What’s new?
Citroen’s attitude towards selling Mondeo-rivals, for one thing: the famous double-chevron is deadly serious about its new C5. Having settled, since 2001, for under 10,000 sales a year of a loveable but funny-looking contender in the 300,000-a-year European D-segment, the company has unveiled a replacement whose much more imposing design meets rivals head-on, and starts under £16,000.
The new C5 signals two other important moves: that Citroen accepts Ford’s and Renault’s conclusion — evident from the styling of the new Mondeo and Laguna — that today’s mainstream saloon buyers want their cars impressive but fundamentally conservative. It also shows that Citroen is seriously considering dropping its unique, 50-year-old “springless” suspension system, nowadays called Hydractive 3 Plus.
When the car hits UK showrooms in May, C5 buyers will be able to choose either a Hydractive or a conventional steel-sprung version whose main components, like the chassis, have a relationship with its cousin, the Peugeot 407.
The steel-sprung C5 will attract business user-choosers, Citroen says, making no secret that these are the new buyers it wants. Demand for the two suspensions is expected to run at about 50:50.
What’s it like?
The new C5’s styling is impressive and sleek, incorporating the double-chevron badge into the leading edge of the bonnet and swapping a conventional grille for an exotically-shaped pair of headlights and a large under-bumper airscoop, as most Citroens now do.
It’s a slightly bigger car, growing 60mm in wheelbase, 40mm in length but dropping 30mm in height. The estate, launched in July, is 50mm longer again. One surprise is that the C5 saloon ditches the outgoing model’s rear hatch in favour of a conventional boot and a bustle-back. Cover up the chevrons, and this could be a Renault or a VW.
The UK engine range is comprehensive: two petrols (1.8/127bhp, 2.0/143bhp, and 3.0V6/215bhp) and four turbodiesels (1.6/110bhp, 2.0/138bhp, 2.2/173bhp, 2.7 twin-turbo V6/208bhp). The petrol engines and smallest diesel come with a five-speed manuals, but everything else gets a six-speed manual except the V6 diesel, which comes only with a six-speed auto.
The new C5’s interior is impressive but unthreatening. It uses Citroen’s unique fixed-centre steering wheel, whose boss is used for switchgear. The three main fascia dials echo this by having annular needles that run round the edge of the dials and allow their centres to be used for electronic displays. The materials give a quality feel that old model never knew, and equipment is comprehensive.
There are three trim levels (SX, VTR Plus and Exclusiv) but every car gets a cruise control and speed limiter, and all Hydractive cars come with an electric handbrake with hill-start assist. Prices and exact specs are still coming.
On test we tried both steel-suspended and Hydractive versions, establishing that in both guises the C5 preserves the reputation of bigger Citroens for quiet, long-legged cruising (courtesy of a painstaking soundproofing campaign) and soft-seat comfort. Also for low-effort, high-geared controls. These are not sporty cars in the Mondeo mould.
Should I buy one?
The new Citroen C5 is no sports car, but if you prefer your family cars on the more refined side, you’ll like it. Both steel- and air-sprung versions handle neatly, and roll comparitively little on corners. The “steel” car is a shade sharper to steer — and rides comparatively softly, courtesy of unique-to-C5 suspension rates — but it definitely lacks the special comforts of the Hydractive car, which really is amazingly soft in this day and age.
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Re: Citroën C5 2.2 HDi
Hi from Jakarta, Indonesia, Jon et al! I could not agree with you more especially on the Jaguar XF. We chased a spanking new black XF down the road last night thinking it does look sleek from the back (even if is does not look distinctive) but once we passed it, any admiration we had was lost with the front end. Even the slightly awkward Merc CLS looks better from the front.
You are absolutely on the money about the Mondeo, which is regrettable since I really liked the styling of the previous generation Mondeo; it grew on you, which cannot be said of the latest iteration.
I love the styling of the C6 - I think every curve is perfectly executed and it would be a car you come up on at night which cannot be mistaken for anything else. The C5 looks great too and I certainly hope it will bring Citroen back to Indonesia.
The only Gallic charmer we have here is Peugeot, which are hamstrung by a country management which has its collective heads up its collective nether regions. Imagine the 407 2,0 and 3.0V6 sedans with leather and everything else but no rear central armrest in a country where 99% of cars in this class are chauffeur driven! Even my '96 406 2.0 SV has a comfy central armrest.
I also must take exception to Richard Bremner's remarks about the 607. I love the 607 and would love to buy one. The only one in this country is a basic 607 belonging to the French Embassy (of course!).
But the most successful new design in my book is the Land Rover LRX. I hope they will bring it to market with the design intact and unchanged. It is, to me, the most handsome SUV ever. The ugliest SUV ever being the BMW X6 which has managed to outdo even the strangest looking of Korean SUV's and the Porsche Cayenne ..........
Re: Citroën C5 2.2 HDi
the pics look great.i wonder what it would look like in the flesh
Re: Citroën C5 2.2 HDi