What is it?
The C5 Aircross is a car that Citroën should have launched years ago. The French brand has never offered a true Nissan Qashqai-rivalling SUV in the UK: the C4 Cactus is too small, and while Europe got a reskinned Mitsubishi ASX in the form of the C4 Aircross, it never came here.
Though we’re driving it for the first time here, the C5 Aircross has been on sale for more than a year. Citroën prioritised China as the volume market, first unveiling the car in Shanghai in April 2017. It’s due to land with British dealers before the year is out.
By taking its time to bring this car to fruition, Citroën argues it has been able to take a considered look at the segment’s offerings and pinpoint exactly where the C5 Aircross should be targeted. And it’s decided that comfort and practicality are two qualities conspicuous by their absence.
Unsurprisingly, the new car sits on the PSA Group’s EMP2 platform, shared with its Peugeot 3008, Vauxhall Grandland X and DS 7 Crossback siblings. All of the important oily bits from those cars are carried over to Citroën's SUV, including a broadly identical engine range. But, aside from the cheerfully un-aggressive styling, there are a few unique features.
It’s the second model, after the C4 Cactus, to make use of Citroën's rally-derived Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension - unique to the brand - which aims to revive some of the ‘magic carpet’ feeling old Citroens with hydropneumatic suspension were renowned for, but without the complexity.
The brand’s wide-reaching ‘Advanced Comfort’ programme also brings seats that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end furniture store, acoustic glass and additional engine bay soundproofing.
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Citroen has never had a
Citroen has never had a qashqai rivaling suv, what about the c-crosser? The one based on the Mitsubishi outlander? As for this, I await a uk roads test drive.
Yet another car damned...
...by Autocar faint praise.
faintly damning
Mainly concerned with dynamics, some plus points, very few other 4.5 metre SUV's with 180bhp and autobox below 130g/km (often applied company car ceiling) if you want a petrol to get away from diesels.
Equipment levels are high, you won't get adaptive cruise with lane keeping function in a Landrover at these prices.
It seems strange Citroen would sign off the release of the car if the suspension its promoted for doesn't really perform that well, so I look forward to testing it for myself.
I think the real competition for the Citroen will be the CR-V Hybrid due around the same time early next year, early indications are it rides well with high refinement, high equipment levels and will also be about 180bhp auto (no gearbox actually), but will also be in a choice of 2 or 4wd with similar emissions as the Citroen.