Citroen C5 X

Citroen revived the C5 moniker in the form of a sport utility wagon known as the C5 X. Billed as the decent rival to the Subaru Legacy Outback, the first-ever Citroen C5 X continues the carmaker's tradition of delivering the most comfortable ride for French motorists in a new and questionable way to spend your everyday life working and traveling in the middle of your day off. Let's fire it up.

2022 Citroen C5 X

Priced at 32,900 Euros plus additional costs, which makes it cheaper to own than the Subaru Outback, the first-ever Citroen C5 X is made for a typical European motorist who would like a sport utility wagon that caters to the driver's whims of life. Whether it's for a typical work schedule or for a quiet Sunday drive, the C5 X is built for almost everything.

In typical French car standards, the styling of the C5 X can be downright questionable judging by its high ground clearance, a sloping roofline, and the modern Citroen front face that looks cross-eyed like a Kabuki. Talk whatever you want but this is what the French called the "new normal" because that's how French cars look like these days.

2022 Citroen C5 X interior

2022 Citroen C5 X interior

Inside, the C5 X's dashboard can be highly mistaken for a BMW because of the similar layout. Despite having a long touchscreen that controls the navigation, media, and smartphone connectivity, there are buttons and switches that control the volume and air conditioning, which is pretty nice for a Citroen. As for the passenger space, meanwhile, despite being shorter and less spacious compared to the Outback, the boot space is roomier than the old C5 Tourer from several decades ago even with the rear seats present. Good or bad, it doesn't matter for the C5 X anyway.

2022 Citroen C5 X

Performance-wise, the C5 X features a choice of PureTech petrol and Hybrid powertrains mated exclusively with an 8-speed AT. The latter is basically a PHEV where the 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is connected to an electric motor and a Li-ion battery, generating up to 225PS of power and 360Nm of torque. It does 0-100kph in 7.9 seconds and has a 233kph top speed, meaning you can kiss your Outback goodbye. As for the fuel economy, meanwhile, it's a rather impressive 1.3L/100km combined.

Because Citroen is well-known for creating the most comfortable vehicles ever driven since the 2CV, the C5 X features the Citroen Advanced Comfort suspension, which makes it capable of handling through bumpy roads without spilling a cup of coffee. The comfortable driving goes a lot further in PHEV variants, making the journey as smooth as sitting on memory foam.

While basking through the C5 X's impressive comfort on the road, the most advanced safety features are in play, making motorists notice while on the go courtesy of its Highway Driver Assist that grants the C5 X level 2 driving, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Top 360 Vision Surround View Camera, and more.

The Citroen C5 X may be the most questionable vehicle ever to emerge from France but with levels of comfort staying true to the Citroen tradition, it truly is a sport utility wagon fit for the new normal and a proper rival to the Subaru Outback despite being shorter and less spacious than its Japanese competitor. This crossover wagon, like it or not, is ready to take on whatever life throws at it and looks like you're in for a good time with this one.

Photo: Citroen

Citroen C5 Aircross

Citroen's newest C-segment crossover, the C5 Aircross, is now on European roads after its success in the Chinese market, and while most people complain that this is just another wannabe SUV that only works on urban roads, the C5 Aircross is an ideal multipurpose crossover fit for anyone who had their hands full on today's hectic lifestyles. Let's investigate this new model hand in hand on what's it all about the C5 Aircross.

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross

One careful look on the new C5 Aircross and you know that the French really done it by turning the Aircross Concept from the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show into a production model, which is something no other carmaker done it in their lifetime, especially the ones I know. For some, the front of the new C5 Aircross can be easily mistaken for a Nissan Elgrand while the rear view is reminiscent of you-know-what. I said this due to search query reasons but the C5 Aircross wasn't really a bad crossover for looks and when you step inside...

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross interior

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross interior

The interior of the C5 Aircross is surprisingly high-tech and surprisingly comfortable for a crossover of that size and because it only has five seats, there are plenty of reasons why its sweet spot will always belong to you, except for the middle. It has a class-leading boot space so you have a lot of space to fill in from grocery shopping items to today's thrift store hauls that can annoy your sons on the way home. For work or for play, the C5 Aircross ticks all of the boxes of what a practical crossover should be and that's just the start of it.

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross

Under the hood, the C5 Aircross offers a choice of two PureTech petrol engines and two BlueHDi clean diesel engines, which you can ignore the latter due to Europe's vile hatred on diesel engines since the Dieselgate crisis. The 1.6L PureTech 180 engine has some spark to get through today's schedule and mated to an 8-speed AT, it does 0-100kph in 8.2 seconds and onwards to 219kph.

