Citroen C5 Aircross review

Our opinion on the Citroen C5 Aircross 

There’s plenty to like about the Citroen C5 Aircross. This second-generation car builds on the talent of its predecessor with more comfort and space, and all for a price that is competitive with its rivals. But despite its great-value pricing, it doesn’t feel like a budget product, because even the entry-level model features a large touchscreen packed with tech, and there are soft-touch materials throughout. The powertrain line-up means there should be something to suit all needs, too, with hybrid, plug-in and all-electric options offered, although there is no longer a diesel available.

About the Citroen C5 Aircross

The Citroen C5 Aircross is the largest SUV that the French company sells, and it’s based on the same platform as other Stellantis models such as the Peugeot 3008/5008 and Vauxhall Grandland. That means it’s capable of taking combustion and electric powertrains, or a mix of both, and the options available in the C5 Aircross demonstrate this.

The entry point to the line-up is the Hybrid model that is based on a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit with a six-speed automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive. Above that is the Plug-in Hybrid, but this isn’t an upgrade of the Hybrid because it uses a completely different powertrain based on a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol and a seven-speed automatic. Both hybrids are developments of the tech used by the previous C5 Aircross, but with improved performance and efficiency.

Used - available now

2020 Citroen

C5 Aircross

69,038 milesManualDiesel1.5L

Cash £9,599

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2020 Citroen

C5 Aircross

18,636 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £12,672

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2021 Citroen

C5 Aircross

20,501 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £15,656

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2023 Citroen

C5 Aircross

22,348 milesAutomaticDiesel1.5L

Cash £17,147

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Citroen also offers the e-C5 Aircross, which is the all-electric variant. As with the combustion models, this is front-wheel drive, and Comfort Range and Long Range options are on offer with 79.9kWh (73.7kWh usable) and 100.7kWh (96.9kWh usable) batteries respectively.

Trim grades comprise You!, Plus and Max, although the PHEV is only available in the highest-spec Max trim. All three other powertrains, the Hybrid and both battery sizes, are offered in all three specs.

Citroen C5 Aircross prices and latest deals

The Citroen C5 Aircross starts from £30,500, which is a very competitive figure in the family SUV market, especially when compared with platform-sharing rivals such as the Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland. This gets you a Hybrid model in You! Trim, while the e-C5 Aircross in the same spec starts from £34,000 (before any discounts). Upgrading to the larger battery costs around £2,600 extra.

It’s around £2,700 to move from You! to Plus specification, but it does significantly ramp up the standard kit, while it’s another £2,600 to move from Plus to Max, which gets another healthy spec upgrade.

The Plug-in Hybrid is a pricier option because it only comes in Max trim, and weighs in at around £39,000. That’s only £500 less than the e-C5 Aircross Max with the smaller battery – factor in the Government’s EV grant, and it’s around £1,000 less than the PHEV.

While list prices are competitive, finance deals are even better, with Citroen offering plenty of incentives to help you get behind the wheel. You can find some of the best deals via our Buy a Car service, where you can build your perfect Citroen C5 Aircross.

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Citroen has made a concerted effort to make its current line-up deliver the kind of comfort and softness that classic models such as the DS and CX were famous for, and on the whole the C5 Aircross is more comfortable than most family SUVs of a similar size.

This is a truly comfortable car focused on keeping its occupants as relaxed as possible. It does this through a variety of means, from the soft seats to the quiet cabin and the gentle powertrain calibration, but it all starts with the suspension.

Deliberately soft suspension helps the C5 Aircross glide over bumps in most situations. But Citroen has taken the tech further than just the springs and dampers. There are also hydraulic bumpstops to help the ride quality, and the tyres feature a generous sidewall across all wheel options. We found that the all-electric e-C5 Aircross models don’t ride quite as well as the Hybrid and PHEV cars, but the difference isn’t huge. 

The trade-off for this exemplary comfort is a lack of body control and engagement. But a bit of wallow in the corners and ultra-light steering is no bad thing when it comes to family cars. In fact, the only thing we’d like to see is less dive under braking, something that isn’t helped by a generally inconsistent brake pedal feel. 

All C5 Aircross models have various drive modes, although we don't think its Sport setting makes much sense in a car like this. However, if you are in a hurry, it does make things feel just that little bit more connected. 

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

The entry-level C5 Aircross Hybrid features a powertrain we know well from other Stellantis models. It’s based around a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine and a small electric motor and is rated at 142bhp, but it feels underpowered in a car this big.

It’s not very refined, either, with a grumbly warble under load that’s not entirely in keeping with the serene nature of the rest of the car. It has at least reverted to a traditional timing chain in place of the controversial ‘wet-belt’ system. 

The Plug-in Hybrid is much more suitable for the C5 Aircross’s character, and comes with some significant uplifts in performance and efficiency. It’s based on a bigger 148bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and a 124bhp electric motor that’s connected to an 18kWh battery. Combined power of 193bhp isn’t huge, but gives it a dramatic performance advantage over the base car. 

