2021 Citroen C5 Aircross India review, test drive

Just how quirky is the Citroen C5 Aircross’ type? 

We’re employed to describing autos with words and phrases like sporty, smooth, muscular, butch, complex and so on. But with the C5, it is challenging to come up with acquainted terminology, so let’s just go with chic, coincidentally a French word.

The C5 Aircross has an ‘odd nevertheless attractive’ search with it can be multi-layered entrance and distinctive blocky styling factors.

The C5 does a good position of balancing the ‘odd nevertheless attractive’ search, the multi-layered entrance has the double-chevron symbol extending out into two chrome strips encapsulating the DRLs. Under are the LED projector headlights flanking a somewhat unconventional grille layout that has an extra air ingestion slot underneath. The bumper ingestion is flanked by a few of faux inlets, and fog lights sit at the intense ends. All in, the entrance has a load of layout factors and judging by the reactions we got, even though a lot of will like it, some might obtain it excessive.

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

At the sides, the doors are smoothly contoured, but the edges underneath have mouldings with some blocky styling factors. On our gray examination car – as also on two other human body colors – there are silver accents on the facet moulding, less than the roof rails and also on the entrance bumper. On the white car, even so, these are accomplished up in orange and search fairly desirable and funky. All autos get 18-inch alloys that have a neat swirl-like sample. The rear has a pair of bogus air and exhaust retailers but it is the tail-lights that are the standout function, with each individual housing four rectangular, 3D LED modules that are eye-catching even in daylight.

Does quirky use to the Citroen C5 interiors way too?

The block-like exterior layout specifics are in abundance on the inside way too. The seats have a block-stitched surface and are fairly retro amazing, many thanks to the gray tones offset by the white stripe.The doorway pads also have embossed blocks, and the handles are in the same way styled. Even the steering wheel is like a ‘squircle’ with the bottom and top edges flattened. Every aircon vent is also split into two independent cubes, although they operate as a one unit.

The block like layout factors function inside as perfectly with the seat upholstery, distinctive dice-like air-con vents and ‘squircle’ steering.

Although some might obtain this detailing overdone, it can be tastefully executed, and the layout appears refreshing. The instrumentation is a little bit way too radical although and the ‘Dial’ exhibit mode (precisely what it is referred to as) has everything but dials! The tachometer is a bar graph, there a numeric study-out for the pace and an extra slide-rule pace exhibit. It’s all quite unconventional and quite French I guess, but it actually isn’t quick to study. Also, even with the instrument cluster becoming a configurable electronic monitor, there is no choice for a dial exhibit, not even in the other two modes. Toggle to Personal and you can decide on to exhibit information on the stereo functions, although in Minimum, the only study-outs you get are speedo and odo, even the gasoline gauge is knocked out. The 8.-inch touchscreen has no house website page but you can straight entry unique functions and their settings by the poking the icons on the touch panel underneath.

The electronic instrument cluster is customiseable but won’t offer you an choice for a dial exhibit. Bar-like tacho not quick to study.

The C5 Aircross will come in two variations – Sense and Glow – and both of those are perfectly outfitted, with the base Sense variant dropping out only on the panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps and a fingers-cost-free tailgate, which is common on the Glow. This implies even the base Sense edition gets goodies like an electric regulate driver’s seat, dual-zone vehicle local climate manage, an air-high quality technique, outside the house puddle lamps, and a touchscreen with Android Car and Apple CarPlay. Missing although are bits like wireless charging, an electric regulate passenger seat and connected-car tech.

8.-inch touchscreen has no homescreen but unique functions can be accessed by way of a touch-sensitive panel underneath the exhibit.

Safety devices common on both of those variants includes six airbags, Ab muscles, ESP, terrain manage modes with hill descent, blind location warning, coffee crack alert, vehicle park support, and a rear camera that also stitches a 360-diploma see with past footage, this implies although that only the rear has a stay feed.