Although not exciting to drive, the C5 Aircross is made solely to become the most comfortable and modular SUV in its class courtesy of its EMP2 modular platform and Progressive Hydraulic Cushions on its suspension, which is surprisingly an evolution to Citroen's signature hydraulic suspensions that donned from the likes of the Xantia and the old C5, among many others. This suspension setup is very clever to get through rough spots as well as potholes without waking the passengers up. Now that's the Citroen magic in the making and to make the journey home more safe and secure, the C5 Aircross comes with a wide array of driver assistance technologies courtesy of its camera on the upper part of the windscreen and a radar sensor built into the front bumper. 

There are over twenty latest generation driver assistance technologies offered on the C5 Aircross and while most of the tech are surprisingly fine for a well-behaved Regular Joe, it's not friendly for speedo boys spending the rest of their time getting their cellphones and take a picture of their speedos while driving on the highway. There's your warning shot over here, speedo boy.

The C5 Aircross starts at 24,700 Euros TTC, making it one of the most reasonably priced crossovers in its class and an ideal car to start with.

Photo: Groupe PSA

The executives in France-tan's clothing: Latitude vs. C5 vs. 508

2011 Renault Latitude

2011 Citroen C5

2011 Peugeot 508

Those three executive medium sedans are from France, hence I called them the executives in France-tan's clothing. Wouldn't believe I used the "France-tan" word? Never mind, the Renault Latitude, Peugeot 508, and the Citroen C5 sedan are executive medium sedans stands out the crowd with its premium quality, performance, comfort, and everything else. The Citroen C5 and Peugeot 508 are made in France but the Renault Latitude is made in South Korea under the name Renault Samsung SM5. Come to think of it, those three are beautiful indeed but time for me to judge which of these French executive medium sedans is my pick...

In terms of overall design: I guess I can make it a three-way tie because all three got the best looks.

In terms of pricing: Let's see, the Renault Latitude Business dCi150 costs 32,500 Euros while the Peugeot 508 Access 1.6L VTi 16v 120ch BMP6 costs 23,300 Euros and the Citroen C5 Berline VTi 120 BMP6 Attraction costs 22,600 Euros, which makes the Citroen C5 the winner because of its affordability.

In terms of fuel efficiency: Since both the Citroen C5 and the Peugeot 508 are offered with the e-HDi Micro-Hybrid technology, they deserved the credit. Better luck next time, Latitude.

In terms of performance: The Renault Latitude takes over. The Renault Latitude's V6 engine has more power than the 2.2L HDi engines offered from the Citroen C5 and the Peugeot 508. It is the only Renault that offers that kind of powerful diesel engine for now.

Citroën C5 Second Generation - Phase II

2011 Citroen C5

The second generation Citroen C5 positioned as the flagship executive sedan that counters against rivals such as the Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord, Renault Laguna, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, and Volkswagen Passat. Blessed with the dynamic styling cues that is "more German" than being French, the Citroen C5, in sedan and tourer grades, became a must have since it won the 2009 Semperit Irish Car of the Year and the 2008-2009 Japan Import Car of the Year.

In 2010, the Citroen C5 sedan and tourer are progressed even further by receiving its minor change. The minor change changes the headlamps' design by adding some kind of new "Dark Crystal" treatment and the tail lamp design has changed. The new face lift provides distinctive styling for their discriminative tastes. Also improved for Phase II is the improved Hydractive Suspension for the finest handling and cornering efficiency no matter which road conditions you're on such as dry tarmac, leafy roads, snowy roads, or cruising in the rain.

A new engine is added on the Citroen C5 II Phase II, which is none other than the new e-HDi 110 FAP engine equipped with micro-hybrid technology. The micro-hybrid technology provides an idling stop function that brings the e-HDi engine to a complete halt while being stationary, like for instance stopping at the red light. The primary transmission on the e-HDi 110 FAP engine is the 6-speed electronic-controlled manual transmission with paddle shifters. If you're not into that engine, there are other engine types available such as the HDi 140 FAP, HDi 160 FAP, V6 HDi 240 FAP, HDi 110 FAP, HDi 200 FAP, VTi 120, and the turbocharged THP 155.

My thoughts about the C5:
Citroen's flagship executive medium sedan, the C5, is much more than gaining its modest looks and modest behavior only a sophisticated executive would offer. With the second-generation Citroen C5 now on its second phase, it aims to be an efficient eco-car thanks to the new e-HDi engine with micro-hybrid technology. What's more enjoyable is the updated Hydractive Suspension for increased cornering levels. The new C5 sedan and tourer is the best of both worlds.

Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroen