CitRoën C5 aiRCoss

The Elegant Sail

We spend a day with the Citroën C5 Aircross to see what this French car has to offer and whether it is the choice for you

Story: Zal Cursetji Photography: Apurva Ambep

OVER THE YEARS, THE FRENCH HAVE launched a number of stunning four-wheelers, thus becoming a household name the world over. Think of Peugeot or Renault. Equally successful are Citroën. Though lesser known in our South Asian country, they have recently entered with a bang. For their début, Citroën have introduced their latest model, the C5 Aircross, which has a number of pros and arguably just a single con. But that stumbling block may very well be the vehicle’s undoing in India.

The pros first, starting with design. The C5 Aircross is quite different from everything else on offer in the country with a mix of sportiness and elegance. It works great in my book no complaints on that count. You get a split headlight set-up with a sleek line running across the front grille housing Citroën’s badge in the middle. The bumpers and side cladding are fitted with Citroën-specific elements and the hood sports roof-rails, all of which adhere to the C5 Aircross’ sporty persona. The rear is a simple yet

Above: That cockpit is a comfortable place to be Right: The console has a distinct design, very French Left: The uniqueness continues with the gear lever

Above: The huge panaromic sunroof does light up the C5

Left: The blind-spot warning system works really well sophisticated design with the tail-lamps having a split with the boot. Once again, it is quite nice. LeD lighting? check, the c5 aircross’ daytime running lamps, vision projector lamps, 3D rear lamps, and indicators all being LeD units. We also see an integrated spoiler that does fit the bill here with design as well as the dual chrome exhaust pipes. all in all, a great looking package.

Under the hood, the citroën houses a 1,997-cc, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel motor that is quite a pleasure to drive. the 400 nm of torque and 177 horses make themselves felt but in a calm and easy-going manner. there isn’t a sudden lurch or explosion of grunt; instead, a steady increase that feels happy yet manageable. Playing a very important part is also the eight-speed automatic gearbox that we found quite brilliant. changes were smooth and seamless, playing into the c5’s persona of being a more comfortoriented machine. however, it must be said that the engine isn’t as refined as it seems from within. there is a bit of clatter, but due to the sound insulation inside the cabin, you don’t really hear it. something to keep in mind. you get two additional driving modes, eco and sport, both of which discharge their duty fairly well. We spent most of our time in the c5 aircross in its standard mode, though. you also see grip control setting with options of standard, snow, all-terrain, sand, and turning off traction control. Once again, it was standard that we stayed in predominantly, with a few stints of traction control being switched off. now, this isn’t a performance-oriented machine; comfort is its forte and it is here that the citroën c5 aircross shines the brightest. Undulations, uneven road surfaces, humps, bumps, ditches, and breaks in tarmac are gobbled up with slight muted thuds that are barely felt by the occupants inside. Indian road surfaces aren’t always top-notch, but the c5 eliminates any frustrations likely to be felt by the driver. It felt peaceful, even when we drove through congested sections with bad road conditions. that is a huge plus and we have to commend citroën for this.

Citroën C5 Aircross (Rs 32.30 lakh, ex-showroom)

ENGINE

Cylinders Layout Type Fuel Bore x Stroke Fou in-line Front transverse Turbocharged, DI Diesel 85.0 x 88.0 mm

Capacity

1997 cc Compression Ratio 17.6:1 Valvegear DOHC, four valves/cyl

ENGINE OUTPUT

Max Power (hp) Power Peak (rpm) Red-line (rpm) Max Torque (Nm) Torque Peak (rpm)

177 3750 NA 400 2000

TRANSMISSION

Eight-speed, automatic 1st gear NA 2nd gear NA 3rd gear NA 4th gear NA 5th gear NA 6th gear NA 7th gear NA 8th gear NA Reverse gear NA Final Drive NA Drive Wheels FWD

STEERING

Type Rack and pinion, power assisted Lock to lock 2.95 turns

WHEELS & TYRES

Wheel Size Tyre Size 18” 235/55 R18 (F), 235/55 R18 (R)

BRAKES

Front vented discs Rear vented discs

SUSPENSION

Front Double Progressive Hydraulic Cushions

Rear Single Progressive Hydraulic Cushions

DRIVER AIDS

ABS, EBD, ABA, ESP, Drive Modes, Coffee Break Alert, Adaptive Lights, Blind-spot Assist, 360° Camera

