ALAN DOUGLAS: Nod to past puts stunner of car the Citroen C5 X firmly in the future
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While most of the car market is focusing on SUVs and softroading crossovers, Citroen are making a comeback to the glory days of the grand tourer with their latest flagship model.
The C5 X is a nod to the iconic models of the past such as the CX and XM, combining the status of an SUV, the elegance of a large saloon and the practicality of an estate.
As well as looking good, Citroen says it offers unrivalled comfort thanks to its advanced active suspension and seats, which together create what it calls a magic carpet-like ride.
Behind the wheel of one of the first models to arrive in the UK, it was the first thing I noticed as it glided over some questionable surfaces, taking ruts and potholes in its flowing stride.
Surprisingly, even with the soft damping set up, it works well on twisty back roads without any of the expected body roll when pushed into the corners, a credit to the engineers’ skill with the active suspension.
That’s automatically adjusted using the driving modes of Electric, Hybrid or Sport which tailor the suspension accordingly.
The C5 X may celebrate the rich heritage of some of the great Citroens of the past but more importantly it shows the brand’s intentions for the future and represents a long-anticipated return to the big elegant, premium saloon area of the market.
Citroen are determined to reverse what have been a few difficult years for the brand. Just a couple of years ago they were in number one slot – but unfortunately as the most discounted brand with too much emphasis on the rental market and no online presence.
They’ve adopted a new strategy with the C5 X with no pressure on dealers to achieve volume sales, no involvement in rental and each car built to order, all of which will improve residual values for buyers.
It’s an important milestone for Citroen who want the brand to become the benchmark for the rest of the market, competing against the likes of the Mazda 6 Tourer, Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Superb Estate. From my perspective, the Citroen wins it hands down for its looks alone.
It has a strong presence at just under five metres long and almost two wide with a long sloping roof which drops down to a beefy back end with two spoilers and dramatic LED lights. From the clamshell bonnet at the front, with new chevron badging, the whole profile has been developed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, right down to the 19-inch alloys wrapped in low rolling-resistance tyres.
There’s a choice of two advanced petrol engines or a plug-in hybrid which offers up to 37 miles of electric-only range and CO2 emissions as low as 30g/km.
Prices start at just under £28,000 and there are three trim levels – Sense Plus, Shine and Shine Plus – and all come with electric heated door mirrors, accoustically-insulated windscreen and advanced comfort seats which have an extra 15 mms of memory foam padding for more support.
The designers have aimed for an interior of serenity and it is superbly plush and spacious, especially for passengers in the rear.
The featured Shine Plus plug-in hybrid has a heated steering wheel, the central touchscreen is upgraded to a 12-inch unit and advanced head-up display and the Mistral black Paloma leather seats have perforated chevron design patterns, mirroring the Citroen logo. There’s also a 360-vision camera as well as extended blind spot monitoring.
It needs it, as the view out of the narrow rear window isn’t great but that’s a small price to pay for the virtually non-existent wind or road noise and the stunning looks of the car itself.
