C5 Aircross Flair+ Blue HDi 130 EAT8
Our test car was the Citroen C5 Aircross Flair+. To help to keep you and your passengers safe you have features such as; Driver attention alert, Intelligent beam headlights (auto dipping main beams), Active cruise control (with Stop&Go function on EAT8 versions), Highway Driver Assist (on EAT8 versions), Extended Traffic Signs Recognition. Sounds good doesn’t it? Well, this is just for starters, you also have ;Active Safety Brake, Active Lane Departure Warning System, Coffee Break Alert. This is about as safe as cars get these days.
To make your life easier and more relaxed Citroen have included features such as; Foot operated motorised rear tailgate, Wireless smartphone charging, Advanced Comfort Seats (they really are comfortable), A Soundproofed Interior, Opening panoramic glass sunroof and more.
The interior is exactly what you would expect from Citroen. It’s plush, very comfortable, stylish and elegant. I’m a big fan of the Citroen marque and have been forever. This current generation of Citroen cars are as good as any before. They have style and flamboyance that is missing in so many modern cars and they are all the better for it.
Another trait of Citroen is superb ride and handling. The C5 Aircross is no exception. It is fitted with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions®, a Citroën innovation driven by the company’s expertise in suspension systems. Exclusively developed by Citroën, Ordinary suspension makes do with a shock absorber, a spring and a mechanical bump stop. With Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® you get special hydraulic cushions on either side, for rebound and compression. The result is a ride that takes everything in its stride, smoothly.
Our car had the Metropolitan Grey interior which incorporates grey grained leather and graphite cloth seats with a lighter grey band, combined with a centre console and dashboard top in grey, this is standard on Flair and Flair Plus models.
The configurable digital instrument cluster is beautiful. There’s a 12.3′-inch screen, which displays the selected driving information in the driver’s field of vision. It is one of the best cockpits i’ve seen, fluid and natural, it’s quite captivating.
In summary, the Citroen C5 Aircross is a well designed, well executed SUV with bags style, that drives superbly and will take you where you need to go in absolute comfort. If you are looking at buying a Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage or some other quality soulless SUV, I urge you to try the C5 Aircross before you buy.
0-62 11.8 seconds
Max Speed 117mph
130bhp/300Nm torque
As tested £31,435