2021 Citroen C5 Aircross India review, test drive

Just how quirky is the Citroen C5 Aircross’ fashion? 

We’re used to describing cars with terms like sporty, smooth, muscular, butch, complex and so on. But with the C5, it is hard to appear up with common terminology, so let’s just go with chic, coincidentally a French term.

The C5 Aircross has an ‘odd but attractive’ appear with it can be multi-layered front and exceptional blocky styling components.

The C5 does a very good position of balancing the ‘odd but attractive’ appear, the multi-layered front has the double-chevron emblem extending out into two chrome strips encapsulating the DRLs. Down below are the LED projector headlights flanking a rather unconventional grille layout that has an more air ingestion slot underneath. The bumper ingestion is flanked by a couple of faux inlets, and fog lights sit at the excessive ends. All in, the front has a load of layout components and judging by the reactions we obtained, although lots of will like it, some may find it extreme.

At the rear the taillamps with four rectangular, 3D LED modules are the standout feature.

At the sides, the doors are easily contoured, but the edges underneath have mouldings with some blocky styling components. On our grey test car or truck – as also on two other entire body colors – there are silver accents on the side moulding, beneath the roof rails and also on the front bumper. On the white car or truck, nonetheless, these are performed up in orange and appear quite interesting and funky. All cars get 18-inch alloys that have a neat swirl-like pattern. The rear has a pair of pretend air and exhaust stores but it is the tail-lights that are the standout feature, with just about every housing four rectangular, 3D LED modules that are eye-catching even in daylight.

Does quirky use to the Citroen C5 interiors too?

The block-like exterior layout facts are in abundance on the inside of too. The seats have a block-stitched surface and are quite retro amazing, thanks to the grey tones offset by the white stripe.The door pads also have embossed blocks, and the handles are similarly styled. Even the steering wheel is like a ‘squircle’ with the bottom and best edges flattened. Each and every aircon vent is also break up into two different cubes, though they run as a one device.

The block like layout components feature inside of as nicely with the seat upholstery, exceptional dice-like air-con vents and ‘squircle’ steering.

Though some may find this detailing overdone, it can be tastefully executed, and the layout seems to be refreshing. The instrumentation is a little bit too radical though and the ‘Dial’ exhibit manner (specifically what it is called) has anything but dials! The tachometer is a bar graph, there a numeric read-out for the velocity and an more slide-rule velocity exhibit. It’s all very unconventional and very French I guess, but it truly isn’t straightforward to read. Also, even with the instrument cluster remaining a configurable electronic display, there is no choice for a dial exhibit, not even in the other two modes. Toggle to Particular and you can opt for to exhibit info on the stereo functions, although in Minimal, the only read-outs you get are speedo and odo, even the fuel gauge is knocked out. The eight.-inch touchscreen has no household web page but you can instantly obtain unique functions and their options by the poking the icons on the touch panel underneath.

The electronic instrument cluster is customiseable but would not offer an choice for a dial exhibit. Bar-like tacho not straightforward to read.

The C5 Aircross will come in two variations – Come to feel and Shine – and the two are nicely outfitted, with the foundation Come to feel variant shedding out only on the panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps and a arms-no cost tailgate, which is regular on the Shine. This means even the foundation Come to feel edition receives goodies like an electric alter driver’s seat, twin-zone vehicle weather manage, an air-excellent technique, outdoors puddle lamps, and a touchscreen with Android Vehicle and Apple CarPlay. Missing though are bits like wireless charging, an electric alter passenger seat and related-car or truck tech.

eight.-inch touchscreen has no homescreen but unique functions can be accessed by using a touch-delicate panel underneath the exhibit.

Safety products regular on the two variants includes six airbags, Abs, ESP, terrain manage modes with hill descent, blind place warning, coffee break inform, vehicle park help, and a rear digicam that also stitches a 360-diploma view with past footage, this means though that only the rear has a are living feed.

Seatbelt reminders for rear occupants as nicely

Is the Citroen C5 comfort as considerably as it is built out to be?

