Citroen C5 Aircross: First Drive Review

Now Citroen claims best in class noise insulation in the cabin and we must say its really good, but every time the throttle comes into play, a slight diesel thrum is always present. But its almost absent at cruising speeds.

But what is phenomenal is the throttle response. Its immediate with no lag whatsoever. Bags of torque along with the well-spaced gear ratios mean the C5 has the performance whenever you call for it. Gearshifts are also quick and you also get the convenience of paddle shifters. The strong performance is further complimented by good fuel efficiency and Citroen claims a figure of 18.6 kmpl.

Now that’s a lot of technical mumbo jumbo, but does it work? Well its a yes and a no. Driving it around you get a wafting feel like you get in cars with air suspension and that does feel comfy. But low speed bumps especially the sharp ones are felt. Infact at lower speeds the ride quality is good but not much to talk about. Its only when the speeds get above 60kmph that the suspension really gets into its stride absorbing undulations.

On the handling front, the C5 feels surefooted. the steering might not have too much feel but its quick and helps changing directions quickly. But its no corner carver. the tall dimensions and soft suspension setup means there is body roll so its best to take it easy in the corners. Overall the C5 Aircross feels plenty comfortable but not ground breakingly so.

The instrument binnacle is even better. It’s a 12.3-inch digital cluster and can be customized with three graphic modes – Personal, Dual, and Minimum and it looks quite fancy with all the information in front of you. Its also a very practical cabin. The large compartment under the central armrest has a section that can carry a 1.5L bottle, whilst the glove box and door pockets are roomy too. You’ll also get a large storage area at the front of the centre console.

Now lets talk about the seats. Now the C5’s USP is comfort and while one of the key parameters for it is the ride quality, Citroen has also paid special attention to the seats.

For starters they look and feel special. The seats are grey grained leather with a light grey band. But more than just looking special, Citroen claims that along with broad cushions and seatbacks, you also get high density foam at the base and thick textured foam at the surface. And boy do they work well. You get lumbar support as well and there is adequate support all around to make the journeys comfortable. While the driver seat is electrically adjustable, the co-passenger needs to do the adjustments manually. The only thing missing is ventilation which would have made it perfect.

Moving on to the back bench, there is plenty of legroom and the seats are just as comfortable, but they can become even more comfortable because in actuality these are three independent seats which can be reclined or folded down to a flat floor for fitting in the extra luggage.

Even the boot has plenty of space. You do get an electric tail-gate but in the top shine variant. With all the seats in place it has a humongous 580 litres of boot space. Move the rear seats to their furthest forward position and you’ve got up to 720L, giving you the most generous boot in its class. With the modular rear seats folded away, there’s an amazing 1630L of boot space available.