C5 Aircross - The comfortable option

Test Drive by Graham Breeze

With car manufacturers all looking for that winning edge in the highly competitive SUV sector Citroen has gone down the comfort route in a bid to attract buyers for the C5 Aircross.

While some in the sector are boasting top speeds and fuel figures it’s all about hydraulic cushions and advanced comfort seats in the C5 Aircross – though the car is no slouch either.

The C5 Aircross SUV is an integral part of Citroën’s renewal, and will serve to continue the brand’s strong performance in 2019 and into the next decade.

C5 Aircross comes with a muscular and powerful design with a flowing shape, punctuated with strong graphic features, including distinctive Airbump panels at the bottom of the doors – leaving you in little doubt that Citroen mean business with this model.

Three individual, sliding, folding and reclining rear seats, and boot volume ranging from 580-litres to 720-litres, and up to 1,630-litres, with the second row seats folded down, are best-in-class points too.

New C5 Aircross SUV is also equipped with 20 latest-generation driver assistance systems and six advanced connectivity technologies, so it’s little wonder it was shortlisted for some of the top car of the year awards.

So if comfort was the aim from Citroen have they achieved? Well yes is certainly the answer to that one. The brand is not famous for its ride but on this occasion it’s a smooth experience and I‘ve sat in less comfortable armchairs than the driver’s seat.

Clearly Citroen don’t see the C5’s strengths as high speed cornering and there’s a fair bit of roll in bends but the compensation come when dealing with the ever-increasing amount of pot holes on today’s roads. Much better than expected.

If personalisation is your thing you won’t be disappointed with the C5 Aircross either with a wide range of options and as many as 30 colour combinations. Personalisation extends into the cabin too, with three different choices.

Equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the latest 8-inch HD touchscreen as standard, the model also features an array of 20 safety and driver assistance technologies, including Advanced Active Safety Brake, Active Lane Departure Warning and Active Blind Spot Monitoring, all of which are standard equipment.

The model is also available with Grip Control with Hill Descent Assist for off-roading and is the first Citroën model with PHEV Plug-In Hybrid technology, arriving in early 2020.

Available in three highly specified trim levels Feel, Flair and Flair Plus, New C5 Aircross is powered by a range of efficient, high-performance PureTech petrol and BlueHDi diesel engines, and offers the latest generation EAT8 fully automatic gearbox.

We tested the Flair Blue HDi 130 eight speed automatic model. The 1499cc engine produced a top speed of 117mph and 0-62mph in 11.8seconds with combined fuel economy figures of 48mpg and C02 emission figures of 108g/km.

If safety is your consideration the C5 has plenty to offer with ABS with EBD and EBA; Dynamic Skid Control and Anti-Skid System; automatic hazard warning lights, all-round airbags and even a coffee break alert to warn the driver it’s time for a rest.

The test model had an on-the-road price of £28,425 though metallic paint, a hands free tailgate, 19 inch alloys and a panoramic roof sent the bill up to £30,790.

Will it be a winner for Citroen? Well all he signs are that the C5 Aircross is slowly building a big following in the UK as drivers settle for the comfortable option.