Road Test #672

DIMENSIONS

L x W x H 4500 x 1969 x 1710 mm Wheelbase 2730 mm Track F/R 1580/1610 mm Ground Clearance NA Weight NA

ACCOMMODATION

Seating

5 Head Room (F/R) 990/930 mm Leg Room F (max/min) 1120/930 mm Knee Room F (max/min) 880/680 mm Knee Room R (max/min) 790/560 mm Shoulder Room (R) 1420 mm Fuel Tank 52.5 litres DEF Tank NA Boot Volume 580-1630 litres

PERFORMANCE (CLAIMED)

Acceleration (0-100 km/h) Top Speed (Limited) NA NA

PERFORMANCE FACTORS

Power:Weight (hp/tonne) NA Specific Output (hp/litre) NA Specific Torque (Nm/litre) NA

FUEL EFFICIENCY (KM/L)

City 11.0

Highway

19.0 Overall* 13.0 * Overall is 25% highway and 75% city driving

CAR RATINGS

Design & Style: Powertrain: Performance: Fuel Efficiency: Dynamic Ability: Space: Creature Comforts: Driver Appeal: Safety: Interior: Suspension: Ride Quality: Handling: Steering: Braking:

HIGHLIGHTS

Ride quality Controlled body-roll Style Noisy engine Price

Right: The C5 sure does have a good diesel engine

In the twisties, the suspension, though comfortable through bad sections, is well damped, so there isn’t any bounce or body-roll, instead a steady, planted feel. Couple this with the broad 235/55 R18 tyres and you can be assured of a surprisingly comfortable yet controlled handling characteristic.

The interior, though, is where the Citroën C5 Aircross starts to somewhat show a glitch or two in its matrix. But these would not be a deal-breaker. The interior is draped in either soft plastics that feel very premium or hard plastics here and there. The front seats are very comfortable units and only the driver’s side is electronically controlled. The Citroën C5 Aircross Shine variant that we had sports a huge panoramic sunroof which always lightens up a journey. We liked it. You have all the bells and whistles of a premium automobile at the front and, coupled with the performance aspects we just spoke about, everything seems hunky-dory.

It is the rear where things do go slightly awry. The rear seats are three separately adjustable units that can be moved forwards and backwards. However, the seats themselves are a bit shallow, with a little less under-thigh support than we would have liked. It isn’t uncomfortable for a short stint, but we do wonder what the case would be on a long drive. Honestly, it does not seem too promising, but that can only be confirmed once we undertake a long journey in the C5. Further back, you have ample boot space with 580 litres as standard that can be extended to 770 litres with the rear seats in the forward position and folding them down will give you a whopping 1,630 litres. Ample and impressive is the least one can say.

The list of features is, as you would expect, long enough to appease every tech-savvy soul. You have assists and modes to opt for, depending on weather and terrain conditions. Safety is covered, too, with a number of pre-warning systems fitted,

including a very handy blind-spot indicator. this handy system detects a vehicle in your blind spot and notifies you by a light on the side rear-view mirrors, something that we expect to see more often in the coming years across segments. the infotainment system is fairly basic in design, yet good and houses apple carPlay and android auto. What is expected is seen and all of it works well and efficiently. having said that, does one feel pampered? Unfortunately, no, which is a shame, for though the car is comfortable, it isn’t exactly plush. staying in tune with the negatives, we come down to the biggest flaw of the citroën c5 aircross. regardless of the softtouch plastics, panoramic sunroof, French love-it-or-hate-it architecture, great ride quality, good engine, and all else listed above, the one thing that plays spoilsport here is its price tag. It starts at a little past the rs 30-lakh mark and that is rs 7 lakh more than what the hyundai tucson starts at. yes, the c5 does pip the tucson in a few aspects, but not all, and certainly not enough to justify its price being that much higher. Pity, for citroën have launched a good car as their introduction to India with the c5 aircross, but have not taken into consideration the importance that competitive pricing plays for success in the sub-continent. citroën do have further plans for India and writing them off would be silly, to say the least. the French manufacturer has a fair bit going for them and rightly so; we just hope they do take price into consideration for their forthcoming projects in India. We shall indeed be waiting.

With the C5 Aircross, Citroën have launched a good car as their introduction to India

Right: No complaints about the amount of boot space

Below: The shallow rear seats could have been better