Seatbelt reminders for rear occupants as perfectly

Is the Citroen C5 convenience as significantly as it is created out to be?

Citroen unquestionably are speaking up ‘comfort’ – it is very significantly the USP or cornerstone for the company globally –and once you are past the somewhat unconventional interiors, you are going to observe the significant sum of room.

The C5 is broader, taller and for a longer time than both of those, the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson, and by a good margin, way too, when you have a search at the sufficient space inside. Presented the car’s length – and a person search at the deep boot – it is obvious that legroom could have been improved, but it is enough. Taking edge of the broad cabin, Citroen has plonked in three independent and similar rear seats, and with each individual obtaining the skill to slide and recline (also fold)there is no will need to struggle more than who has to sit in the centre.

Legroom is enough even though head and shoulder space is in abundance. Seats are comfy although lumbar assist is a touch excessive.

The slide adjustment also lets you to stagger three massive passengers to make a minor far more shoulder space the centre seat way too gets a height-adjustable head restraint and a three-level seat belt.

It’s all a quite innovative and distinctive setup, and as a five-seater, the C5 actually nails it, but as a 4-seater, not fairly so. The problems is, becoming confined to an unique seat, outer passengers just cannot actually distribute out and make use of the empty room in the middle, in addition you also pass up out on an arm relaxation. So just how comfy the rear seats are actually depends on your unique use sample.

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

The seats themselves are comfy plenty of, the foam density is just about ideal, although lumbar assist is a touch excessive at the rear. The entrance seats are unbelievably comfy and good and broad as perfectly. A extensive day at the wheel did not go away us with any aches and pains.

Front seats are broad and unbelievably comfy.

There is a great deal of cargo room way too and even though the boot is massive, at 580 litres, what is really extraordinary is in-cabin storage, which Citroen states provides up to 33 litres. The doorway pockets, cubby holes and the cellular phone tray are all actually big and deep, and the centre console storage box is uncomplicated significant fortunately, it is illuminated, which can make it quick to obtain tiny merchandise, particularly when it is darkish.

What’s the Citroen C5 travel like?

The instantaneous you twirl the wheel, you realise that the convenience aim or ‘Citroen Highly developed Comfort’ programme, as the company phone calls it, extends to the full travel expertise way too. The steering is quite light and it is quick to manoeuvre the C5 via town visitors. Even at pace, energy remains light and even though there is a Activity mode, it has only a tiny result on steering truly feel, as also on powertrain responsiveness. This is a car squarely aimed at those seeking a peaceful and fulfilling travel.

two.-litre diesel develops 177hp and 400Nm of torque and delivers electrical power in a sturdy and linear method. It is also quite clean and refined.

If you feel this implies a meek engine, you are going to be erroneous – the two.-litre diesel can make 177hp and 400Nm of torque, and electrical power delivery is good and sturdy. Keeping with the autos character, it is also quite linear, with no spikes and surges, even in Activity mode. Element-throttle response is good and when you set your foot down at pretty much any pace and you are going to be rewarded with a good sturdy surge forward.

In our tests, we clocked 9.61sec for the -100kph sprint, which for reference is quicker than the diesel Compass’ time of 10.30sec. Roll-on times are extraordinary as perfectly – 20-80kph will come in at five.89sec, even though 40-100kph takes seven.71sec this, way too, is quicker than the Compass, which takes six.05sec and 8.36sec, respectively. 

Amplifying the engine’s toughness is the 8-pace gearbox that does not hurry via its cogs and holds on to reduced gears for for a longer time, this implies you are seldom out of the meaty electrical power band, which commences at around one,800rpm and builds properly till somewhere around the 4,000rpm mark. I say ‘somewhere’ as it is virtually extremely hard to accurately study the tacho bar, and no make any difference the travel mode, or even if you are in complete manual mode and shifting with the paddles, the car will upshift. It’s all about convenience then, no noisy engine, although at larger revs, you can hear the diesel drone inside.

