automatic Flair PlusScore: 8 / 10“By adding this more affordable, more economical engine and gearbox combination to the range in place of the old PureTech 180, Citroën has boosted the appeal of the C5 Aircross. The engine is punchy and economical, and while the gearbox isn’t the fastest, it is smooth.”
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Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 7 / 10“The Citroen C5 Aircross SUV brings concept car design and cushioned comfort to a hotly contested market segment.”
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Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 8 / 10“The Citroën C5 Aircross is a mid-size SUV that majors on equipment, practicality, comfort and funky styling. It’s a really good all-rounder that’ll rightly appeal to a wide range of buyers.”
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Autocar

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid automaticScore: 8 / 10“Plug-in hybrid powertrain makes Citroen’s flagship SUV more versatile, but competition is fierce”
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Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 7 / 10“There’s quite a lot to like about the Citroën C5 Aircross. It’s an interestingly designed car that’s good to sit in, with the right kinds of material in the right kind of place, and an intelligent interior design.”
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Car

Score: 8 / 10“This works, if what you want is a car that’s as much about the passengers as it is about the driver; if you want a car that looks a little bit different from the norm, but which provides all the practicality and convenience of the familiar Japanese and German contenders.”
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Car Keys

Model reviewed: Hybrid 2021Score: 8 / 10“The Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid brings bold design, plenty of standard kit and a comfortable ride to the electrified SUV class.”
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 7.8 / 10“The expectation was that the Citroen C5 Aircross would excel when it came to comfort and ride quality, and sadly it doesn’t.”
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Carwow

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 8 / 10“The Citroën C5 Aircross packs plenty of space and lots of tech into a stylish and comfortable package, but the infotainment systems in alternatives are easier to use.”
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Company Car Today

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Flair Plus“Comfortable and sensible as well as offering plenty of character inside and out, the Citroen C5 Aircross makes plenty of sense in PHEV form.”
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Model reviewed: Range reviewScore: 7.8 / 10“An efficient, good-looking crossover with a huge boot, the C5 Aircross brings Citroën into the heart of the segment, and certainly not before time.”
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Daily Mail

“Don’t expect racetrack performance. What you do get is relaxed long-legged driving that is both intuitive and calming — just what you want if you are ferrying a family around.”
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Daily Mirror

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic Flair“The new Citroën C5 Aircross might have taken a while to get here but it’s a welcome addition to the class.”
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Fleetworld

Model reviewed: Plug-in hybrid FlairScore: 8 / 10“There seems to have been an explosion of plug-in hybrid rivals in the SUV sector, many from Citroën’s sister brands DS, Peugeot, and Vauxhall. However, the C5 Aircross stands out with its impressive comfort and affordable prices.”
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Green Car Guide

Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol manual Flair+Score: 8 / 10“The Citroen C5 Aircross is good to drive, it has excellent ride quality, along with lots of space, and it offers good value for money.”
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Honest John

Score: 8 / 10“It’s very practical, looks a bit unusual and has an impressive engine line-up. It won’t appeal to enthusiastic drivers but it unashamedly focuses on comfort. And that’s not a bad thing when it comes to the family crossover market.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Range reviewScore: 8.2 / 10“A distinctive-looking and comfortable addition to a crowded SUV market”
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The Sun

“This is a well-thought-out five-seat family SUV with sliding rear seats that fold flat and a big storage bin in the central glovebox.”
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The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: Flair PureTech 180 EAT8Score: 8 / 10“A decent, honest SUV.”
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Score: 8 / 10“Trademark quirk, practicality and comfort.”
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel automatic FlairScore: 8 / 10“A stylish and likeable SUV with a strong – and pleasing – emphasis on comfort, rather than sportiness. Interior plastics and infotainment are let-downs, while the rear seats could be more generous – but their versatility, and the huge boot, help make up for that.”
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 7 / 10“The C5 Aircross busts out of the me-too SUV mould by cheerfully rejecting sportiness.”
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Score: 8 / 10“Economy is decent. You get lots of insurance-friendly safety systems too. Citroen seems to have got a handle on depreciation, as evidenced by a very decent PCP rate.”
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What Car?

Score: 8 / 10“Its ride is superb on most roads, it cruises along supremely quietly, it has a reasonable purchase price and very reasonable running costs.”
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Which?

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybridScore: 7.2 / 10“The Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid certainly looks distinctive, and with its emphasis on practicality and easy-to-live-with comfort, it makes a good choice as a family SUV. It’s also efficient, for short journeys at least.”
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Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 6.8 / 10“It’s a matter of personal taste whether you like the Citroën C5 Aircross’s styling (we think it looks great, particularly in bright colours), but there’s no argument that this is a very practical and easy-to-live-with family car.”
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Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall rating: 4 stars
Date tested: April 2019

87%

ADULT OCCUPANT

86%

CHILD OCCUPANT

58%

VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

75%

SAFETY ASSIST

Read full Euro NCAP review

Note on safety rating

The Citroën C5 Aircross received a four-star rating from Euro NCAP in standard specification, which is sold in the UK with the name ‘Feel’. The more expensive ‘Flair’ and ‘Flair Plus’ trim levels come with additional safety assist technology as standard, which gives them a five-star rating. The Feel can be optioned with this extra kit for an additional cost, which would then give it a five-star safety rating.

Eco rating

No eco rating

The Citroën C5 Aircross has not been lab tested by Green NCAP. This is a new initiative, launched in 2018 as a sister organisation to Euro NCAP. As yet, very few new cars have been tested for environmental impact by Green NCAP, and inevitable the testing programme was halted in early 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic.

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Citroën C5 Aircross has received

2021

What Car? Awards – Best Large SUV for Value

2020

DieselCar & EcoCar Top 50 – Best Medium SUV

2019

DieselCar & EcoCar Top 50 – Car of the Year + Best Medium SUV

2018

Company Car Today CCT100 Awards – Most Exciting New Car

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