First Drive: The Citroen C5 X is a big, comfortable and characterful family car

What is it?

Citroen doesn’t like to follow the crowd. Historically, the French firm has always forged its own path, with unique, sometimes quirky styling that hasn’t always been a hit. But it has always won fans for its ability to offer buyers something a bit different from the norm.

Enter the C5 X. Even by the French firm’s own admission it’s difficult to pigeon hole, being a kind of lifted estate alternative to an SUV. It’s designed to be the flagship of the firm’s range, offering supreme comfort and style. We’ve been putting it to the test to see if there’s method to the madness.

What’s new?

With this being a completely new model in the Citroen line-up, there’s a whole lot of newness to look at. For a start, there’s that fresh “avant-garde” look, while inside you’ll find the firm’s latest infotainment software, which is light years ahead of the existing system.

You also get a range of powertrains, with the best-seller undoubtedly set to be the plug-in hybrid. However, the most intriguing new aspect is the Advanced Comfort suspension system. Citroen is putting a real focus on comfort at the moment, and the latest progress on this front is an adaptive suspension system, available on the hybrid.

What’s under the bonnet?

There are two petrol engines called 130 and 180. The former is a 1.2-litre unit making 128bhp and the latter is a 1.6-litre with 178bhp. We had the chance to test the 130, and while it performed admirably considering its output it felt a little unrefined for this type of car, while more power would have been a welcome, though not essential, addition.

The pick of the range is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV), though. This combines the 1.6-litre petrol engine from the 180 with an electric motor, making 222bhp and 360Nm of torque. It can run up to 34 miles on electric power and has CO2 emissions of 30g/km, making it eligible for a low benefit in kind rate.

What’s it like to drive?

The PHEV engine suits the C5 X perfectly. When running on electric power it has the smooth, silent refinement that befits a flagship model, and the petrol engine remains quietly in the background once up to speed.

In hybrid form you have access to the adaptive suspension, giving you extra comfort when required as well as regular and sportier alternatives. It’s incredibly comfortable, though the extra weight of the batteries has required some compromise in the ride, as even without this advanced suspension the petrol rides and steers marginally better.

In fact, the non-hybrid is probably the most comfortable car you can buy at this price point. It positively wafts along, with even the most aggressive speed bumps reduced to subtle waves in the road. Impressively, there’s little roll in corners either, which is usually the trade off you’d make with a softer ride.

How does it look?

Citroen has done a fantastic job with the styling of the C5 X. It does have odd proportions that take some getting used to, with cues from saloons, estates and SUVs. However, it all comes together well, and up front, it has the imposing presence of an SUV, but without the high bonnet line.

The slim grille feeds into narrow running lights, with a sporty, angular lower bumper. The roofline is somewhere between a saloon and estate, though perhaps closer to the coupe-SUV trend that’s become so popular, thanks to its slope towards the rear.

What’s it like inside?

The C5 X’s interior is impressive, with a premium air that feels like it could almost be from the price range above. The comfort-focused seats are armchair-like, and there are plenty of high-quality materials that have interesting design features that make it more characterful than most alternatives.

The infotainment also feels like a big step up. It’s fair to say that Citroen’s systems have felt rather dated and awkward to use for a while now, but the latest generation software is much clearer and intuitive to use.

What’s the spec like?

Prices start at £26,490 with the 130 petrol engine in Sense Plus trim. Equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, part-leather upholstery and a 10-inch infotainment display.

Step up to Shine and prices start at £27,990. For this, you get leather upholstery, heated steering wheel, additional LED lighting, a 12-inch infotainment display and an expanded head-up display.

Finally, Shine Plus models start at £29,980 and include tinted rear windows, heated and electrically operated front seats, extended blind spot detection and a 360-degree parking camera.

Prices for the hybrid model start at £35,190 in Sense Plus trim, and additionally get an on-board charger for the battery, remote temperature pre-conditioning, a frameless rear-view mirror and custom displays.

Verdict

It’s always interesting when a car manufacturer tries to do something a bit different. With the C5 X, Citroen has managed to introduce aspects that will appeal to saloon buyers, estate buyers and SUV buyers without introducing any major compromises that would immediately put customers off.

The 130 engine is the most affordable but it does feel rather strained. The hybrid suits the car’s character the best, but it is quite pricey so will mostly appeal to company car buyers because of its low benefit in kind rate.

Overall, anyone looking for a comfortable, practical and stylish family car that’s just a little bit different from the norm, will find the Citroen C5 X makes a compelling case for itself.