Citroen undoubtedly are speaking up ‘comfort’ – it is pretty considerably the USP or cornerstone for the firm globally –and once you’re past the rather unconventional interiors, you are going to detect the huge sum of place.

The C5 is broader, taller and for a longer time than the two, the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson, and by a very good margin, too, when you have a appear at the enough home inside of. Supplied the car’s duration – and a single appear at the deep boot – it is obvious that legroom could have been superior, but it is adequate. Using gain of the wide cabin, Citroen has plonked in a few impartial and identical rear seats, and with just about every possessing the means to slide and recline (also fold)there is no need to have to struggle more than who has to sit in the centre.

Legroom is adequate although head and shoulder home is in abundance. Seats are cozy though lumbar aid is a touch extreme.

The slide adjustment also enables you to stagger a few large travellers to make a very little much more shoulder home the centre seat too receives a peak-adjustable head restraint and a a few-issue seat belt.

It’s all a very impressive and exceptional setup, and as a five-seater, the C5 truly nails it, but as a 4-seater, not quite so. The difficulties is, remaining confined to an unique seat, outer travellers just cannot truly unfold out and make use of the empty place in the center, as well as you also overlook out on an arm rest. So just how comfy the rear seats are truly relies upon on your unique use pattern.

Exclusive to the C5 Aircross are the a few impartial rear seats than can slide, recline and fold independently.

The seats them selves are cozy plenty of, the foam density is just about right, though lumbar aid is a touch extreme at the rear. The front seats are exceptionally cozy and wonderful and wide as nicely. A very long working day at the wheel didn’t leave us with any aches and pains.

Entrance seats are wide and exceptionally cozy.

There is a great deal of cargo place too and although the boot is large, at 580 litres, what is actually outstanding is in-cabin storage, which Citroen claims adds up to 33 litres. The door pockets, cubby holes and the phone tray are all truly significant and deep, and the centre console storage box is uncomplicated huge luckily, it is illuminated, which would make it straightforward to find smaller merchandise, specifically when it is dim.

What is the Citroen C5 generate like?

The quick you twirl the wheel, you realise that the comfort focus or ‘Citroen Advanced Comfort’ programme, as the firm phone calls it, extends to the full generate encounter too. The steering is very light-weight and it is straightforward to manoeuvre the C5 by means of metropolis targeted visitors. Even at velocity, hard work stays light-weight and although there is a Sport manner, it has only a smaller outcome on steering come to feel, as also on powertrain responsiveness. This is a car or truck squarely aimed at those trying to get a relaxed and enjoyable generate.

2.-litre diesel develops 177hp and 400Nm of torque and delivers electricity in a solid and linear fashion. It really is also very smooth and refined.

If you feel this means a meek engine, you are going to be wrong – the 2.-litre diesel would make 177hp and 400Nm of torque, and electricity delivery is wonderful and solid. Retaining with the cars character, it is also very linear, with no spikes and surges, even in Sport manner. Section-throttle reaction is very good and when you place your foot down at pretty much any velocity and you are going to be rewarded with a wonderful solid surge in advance.

In our tests, we clocked nine.61sec for the -100kph dash, which for reference is more quickly than the diesel Compass’ time of 10.30sec. Roll-on occasions are outstanding as nicely – twenty-80kph will come in at five.89sec, although forty-100kph requires 7.71sec this, too, is more quickly than the Compass, which requires 6.05sec and eight.36sec, respectively. 

Amplifying the engine’s toughness is the eight-velocity gearbox that does not hurry by means of its cogs and holds on to lessen gears for for a longer time, this means you’re rarely out of the meaty electricity band, which begins at all around one,800rpm and builds properly till someplace all around the 4,000rpm mark. I say ‘somewhere’ as it is just about unattainable to correctly read the tacho bar, and no make a difference the generate manner, or even if you’re in comprehensive guide manner and shifting with the paddles, the car or truck will upshift. It’s all about comfort then, no noisy engine, though at increased revs, you can hear the diesel drone inside of.

eight-velocity vehicle ‘box keeps the SUV in the meat of the powerband and will immediately upshift at all around 4,000 rpm even in guide manner.

