Review the new Citroen C5 Aircross 2022

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We’ll leave you the call on whether the mid-life tweaks of the C5 Aircross will improve the car’s looks. Still, the dynamics are still better suited for urban cars and a laid-back approach, with some of the main rivals offering a bit more engagement and smoother in-car technology.

The Citroen C5 Aircross already an extremely important model for the French manufacturer; More than a quarter of a million units have been sold in Europe since it first launched in 2018, but beyond the sales numbers, it’s important for a brand that focuses on comfort and power. family is a must have SUV has this size in its lineup. Now, this is our first chance to try out the updated version of the car, which will arrive in UK dealerships in a few weeks.

At least outside, Citroen didn’t mix too much with the formula. As is often the case with mid-life upgrades, the focus is on tweaking the plastic – the headlights, bumpers and grille – rather than making significant changes to any of the car’s sheet metal. There’s a sharp new look at the front, though, where the new grille and daytime running lights give the C5 Aircross a better fit with the newly launched car. C5 X.

It is inside that current owners can notice the biggest difference; The dashboard has been changed and the C5 Aircross has a new 10-inch infotainment screen that – again, borrowed from the C5 X – is mounted higher to make it easier to see on the go. This switch in turn has allowed Citroen to shrink the center console, slotting in a pair of vents, and introducing a smaller gear selector that makes it all seem a little less cluttered.

There are two conventional powertrain options. The petrol version uses Stellantis’ familiar 1.2-liter PureTech turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 128 horsepower. There is still a diesel engine – BlueHDI 1.6 liter with the same capacity as the petrol. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual, but both engines are available with Citroen’s EAT8 automatic; Curiously, it comes with a premium of £2,075 on petrol, but only £1,620 on diesel.

At the top is a plug-in hybrid model that combines a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an 80kW electric motor for a combined 222bhp and 360Nm of torque. Battery capacity is 13.2kWh, but it’s remarkable that the maximum electric-only range is 38 miles – respectable not superstar, but enough to put the car under the 12% corporate car tax. This version is for cars only, and you’ll have to look beyond the entry-level version to get it. Maybe you should take a month or two off on this particular variant, as we’ve announced that a version with more than 40-mile range – and therefore better BiK rating – could come first. Last year.

The overall range currently includes three versions; it starts with Sense Plus (instead of the old model’s Sense), which brings 18-inch alloys, the aforementioned 10-inch infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, front parking sensors and rear and rear view camera.

Step up to Shine, the version we’re driving here, and you get more luxurious seats with Alcantara upholstery and adaptive cruise control, while the top-of-the-line C-Series comes in two-tone, Panoramic sunroof, wireless smartphone charging and a powered rear door.

Underneath it all, the C5 Aircross’s mechanical bits haven’t changed – so it’s still a competent product, albeit without any great hopes for entertainment. The 1.2-liter PureTech engine is just enough bucket for most situations, although it may require patience with five people and their luggage on board. It’s gruff in turns but quite subtle on a cruise – and that’s really the car’s best-case scenario, as the automatic transmission doesn’t appreciate being hustled. You’ll find its localized and at times slightly haphazard warm-ups to be quite tiring if you try to steer the C5 Aircross along a twisty road.

The chassis also plays a role in this. The steering has always been weighty but extremely inert to it, while the suspension is good at smoothing out gentle undulations and low-speed bumps around town, and wobbling through cornering chains. – but that’s someone who is less willing to be asked for a quick diversion. It’s safe and predictable, but still gets nowhere in the end.

All versions of the car are fitted with Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushion – which, in effect, tricks the suspension into stopping a crash – but sharp and high-frequency defects can still take the system over its limit. Once that happens, you’ll be left with the standard EMP2 platform fare, with noticeable bumps to the cabin, especially at the rear (non-hybrid models happen to have torsion beams at the rear. later; plug-in with multi-link setup feature). Overall, though, it’s more compliant around town than many rivals.

What you’re buying, dynamically, is a car that’s more focused on comfort than any of its main competitors – and so a car that doesn’t try to deliver anything. approaches the level of still modest fun you can have in a Skoda Karoqone Hyundai Tucson or latest Kia Sportage.

The internal makeover offers improved hardware – especially the higher-resolution display – but retains some of the old car’s features, including the software that runs on the screen. It is more closely linked to the system in C4 better technology in the latest C5 X, so it keeps the annoying elements – like the temperature display, which requires you to press a button and access another screen to make adjustments. Once again, Korean competition is still pretty slick in this area.

The cabin can have one of four treatments, each offering a different combination of plastic, leather-effect materials, and leather upholstery. There’s more fuss on the seats – although lateral support is still hazy at best – and the new finish inside is glossier and less cluttered, but no better than class standards. Meanwhile, the individual sliding seats in the rear allow you to focus on rear passenger space or trunk capacity (ranging from 580 to 720 liters in non-hybrid versions), but strangely even. Not even a prefabricated plastic hook. on it to hang a shopping bag.