Citroen C5 2008-2016 verdict

There are so many good points about the Citroën C5, and so few bad ones, that it’s hard not to be impressed by the overall driving experience. Inside and out, we like the way it looks and we love the way it feels in terms of quality.

Citroën designers' "big thing" has been to make this car appeal to owners who would normally only consider a German badge, and mostly they have succeeded. The C5 has a pervading feeling of quality and polish even against Ford's Mondeo, itself a thoroughly decent class leader.

Great styling, quality and ride, but it’s never going to be exciting to drive

Matt Prior

Editor-at-large

Yet we can’t also help feeling that, purely as a device to drive, the C5 is lacking beside its best rivals. As a car to travel in, it’s refined, comfortable and impressively soothing on long journeys. From behind the wheel, though, it is no match for the Mondeo or the latest Mazda 6. But it’s an interesting alternative, and one that looks unusually good on the road.