DRIVEN
VIVE LA DIFFERENCE? There are many ways in which the Citroën C5 Aircross and Peugeot 3008 are identical. But what matters is the differences between them – which are more than just skin deep
PEUGEOT AND CITROËN have been part of the same corporation for a long time. Recently, that corporation became even bigger when Vauxhall, Fiat, Maserati, Jeep and Alfa Romeo joined the party to create the cringeably named Stellantis organisation. But in the shape of the old PSA group, the two French giants had been united since Peugeot bought a majority share in Citroën back in 1976.
What does this have to do with off-roading? Clearly, the Citroën C5 Aircross and Peugeot 3008 you see in these pictures were not made to conquer the Sahara. But just like certain other 4x4 brands we could mention, Citroën and Peugeot make vehicles these days which trade on their brands’ history. Talking of the Sahara, did you know that the first vehicle to cross it was a Citroën? A hundred years ago, as it happens, in 1922, using vehicles converted into half-tracks. And if you care to add together the number of times Land Rover, Jeep, Hummer and Toyota have won the Dakar Rally between them, it’s half as many as Peugeot. Does this translate itself into any of the few differences there are between the 3008 and C5 Aircross? It’s probably fanciful, but perhaps the Peugeot has the sportier image of the two, while the Citroën comes across as more of a practicality-led expedition machine. Actually, now we’re saying that out loud it sounds more than just probably fanciful… These are two very similar vehicles. Same platform, same engines (as tested), same transmissions, even a lot of the same design quirks and
Power for the C5 Aircross comes from a hybrid system mating a 1.6-litre petrol engine to an 81kW electric motor for a total output of 225bhp and 266lbf.ft. It’ll do 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds and top out at 140 – but the figures that matter in this market are 157.2-222.3mpg, 32-41g/km and 33-40 miles on electric power alone
30 | SEPTEMBER 2022
4pp C5 Aircross v 3008.indd 30
4x4 01/08/2022 23:27
