MOTORS: Citroen C5 Aircross exudes quiet sophistication
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Despite their sometimes fragile and flimsy appearance, Citroens have always been surprisingly capable.
From the days of the classic 2CV much-loved by French farmers for negotiating ploughed fields, they’ve had a remarkable ability to combine ability with gentle comfort.
That goes for the latest C5 Aircross e-series hybrid, described as a “Comfort Class” SUV – a softroader with a new powertrain and 48V battery pack that re-charges automatically on deceleration to back-up the 1.2 litre PureTech petrol engine.
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It is coupled to a new electrified dual-clutch and a 21kW electric motor and the system comes together to allow electric-only driving around town to reduce fuel consumption by around 30 per cent and cut CO2 emissions by 15 per cent over the petrol-only version.
It’s all about efficiency, getting the most from the three-cylinder engine while keeping down emissions. The electric motor also gives a boost of an extra 9kW which is roughly 12hp when the petrol engine benefits from a helping hand on acceleration.
The battery pack is fitted under the front passenger seat, so there is no loss of space in the boot or for passengers in the rear seats.
On the road, the light steering is fine for slow manoeuvring but combined with the characteristic soft Citroen suspension makes it feel a bit wallowy on the open road.
Having said that, the ride is forgiving of our questionable road surfaces and absorbs ruts and ridges if not potholes with barely a murmur.
There is the option of selecting Sport on the drive mode which makes the steering a touch stiffer but even then you still feel a little detached from what’s going on with the front wheels.
The electric set-up helps maintain a quiet environment inside and there’s very little wind and road noise, although you do notice whenever the petrol engine kicks in.
Along with the comfortable soft seats, which could do with a bit more side bolstering, the cabin is a pleasant place to be and there’s plenty of adjustment on the seat and steering wheel to get exactly the right position.
The ride height is good with plenty of visibility all round and the rear-view camera and parking sensors are valuable for squeezing into tight spaces.
The dash is dominated by a 12.3-inch digital display which can be customised with a range of colours, including a dramatic red which gives the car a more sporty look and image than the technical set-up delivers in performance.
It’s clear and concise but I found it slow to respond and would have liked it to be more sensitive but then that could be troublesome in itself.
You have to go into the screen to adjust the climate control where a physical set of buttons would be better and less distracting while on the move. It was good to see a separate button to disable the irritating lane departure control – something which I wish all cars had.
The lack of sensitivity extended to the start/stop button. You have to be very decisive when starting up or shutting down the engine or it doesn’t respond.
It’s quite a compact car so it comes only as a five-seater, which are all fully adult-sized in the back and they can be moved forward and back or folded and reclined independently.
The panoramic glass sunroof with opening front section and electric sliding sunblind gives a great airy feel to the interior but the downside is that lowers the headroom for tall rear seat passengers.
Boot space is pretty good, helped by the large powered tailgate and height-adjustable boot floor, which offers extra out-of-sight secure storage.
Externally, the car is somewhat understated and lacks some of the classic Citroen avant-garde features but in the test car’s platinum grey paintwork with black highlights and black gloss ‘art’ alloys it exudes an image of quiet sophistication.
CAR: Citroen C5 Aircross e-series hybrid eDSC6 auto
PRICE: £33,475 (£34,670 as tested)
ENGINE: 1199cc 3-cyl transverse turbo petrol 6-speed auto + 21 kW electric motor
POWER: 134 bhp
TORQUE: 230 Nm
TOP SPEED: 124mph
0-62mph: 10.2 secs
TOWING CAPACITY: 1250 kgs (braked)
ECONOMY: 49 mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 130 g/km
