2021 Citroen C5 Aircross India review, test drive

Simply how quirky is the Citroen C5 Aircross’ type? 

We’re used to describing automobiles with phrases like sporty, glossy, muscular, butch, refined and so forth. However with the C5, it’s laborious to provide you with acquainted terminology, so let’s simply go along with stylish, coincidentally a French phrase.

The C5 Aircross has an ‘odd but engaging’ look with it is multi-layered entrance and distinctive blocky styling parts.

The C5 does a great job of balancing the ‘odd but engaging’ look, the multi-layered entrance has the double-chevron brand extending out into two chrome strips encapsulating the DRLs. Under are the LED projector headlights flanking a slightly unconventional grille design that has an extra air consumption slot under. The bumper consumption is flanked by a few fake inlets, and fog lights sit on the excessive ends. All in, the entrance has a load of design parts and judging by the reactions we obtained, whereas many will prefer it, some might discover it extreme.

On the rear the taillamps with 4 rectangular, 3D LED modules are the standout function.

On the sides, the doorways are easily contoured, however the edges under have mouldings with some blocky styling parts. On our gray take a look at automotive – as additionally on two different physique colors – there are silver accents on the facet moulding, beneath the roof rails and likewise on the entrance bumper. On the white automotive, nonetheless, these are carried out up in orange and look fairly interesting and funky. All automobiles get 18-inch alloys which have a neat swirl-like sample. The rear has a pair of faux air and exhaust shops but it surely’s the tail-lights which can be the standout function, with every housing 4 rectangular, 3D LED modules which can be eye-catching even in daylight.

Does quirky apply to the Citroen C5 interiors too?

The block-like exterior design particulars are in abundance on the within too. The seats have a block-stitched floor and are fairly retro cool, due to the gray tones offset by the white stripe.The door pads even have embossed blocks, and the handles are equally styled. Even the steering wheel is sort of a ‘squircle’ with the underside and high edges flattened. Every aircon vent can be break up into two separate cubes, although they function as a single unit.

The block like design parts function inside as nicely with the seat upholstery, distinctive cube-like air-con vents and ‘squircle’ steering.

Whereas some might discover this detailing overdone, it is tastefully executed, and the design seems to be refreshing. The instrumentation is a bit too radical although and the ‘Dial’ show mode (precisely what it’s known as) has something however dials! The tachometer is a bar graph, there a numeric read-out for the velocity and an extra slide-rule velocity show. It’s all very unconventional and really French I assume, but it surely actually isn’t simple to learn. Additionally, regardless of the instrument cluster being a configurable digital display, there’s no possibility for a dial show, not even within the different two modes. Toggle to Private and you’ll select to show information on the stereo features, while in Minimal, the one read-outs you get are speedo and odo, even the gas gauge is knocked out. The 8.0-inch touchscreen has no house web page however you possibly can instantly entry particular person features and their settings by the poking the icons on the contact panel under.

The digital instrument cluster is customiseable however does not supply an possibility for a dial show. Bar-like tacho not simple to learn.

The C5 Aircross is available in two variations – Really feel and Shine – and each are nicely outfitted, with the bottom Really feel variant shedding out solely on the panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps and a hands-free tailgate, which is commonplace on the Shine. This implies even the bottom Really feel model will get goodies like an electrical regulate driver’s seat, dual-zone auto local weather management, an air-quality system, exterior puddle lamps, and a touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Lacking although are bits like wi-fi charging, an electrical regulate passenger seat and connected-car tech.

8.0-inch touchscreen has no homescreen however particular person features may be accessed through a touch-sensitive panel under the show.

Security gear commonplace on each variants contains six airbags, ABS, ESP, terrain management modes with hill descent, blind spot warning, espresso break alert, auto park help, and a rear digicam that additionally stitches a 360-degree view with previous footage, this implies although that solely the rear has a stay feed.

Seatbelt reminders for rear occupants as nicely

Is the Citroen C5 consolation as a lot because it’s made out to be?

Citroen actually are speaking up ‘consolation’ – it’s just about the USP or cornerstone for the corporate globally –and when you’re previous the slightly unconventional interiors, you’ll discover the large quantity of area.

The C5 is wider, taller and longer than each, the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson, and by a great margin, too, while you take a look on the ample room inside. Given the automotive’s size – and one take a look at the deep boot – it’s evident that legroom might have been higher, but it surely’s adequate. Making the most of the broad cabin, Citroen has plonked in three unbiased and similar rear seats, and with every being able to slip and recline (additionally fold);there’s no have to combat over who has to sit down within the centre.

Legroom is adequate whereas head and shoulder room is in abundance. Seats are comfortable although lumbar assist is a contact extreme.

The slide adjustment additionally means that you can stagger three giant passengers to make a bit extra shoulder room; the centre seat too will get a height-adjustable head restraint and a three-point seat belt.

It’s all a really revolutionary and distinctive setup, and as a 5-seater, the C5 actually nails it, however as a 4-seater, not fairly so. The difficulty is, being confined to a person seat, outer passengers can’t actually unfold out and make use of the empty area within the center, plus you additionally miss out on an arm relaxation. So simply how snug the rear seats are actually depends upon your particular person utilization sample.

Distinctive to the C5 Aircross are the three unbiased rear seats than can slide, recline and fold individually.

The seats themselves are comfortable sufficient, the froth density is nearly proper, although lumbar assist is a contact extreme on the rear. The entrance seats are extremely comfortable and good and broad as nicely. An extended day on the wheel didn’t go away us with any aches and pains.

Entrance seats are broad and extremely comfortable.