8-pace vehicle ‘box keeps the SUV in the meat of the powerband and will routinely upshift at around 4,000 rpm even in manual mode.

Which provides me to cabin insulation – in addition to the common sound-deadening resources, the C5 employs double-laminated entrance home windows and a windshield glass that lowers sound amounts. It does operate and for most elements, cruising in the C5 is a peaceful affair, although more than some street 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 truly feel like?

Aside from some sharp edges that catch the suspension out, the C5 does as advertised, which is to sail more than poor roadways and produce a actually good and pliant trip. Broken surfaces and stripped absent tarmac do not trouble the car and protecting significant speeds more than poor stretches is quite quick. The mystery right here is the C5’s dampers or what Citroen contact ‘Progressive Hydraulic Cushions’.

Citroen’s ‘Progresive Hydraulic Cushions’ suspension soaks up poor roadways and off street trails properly although you will truly feel a thud more than sharp edges.

They utilise extra springs inside and, importantly, hydraulic chambers as bump stops (common bump stops are ordinarily rubber).These gradually or progressively sluggish down the damper stroke, giving the car a wafting-on-air kind of truly feel. On the flipside, this also dependable for the thuds that filter via more than sharp edges. This is mainly because, as the compression builds up, the successful damping level rises sharply, equivalent to air springs in which the air compresses swiftly in direction of the rigid end of their vacation.

The Aircross’ softer suspension does direct to some human body roll and the nose tends to bob less than intense braking, but grip is quite good.

On the complete although, the trip high quality is unquestionably a significant level for the C5, and for the the vast majority of its suspension vacation, it will truly feel quite pliant and composed, giving you a good and plush trip. This does indicate that handling isn’t its forte although, even though tyre grip is good, the softer springs indicate there is human body roll and you are going to even observe some extra pitch that gets the nose bobbing when you dab the spongy brake pedal a minor aggressively. Established up for convenience, the C5 doesn’t have the sharp responses of, say, a Compass. What it also misses out on is four-wheel travel, but there are terrain response modes for improved traction more than loose surfaces like mud and snow, and there is also a hill descent mode.

No four-wheel travel but terrain response modes permit you to change electrical power delivery and braking characteristics for improved traction more than loose surfaces.

You can deal with an odd off-beaten trail, but this isn’t anything to conquer a new route into the forest with, nor anything you’d throw corners at, but the company can make no apologies about that. This is a car aimed squarely at those seeking a peaceful and fulfilling travel, and it delivers that in spades.

Really should you acquire the Citroen C5 Aircross?

Citroen is quite significantly the newcomer – it is brand that hasn’t existed in modern day India until now and is largely unknown. But to compensate for the absence of brand consciousness, don’t anticipate Citroen to peg the C5 at an aggressively reduced selling price. The C5 is unlikely to be affordable and according to company resources the entry variant will be pegged at around Rs thirty lakh. At that selling price, there will not be a lot of takers for the C5 but with only 10 dealers to commence with, evidently, volumes is not the goal. The company thinks it is right here for the extensive haul and needs its solutions and expert services to speak for themselves. Like their haute couture trend then, the French believe that in shelling out for what you get, also significantly akin to significant trend, it is not for everyone.

The C5 isn’t for those seeking sharp handling or critical off-roading, nor will those innovative rear seats be what the one, chauffeur-pushed operator is searching for. But that’s precisely what can make the C5 so wonderful, it isn’t trying to please all, somewhat it is picked out a set of parameters and determined to actually double down on those.

The car appears chic and will come as a breath of fresh air, and it nails its stated mission of convenience with wonderful trip high quality, extraordinary refinement and an quick-to-travel character aided by a light steering and a clean and responsive engine. Also, there is sufficient room inside and the devices listing is fairly comprehensive way too. So, even though the C5 it’s possible ordinarily French, its picked out aim points are regular Indian needs, and that’s what Citroen will unquestionably be counting to open up a sturdy innings in India.

Also see:

Citroen C5 Aircross India online video evaluate