Which delivers me to cabin insulation – in addition to the common seem-deadening elements, the C5 employs double-laminated front home windows and a windshield glass that lowers seem ranges. It does get the job done and for most components, cruising in the C5 is a quiet affair, though more than some road surfaces, you hear tyre sound and more than sharp ruts and edges, you will hear a ‘whack’ from the suspension.

What does the Citroen C5 suspension come to feel like?

Apart from some sharp edges that catch the suspension out, the C5 does as marketed, which is to sail more than negative roads and deliver a truly wonderful and pliant journey. Damaged surfaces and stripped absent tarmac do not trouble the car or truck and retaining substantial speeds more than negative stretches is very straightforward. The secret below is the C5’s dampers or what Citroen contact ‘Progressive Hydraulic Cushions’.

Citroen’s ‘Progresive Hydraulic Cushions’ suspension soaks up negative roads and off road trails properly though you will come to feel a thud more than sharp edges.

They utilise more springs inside of and, importantly, hydraulic chambers as bump stops (common bump stops are ordinarily rubber).These progressively or progressively slow down the damper stroke, supplying the car or truck a wafting-on-air sort of come to feel. On the flipside, this also dependable for the thuds that filter by means of more than sharp edges. This is simply because, as the compression builds up, the powerful damping rate rises sharply, related to air springs in which the air compresses swiftly toward the stiff stop of their vacation.

The Aircross’ softer suspension does guide to some entire body roll and the nose tends to bob beneath aggressive braking, but grip is very very good.

On the entire though, the journey excellent is undoubtedly a substantial issue for the C5, and for the majority of its suspension vacation, it will come to feel very pliant and composed, supplying you a wonderful and plush journey. This does necessarily mean that managing isn’t its forte though, although tyre grip is very good, the softer springs necessarily mean there is entire body roll and you are going to even detect some extra pitch that receives the nose bobbing when you dab the spongy brake pedal a very little aggressively. Established up for comfort, the C5 doesn’t have the sharp responses of, say, a Compass. What it also misses out on is four-wheel generate, but there are terrain reaction modes for superior traction more than free surfaces like mud and snow, and there is also a hill descent manner.

No four-wheel generate but terrain reaction modes permit you to change electricity delivery and braking qualities for superior traction more than free surfaces.

You can deal with an odd off-crushed path, but this isn’t anything to beat a new path into the forest with, nor anything you’d throw corners at, but the firm would make no apologies about that. This is a car or truck aimed squarely at those trying to get a relaxed and enjoyable generate, and it delivers that in spades.

Should you obtain the Citroen C5 Aircross?

Citroen is very considerably the newcomer – it is brand that has not existed in contemporary India until now and is mainly unknown. But to compensate for the deficiency of brand consciousness, really do not expect Citroen to peg the C5 at an aggressively small price. The C5 is unlikely to be low-priced and in accordance to firm resources the entry variant will be pegged at all around Rs 30 lakh. At that price, there will not be lots of takers for the C5 but with only 10 sellers to commence with, evidently, volumes is not the concentrate on. The firm thinks it is below for the very long haul and would like its goods and companies to speak for them selves. Like their haute couture style then, the French feel in paying for what you get, also considerably akin to substantial style, it is not for anyone.

The C5 isn’t for those trying to get sharp managing or significant off-roading, nor will those impressive rear seats be what the one, chauffeur-pushed owner is looking for. But that is specifically what would make the C5 so terrific, it isn’t hoping to be sure to all, rather it is selected a established of parameters and determined to truly double down on those.

The car or truck seems to be chic and will come as a breath of fresh new air, and it nails its said mission of comfort with fantastic journey excellent, outstanding refinement and an straightforward-to-generate character aided by a light-weight steering and a smooth and responsive engine. Additionally, there is enough place inside of and the products list is quite extensive too. So, although the C5 perhaps ordinarily French, its selected focus details are regular Indian demands, and that is what Citroen will undoubtedly be counting to open up a solid innings in India.

Also see:

Citroen C5 Aircross India video clip overview