Citroen keeps faith in large cars with the C5 X
Citroën has another stab at a large car with the C5 X, which tries to be, at once, an SUV, a saloon and an estate
Once famed for the elegant, quirky and innovative DS, CX and XM, Citroën’s efforts in the segment of large saloon and estate cars have not been particularly successful in Europe, as customers moved to SUVs and premium brands. Undeterred, the French brand has unveiled the C5 X, which takes the crossover concept to another level by trying to be an estate, a saloon and an SUV, all at the same time. It’s not a million miles away from the SUV-esque C4 and e-C4.
Although the ‘chunky estate’ shape is reminiscent of the old DS5 (née Citroën DS5), it gains Citroën’s much more distinctive 2020s family face, a tall ride height to please SUV-mad buyers, a minimalist and roomy interior and a range of modern hybrid powertrains.
The mechanicals will be mostly familiar from other PSA models. The only powertrain announced so far is a 225hp plug-in hybrid that combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine driving the front wheels with a battery, an electric motor and an automatic gearbox. Regular petrol options will be available as well.
Although the company has long abandoned the signature hydropneumatic suspension that gave Citroëns of old their ‘magic carpet’ ride quality, it is once again aiming for ultimate comfort by giving the C5 X an adjustable version of its ‘Citroën Advanced Comfort Active suspension’.
Citroën says that the design follows on from the 2016 CXperience concept and that the “long bonnet, fluid lines, high waistline and distinctive kick above the rear wheels bring distinction and dynamism, as well as providing a strong visual link to Citroen’s rich history of flagship models, including CX.”
The elongated body and tall stance do indeed evoke the CX somewhat. However, the notch in the beltline at the end of the rear door and the gradually sloping roofline that ends in a boot spoiler is much more reminiscent of the XM saloon of the 90s.
The large wheels, black plastic wheel arches, high belt line and the busy detailing with a chrome strip over the windows are much more contemporary. Squared-off creases around the wheel arches reinforce the tough SUV look.
The front of the C5 X sports the current Citroën family style with slim LED daytime running lights on top that angle back into the larger main light clusters below. Citroën calls it a V-shaped light signature that is mirrored in the rear light clusters.
The whole front fascia is tied together by two chrome strips that extend from the Citroën logo. The rear is altogether more conventional, with large lights, black cladding and two faux exhaust pipes. What stands out most is the narrow ‘ducktail’ spoiler, which was a must for sporty cars in the 80s.
Citroën has been on an offensive the last few years to make its interior comfort and style a USP. The C5 X features so-called Advanced Comfort seats that, unlike the seats in most cars, aren’t pretending to be sporty with lots of bolstering. Instead, they have layers of thickened structured foam and high-density foam, topped with a padding that works like a mattress topper for ultimate comfort.
The dashboard uses a strip of matte wood and novel textures that aren’t the typical elephant hide that is found on most cars. Citroën says that there will be extensive personalisation options, but all finishes combine carefully chosen materials that exude warmth and quality with a real attention to detail.
In the middle of the dash is a large glossy black panel with a 12-inch touchscreen. It does retain physical knobs and buttons for the climate control.
It will be intruiging to see if the C5 X catches on, as it is certainly distinctive. At the same time, it has internal competition from its Stellantis stablemates, the Peugeot 508 and the DS9, while other saloons and estates such as the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, the Renault Talisman and the Ford Mondeo are not long for this world as SUVs and offerings from premium manufacturers prove more popular.