Citroen has a long history in the executive saloon class. From the CX and Xantia to the XM and C6, the double chevron has long adorned plenty of cars that got enthusiasts hot under their collars as an alternative choice of saloon.
The problem is, those were pretty much the only people that were hot under the collar for those same cars. Citroen may have a long history in the class, but it’s certainly not a long history of success in terms of outright sales.
So what make this new C5X so different this time around? The answer is a number of things. Firstly, Citroen is enjoying a return to form in the age of electrification. Sales of the e-C4 are going well, there’s the forthcoming arrival of the super-cute Ami microcar and the plug-in hybrid version of the recently facelifted C5 Aircross crossover.
What’s more though is that Citroen has regained the confidence to follow its own route when it comes to how its cars drive. Rather than follow the popular German brands with a firmer ride for improved handling, Citroen has opted to set up its cars for comfort with softer suspension. So far, it’s proven a popular choice and it’s the route they’ve opted for with this C5X too.
Finally too, this C5X is something of a mash up of sectors – a mix of premium saloon, estate and SUV all rolled into one. So with that in mind, can it succeed where its predecessors have failed?
CITROEN C5X PHEV – DESIGN
Despite that slightly odd mix of concepts and styles, there’s no question that the C5X has an elegance about it. The V-shaped front and rear lights give an obvious family link to the likes of the smaller C4, while the elongated roofline hints at the level of interior space on offer too (more on which later).
Does it fall between two stools, being neither a full on estate car, without the traditional shape of a premium saloon or the raised driving position of an SUV? There’s certainly some substance to that argument – and others have tried and failed before with similar concepts such as Vauxhall with the Signum – but we think that the C5X works overall and offers buyers a genuine alternative when less and less buyers are choosing those more traditional models.
CITROEN C5X PHEV – POWER AND RANGE
The Citroen C5X Plug-In Hybrid follows the same route as the other PHEV models in the Stellantis brands such as the DS4 and C5 Aircross with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine linked to a 12.4kW battery to produce a total of 225bhp.
That gives this C5X a 0 to 60mph time of 7.9 seconds and 145mph top speed with 30g/km emissions and a 37 mile electric range. Citroen claims a recharge time of just one hour and 40 minutes on a 7kW home wallbox. There’s also a 211.2mpg average fuel economy, but as always with PHEVs this is hard to match although there is an e-save function where you can choose to keep six or 12 miles or all of the range in the battery for use later in your journey such as when driving into a city. That will hurt your fuel economy considerably however.
CITROEN C5X PHEV – ON THE ROAD
As we said earlier, and much like the C5 Aircross SUV, Citroen has very deliberately tuned the C5X for comfort above all else. With that in mind, your opinion of the C5X is likely to hinge on what sits higher up your list of priorities – comfort or outright handling.
Let’s deal with the positives first. There should be no doubt that Citroen’s engineers have succeeded in making the C5X a supremely comfortable car to drive. With electric, hybrid, comfort and sport driving mode settings, it simply glides over potholes and road imperfections in a way that you’d a Rolls-Royce or Mercedes S-Class to better. Alone with its new advanced comfort seats (that can be heated and cooled as well have a massage function), there are few better cars in which you’d want to drive a long distance.
As you’d expect, the switch between electric and petrol power is largely inconceivable and the eight-speed automatic gearbox is well-matched to the hybrid combination. The only regenerative braking available is to switch the gearbox into B mode as opposed to the standard Drive mode which allows the car to coast.
What the C5X isn’t however, is particularly sporty. At 2.2 tonnes, it’s not exactly light and even slightly enthusiastic driving just doesn’t suit the car’s nature. There’s little road noise or body roll through corners, but feedback to the driver about what the car is doing beneath you is limited and there’s certainly not much enjoyment to be had from driving it harder than usual.
CITROEN C5X PHEV – INTERIOR
It’s clear to see the efforts that Citroen has gone to with the C5X’s interior. Ok, it’s not quite on a par with it DS4 Stellantis cousin, but the materials and visible stitching and overall quality is excellent. There’s also a new upgraded infotainment system – larger than previous Stellantis products – as well as, thank goodness, traditional rotary knobs and buttons for the frequently used ventilation.
There’s plenty of storage space below the dash along with two deep cup holders and decent door pockets, while Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats certainly fit their brief. But while the inside of the C5X is certainly good, whether it’s enough to tempt people out of more premium brands is another matter. It’s certainly functional and the everyday ergonomics prove that it would be a very easy car to live with, but whether it fits the bill of that ‘premium saloon’ element of the C5X is another question.
The same goes for its practicality too in this plug-in hybrid model. Space for rear passengers is good, but when it comes too room for luggage, this PHEV loses 60 litres of boot space over its petrol counterpart and you pay for that sleek roofline with a shallow 485 litre boot and 1580 litres with the rear seats folded down. Again, it’s ok, but anyone coming from a traditional estate might feel a little disappointed.
CITROEN C5X PHEV – SUMMARY
So, as per that original brief, is the C5X a premium saloon, an estate or a crossover SUV?
The reality is that it’s none of those and yet all of them all at the same time. Against the single strengths of those individual models, the Citroen C5X will always come off second best. However, as a combination and alongside with its supremely comfortable driving experience, the reality is that it’s a recipe that works well as the sum of its parts.
Not so long ago, it would be easy to notch up the C5X as another obscure Citroen with little chance of real success, but given the brand’s sales with its other electrified models, plus an increasing lack of brand loyalty among EV and PHEV buyers, there’s every chance that the C5X could change that. It certainly deserves to.
FACT BOX
Model: Citroen C5X Plug-In Hybrid
Price: from £36,470
Power: Petrol – 1.6-litre; Battery – 12.4kWh
Electric range: 37 miles
Average fuel consumption: 211.2mpg
CO2 emissions: 30g/km
Rating: 8/10