There’s loads of cargo area too and whereas the boot is giant, at 580 litres, what is really spectacular is in-cabin storage, which Citroen says provides as much as 33 litres. The door pockets, cubby holes and the cellphone tray are all actually huge and deep, and the centre console storage field is straightforward huge; fortunately, it’s illuminated, which makes it simple to seek out small objects, particularly when it’s darkish.

What’s the Citroen C5 drive like?

The moment you twirl the wheel, you realise that the consolation focus or ‘Citroen Superior Consolation’ programme, as the corporate calls it, extends to your complete drive expertise too. The steering could be very mild and it’s simple to manoeuvre the C5 by means of metropolis site visitors. Even at velocity, effort stays mild and whereas there’s a Sport mode, it has solely a small impact on steering really feel, as additionally on powertrain responsiveness. This can be a automotive squarely geared toward these searching for a relaxed and pleasing drive.

2.0-litre diesel develops 177hp and 400Nm of torque and delivers energy in a powerful and linear method. It is also very clean and refined.

In case you assume this implies a meek engine, you’ll be improper – the two.0-litre diesel makes 177hp and 400Nm of torque, and energy supply is sweet and powerful. Holding with the automobiles character, it’s additionally very linear, with no spikes and surges, even in Sport mode. Half-throttle response is nice and while you put your foot down at nearly any velocity and also you’ll be rewarded with a pleasant robust surge forward.

In our checks, we clocked 9.61sec for the 0-100kph sprint, which for reference is faster than the diesel Compass’ time of 10.30sec. Roll-on occasions are spectacular as nicely – 20-80kph is available in at 5.89sec, whereas 40-100kph takes 7.71sec; this, too, is faster than the Compass, which takes 6.05sec and eight.36sec, respectively. 

Amplifying the engine’s energy is the 8-speed gearbox that doesn’t rush by means of its cogs and holds on to decrease gears for longer, this implies you’re seldom out of the meaty energy band, which begins at round 1,800rpm and builds properly until someplace across the 4,000rpm mark. I say ‘someplace’ because it’s almost not possible to precisely learn the tacho bar, and regardless of the drive mode, and even in the event you’re in full guide mode and shifting with the paddles, the automotive will upshift. It’s all about consolation then, no noisy engine, although at larger revs, you possibly can hear the diesel drone inside.

8-speed auto ‘field retains the SUV within the meat of the powerband and can routinely upshift at round 4,000 rpm even in guide mode.

Which brings me to cabin insulation – along with the common sound-deadening supplies, the C5 makes use of double-laminated entrance home windows and a windshield glass that lowers sound ranges. It does work and for many elements, cruising within the C5 is a quiet affair, although over some highway surfaces, you hear tyre noise and over sharp ruts and edges, you’ll hear a ‘whack’ from the suspension.

What does the Citroen C5 suspension really feel like?

Other than some sharp edges that catch the suspension out, the C5 does as marketed, which is to sail over unhealthy roads and ship a very nice and pliant trip. Damaged surfaces and stripped away tarmac don’t hassle the automotive and sustaining excessive speeds over unhealthy stretches could be very simple. The key right here is the C5’s dampers or what Citroen name ‘Progressive Hydraulic Cushions’.

Citroen’s ‘Progresive Hydraulic Cushions’ suspension soaks up unhealthy roads and off highway trails properly although you’ll really feel a thud over sharp edges.

They utilise extra springs inside and, importantly, hydraulic chambers as bump stops (common bump stops are sometimes rubber).These regularly or progressively decelerate the damper stroke, giving the automotive a wafting-on-air type of really feel. On the flipside, this additionally liable for the thuds that filter by means of over sharp edges. It’s because, because the compression builds up, the efficient damping fee rises sharply, just like air springs wherein the air compresses quickly in the direction of the stiff finish of their journey.

The Aircross’ softer suspension does result in some physique roll and the nostril tends to bob beneath aggressive braking, however grip is superb.

On the entire although, the trip high quality is actually a excessive level for the C5, and for almost all of its suspension journey, it should really feel very pliant and composed, providing you with a pleasant and plush trip. This does imply that dealing with isn’t its forte although, whereas tyre grip is nice, the softer springs imply there may be physique roll and also you’ll even discover some additional pitch that will get the nostril bobbing while you dab the spongy brake pedal a bit aggressively. Arrange for consolation, the C5 doesn’t have the sharp responses of, say, a Compass. What it additionally misses out on is four-wheel drive, however there are terrain response modes for higher traction over free surfaces like mud and snow, and there’s additionally a hill descent mode.

No four-wheel drive however terrain response modes will let you alter energy supply and braking traits for higher traction over free surfaces.

You may deal with an odd off-beaten path, however this isn’t one thing to beat a brand new path into the forest with, nor one thing you’d throw corners at, however the firm makes no apologies about that. This can be a automotive aimed squarely at these searching for a relaxed and pleasing drive, and it delivers that in spades.

Do you have to purchase the Citroen C5 Aircross?

Citroen could be very a lot the newcomer – it’s model that hasn’t existed in fashionable India till now and is essentially unknown. However to compensate for the dearth of brand name consciousness, don’t anticipate Citroen to peg the C5 at an aggressively low value. The C5 is unlikely to be low-cost and in keeping with firm sources the entry variant might be pegged at round Rs 30 lakh. At that value, there received’t be many takers for the C5 however with solely 10 sellers to start with, clearly, volumes is just not the goal. The corporate believes it’s right here for the lengthy haul and needs its services and products to talk for themselves. Like their high fashion style then, the French consider in paying for what you get, additionally a lot akin to excessive style, it’s not for everybody.

The C5 isn’t for these searching for sharp dealing with or critical off-roading, nor will these revolutionary rear seats be what the only, chauffeur-driven proprietor is searching for. However that’s precisely what makes the C5 so nice, it isn’t making an attempt to please all, slightly it’s chosen a set of parameters and determined to essentially double down on these.