Citroen C5 X PureTech 130

Citroen C5 X PureTech 130 EAT8 Shine

Price: £27,990 Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 128bhp/230Nm Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 8.1 seconds

Top speed: 130mph Economy/CO2: 48.6mpg/136g/km ONSALE Now

PRACTICALITY C5 X’s 545-litre boot is 60 litres larger than the PHEV’s, so it offers an advantage in practicality. Big hatchback and wide opening mean it’s easy to load COMFORT Citroen has managed to produce a nice balance between a soft set-up on the motorway and just enough control on twistier roads, so the C5 X offers decent cruising comfort EQUIPMENT The C5 X has familiar Stellantis infotainment with a pair of displays, including a digital dash and a 12-inch central touchscreen. But the graphics and responses are only okay

NEED TO KNOW

C5 X’s novel styling mixes large family hatchback cues with a kind of crossover design. Split headlights are a Citroen trademark

John McIlroy

John _ McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy

CITROEN’S new big car, the C5 X, is being launched with a relatively simple line-up of just three powertrains. We’ve already been impressed by the plug-in hybrid (Issue 1,720), while acknowledging that its high price probably restricts its appeal to user-choosers looking for an efficient, tax-busting company car. Now it’s time to determine whether the entry-level petrol model has enough of the rangetopper’s qualities to attract private buyers.

There are, in fact, two pure-petrol versions of the C5 X sitting beside the PHEV. The mid-range model has a 1.6-litre fourcylinder motor with 178bhp and 250Nm of torque. But the entry point in this large hatchback-crossover is a 1.2-litre threecylinder unit, producing 128bhp and 230Nm, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Those outputs seem relatively modest for a vehicle large enough to have cars like the Skoda Superb on its list of rivals. And sure enough, the performance figures don’t look particularly stellar on paper; 0-62mph takes 8.1 seconds, and the top speed is 130mph.

On the road, the smaller engine and lack of a big battery make the C5 X feel noticeably lighter on its feet than the hybrid. Pure-petrol cars do without the trick active suspension of the plug-in, but they do get Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushions precisely what a big French car should be, you might argue.

Our test car came in the French-market equivalent of Shine trim, the middle point in a three-tier range hierarchy. Like the entry-level Sense Plus, it comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera – but it steps up the infotainment display from 10 inches to 12 inches, and also includes a heated steering wheel, a different design of alloy wheel and a head-up display.

The cabin certainly feels plusher than those of many recent Citroens, with highgrade fabrics and finishes in direct sight, and any cheaper materials tucked away. The gloss piano-black plastics are a less welcome inclusion, though, because in

(in effect, fluid-filled bump stops). And if anything, there’s a slightly more predictable, consistent level of composure here.

Indeed, there’s a sweetness to the way the C5 X turns into corners. Although its steering remains sadly short on feel, the body control is perfectly respectable. It strikes us as a solid compromise between low-speed comfort, motorway waftability and sensible B-road progress, albeit one that offers next to no involvement.

In a way, though, this character is a decent match for the engine, because for all the pure-petrol model’s lightness compared with the hybrid, the three-cylinder unit is still acutely aware that it’s hauling around a big family hatchback. Thrash it to the point where the eight-speed automatic gearbox starts delivering kickdowns and you’ll certainly hear some three-pot rumble. But as long as you’re not in a desperate rush, it’s fine – and the transmission is smooth.

Rolling refinement isn’t a match for the hybrid’s, but without the acoustic glass that you get on top-spec versions, you’re more likely to hear a bit of wind rush than you are any drone from under the bonnet. Citroen has done a good job of making even this entry point a solid, relaxed cruiser – and

“There’s a solid compromise between lowspeed comfort and sensible B-road progress” Citroen

FIRST DRIVE We try ent

INTERIOR

With high-quality finishes, cabin is more upmarket than in many of Citroen’s most recent cars

n C5 X PureTech 130

ry-level version of French brand’s new flagship model

our experience, their showroom appeal isn’t matched by their ability to resist scratches.

Citroen’s infotainment system represents another marked improvement for the brand, with a crisp display that reacts sharply to touch inputs. However, the built-in TomTom satellite navigation is pitiful compared with what you get by hooking up your Android or Apple phone. Fortunately, this connectivity is standard on all versions of the C5 X.

The Citroen’s credentials improve further when you look at its costs – and the finance deals that are likely to draw in private customers. Citroen has been working hard here to beef up predicted residual values and, as a result, reduce the monthly rates.

It appears to have worked. With a deposit of just under £4,500 on a four-year, 40,000mile PCP deal, even this mid-spec 1.2-litre model will cost you £329 per month. On an identical deal, Skoda’s admittedly more powerful SE L Superb DSG will set you back £70 per month more – costing more than £3,300 extra over four years. Running costs

48.6mpg (off icial) £94 fill-up

Performance

0-62mph/top speed 8.1 seconds/130mph

Verdict

IT’S hard to know how many people are really still in the market for a large saloon or hatchback these days, but for anyone who is, the Citroen C5 X is definitely worth considering. It’s a comfortable, spacious and practical vehicle, and while its format and novel design certainly won’t appeal to everyone, we don’t think Citroen is being unduly optimistic when it says it expects to attract a few customers to the C5 X out of family SUVs. ____b