Citroen CXPERIENCE Concept is the CX reborn

Dramatic Citroen CXPERIENCE hybrid concept shows look of future large family car

Citroen's star of the 2016 Paris Motor Show is the CXPERIENCE, a plug-in hybrid which could become a future replacement for the old Citroen C5 family car.

The concept is a large hatchback (Citroen calls it a two-box saloon) that’s around the same length as the current five-door Ford Mondeo. The CXPERIENCE is considerably wider, though, at two metres, and sits much lower, with a roofline at just 1.37 metres – some 10cm lower than the Ford’s.

2016 Paris Motor Show preview

The name – pronounced ‘C-experience’ – suggests a broader Citroen experience, and is a play on the CX name, used for the company’s family car from the seventies and eighties; a model that preceded the C5.

Indeed, the side profile of the concept is closer to the CX’s, with a long, shallow-angled glass hatchback and the blunt drop at the tail-lights. The back doors are rear-hinged – Citroen says they open to 90 degrees, allowing a wide aperture for access.

The CXPERIENCE’s front-end styling mixes the latest Citroen corporate grille with extremely slim LED daytime running lights (just 3mm wide) that also incorporate the indicators. The lower front bumper houses air intake flaps that can be opened or closed to improve aerodynamic efficiency.

Inside, the concept showcases the latest developments in Citroen’s “Advanced Comfort” principles – the facia has an uncluttered, clean look with touchscreen controls instead of physical buttons, and a head-up display beyond a digital instrument panel. The dashboard is dominated by a 19-inch, widescreen display that can be reconfigured to show one, two or three main items.

There’s also a dedicated smartphone stand in the front cabin, and a mobile tablet for the rear passengers that allows them to adjust their seats and air-conditioning settings, as well as share media files.

Best hybrid cars on sale right now

The concept is fitted with the latest version of the PSA Group’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, which pairs an 80kW electric motor driving the rear wheels with a front-mounted petrol engine developing between 150bhp and 200bhp. An eight-speed automatic gearbox sits between the combustion engine and the electric motor, and the new car can be driven in pure electric mode for up to 40 miles. Citroen claims the CXPERIENCE can deliver up to 300bhp when maximum performance is required.

A Citroen spokesperson stressed that the concept is not a direct preview of any model – specifically the next C5 or even a new C6 – but admitted that it is designed to show how the firm’s latest styling can work on larger models. Citroen badly needs to develop bigger cars to bolster its sales in China, its key market – and to flesh out its own range, now that the flagship DS 5 model has been hived off as part of that brand’s emergence in its own right. The ageing C5 saloon is the oldest existing model in the Citroen line-up – it was introduced back in 2007 – so it is ripe for replacement.

Partnership
Need to sell your car?
Find your best offer from over 5,000+ dealers. It’s that easy.

It’s not yet clear if Citroen plans to sell any future large saloons or hatchbacks in the UK. The C5 was dropped here earlier this year after poor sales – fewer than 250 found homes in the UK in 2015 – and Citroen UK may choose to focus its large-car efforts on its forthcoming range of SUVs, including the production version of the Aircross concept.

What do you think of Citroen's CXPERIENCE concept? Let us know below...

Editor-at-large

John started journalism reporting on motorsport – specifically rallying, which he had followed avidly since he was a boy. After a stint as editor of weekly motorsport bible Autosport, he moved across to testing road cars. He’s now been reviewing cars and writing news stories about them for almost 20 years.

Recommended

Best new cars coming in 2024
Best new cars coming in 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best new cars coming in 2024

There are some big new models from the likes of Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, MINI, Skoda and more on the way in 2024
20 Nov 2023
All change at Stellantis: Vauxhall, Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat vans get a fresh new look
2023 Stellantis van lineup
News

All change at Stellantis: Vauxhall, Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat vans get a fresh new look

A total of 12 new models spearhead Stellantis' bid for greater commercial vehicle success
23 Oct 2023
Back to the drawing board at Citroen with new You!, Plus and Max trim levels
Citroen trim range
News

Back to the drawing board at Citroen with new You!, Plus and Max trim levels

You!, Plus and Max trim levels are designed to simplify the Citroen buying process
4 Oct 2023
Deal of the Day: EV vans get £2,500 off plus freebies worth over £1,150
Stellantis group electric vans
News

Deal of the Day: EV vans get £2,500 off plus freebies worth over £1,150

Electric vans from Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat are our deal of the day for October 3
3 Oct 2023

Most Popular

New Jaguar XF Sportbrake 2024 review: big estate with value boost
Jaguar XF Sportbrake - front tracking
Road tests

New Jaguar XF Sportbrake 2024 review: big estate with value boost

Jaguar's XF Sportbrake may be 8 years old but it just got a whole lot cheaper!
7 Dec 2023
New Nissan Qashqai to get radical look and all-electric power
Nissan Qashqai exclusive image - front
News

New Nissan Qashqai to get radical look and all-electric power

Major investment in Nissan’s Sunderland plant underpins the new fourth-generation Qashqai
8 Dec 2023
Polestar 4 awarded Car Design of the Year by Car Design News
Polestar 4 - front studio
News

Polestar 4 awarded Car Design of the Year by Car Design News

Car design’s most auspicious peer-awarded prize goes to Polestar 4, while Dacia Manifesto wins Concept Design of the Year
7 Dec 2023