In the real world it has more than enough power for day-to-day driving, even when running only on the electric motor. Fully laden with kids, a dog and a chest of drawers in the boot, it might be a different story, but the petrol engine is always there to beef up the power if you need it. The powertrain feels relatively smooth and well calibrated compared with other plug-in hybrid rivals. Press the accelerator and the petrol engine engages quickly. It’s a little loud when you’re asking for full performance, but it is still smooth and doesn’t judder.  

The electric e-C5 Aircross features a 210bhp electric motor on the front axle. The 79.9kWh Comfort Range model can reach 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds, but the instant torque makes it feel faster. Upgrade to the Long Range 100.7kWh battery and you also get a more powerful 226bhp motor, but the extra weight of the bigger battery means it’s only a tenth of a second faster from 0-62mph than the Comfort version, at 8.8 seconds. 

Other Stellantis products that use the C5 Aircross’s platform are offered with a dual-motor option with around 325bhp and four-wheel drive, but there’s no word yet on whether this will be offered here. There is no diesel alternative.

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Town driving, visibility and parking

Driving the C5 Aircross around town is a breeze, with great sightlines, a light steering rack and a high driving position. However, the grabby brakes and sometimes inconsistent power delivery from the Hybrid models can make it a little difficult to drive smoothly, especially if you encounter some hesitancy from the powertrain when pulling out at roundabouts, for example. All cars come with rear parking sensors at the very least, while Plus cars add front sensors and a 180-degree rear camera, and the Max version has 360-degree cameras as standard.

The electric models have good low-speed acceleration and are mostly smooth when up and running, but suffer from the same inconsistent brakes as the hybrid versions. 

Country road driving and handling

On faster roads, the soft suspension can make it feel a little wallowy, but the C5 Aircross never felt out of control on our tests. Grip is fine for the class, and while the steering is equally soft and lacking in feel, it is accurate enough to make it easy to just jump in and drive. 

Road noise is well suppressed, while the three-cylinder thrum from the Hybrid model adds a bit of a sporty edge to an otherwise humdrum drive. Refinement is accentuated in the e-C5 Aircross by the lack of a petrol engine to muffle the background hum of the tyres. 

Curiously, despite the cars sharing a similar chassis, the weight difference between this EV model and the base hybrid is getting on for 600kg. It does make the electric version drive with a slightly more sodden feeling and a small compromise in ride quality.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

Most C5 Aircross models will probably spend plenty of time on the motorway, and we think this is the car’s ultimate comfort zone. There's plenty of squidge to the suspension and good amounts of road-noise suppression. High-speed comfort is excellent, but the inconsistent brakes, especially in the PHEV as it moves between energy recovery in the powertrain and the physical discs and pads, can be slightly unnerving when slowing down at motorway speeds. 

"Wheel size varies according to powertrain. You! trim in Hybrid guise features the 18-inch ‘Carbon’ (not actual carbon fibre, just the name of the paint finish) wheels of the car in our pictures, but the electric version has the same 19-inch ‘Moondust’ alloys as Plus spec. From our experience, there’s no real difference in ride comfort between the 18 and 19-inch wheels." - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.

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 Overall, the Citroen C5 Aircross posts competitive but not outstanding efficiency figures. The three different powertrain options – mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric – give buyers a spread of options depending on their needs and driving habits. 

The Hybrid has an official fuel economy figure of 53.3mpg, with CO2 emissions of 122g/km, but as always, these figures can vary in real-world conditions. During our test of the C5 Aircross in entry-level You! specification, we saw an average of 42.1mpg on a mix of faster A-roads and dual carriageways, but a Dacia Bigster Hybrid managed to break the 50mpg barrier on similar roads. 

The Plug-in Hybrid has a claimed electric range of 53 miles, and combined on-paper fuel efficiency of 113mpg with a 57g/km CO2 rating. These figures will vary far more than with the standard hybrid, depending on how often the battery is charged. 

During our time with the car in cold weather, a full charge of the battery saw an estimate of 48 miles from the trip computer, while we covered 45 miles before the engine sparked into life, which compared favourably with the results of our first encounter with the PHEV in warmer Spanish weather.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

The e-C5 Aircross comes with two battery sizes, Comfort Range and Long Range, with the former offering a maximum of 320 miles on paper. In reality, we expect a figure of around 250 miles to be more realistic in a mix of town and motorway driving. This will drop in cold weather, but keep trips short and in mostly urban areas and it will recover back to around 300 miles, though.

The Long Range has an estimate of 421 miles from a 100.7kWh battery, of which 96.9kWh is used for drive. From our experience of other Stellantis models of a similar size and weight, you’ll more likely achieve those range figures by keeping your speed down, because faster motorway use can really eat into driving range.

All versions of the e-C5 Aircross have a peak charging speed of 160kW, and that allows for a 20-80 per cent state of charge top-up in around 30 minutes. Utilise cheaper overnight charging at home on a dedicated EV electricity tariff on a 7.4kW wallbox charger, and it'll take around 12 hours to fully recharge a 73kWh comfort range model, and 15.5 hours to do the same with a 97kWh long range e-C5 Aircross.

Insurance groups

Entry-level hybrid cars start at group 18, with the EVs ranging from groups 27 to 30. The PHEV starts at a higher level (Group 29) because it’s only offered in top-spec Max trim. These ratings are good for the class and should make the C5 Aircross cheap to insure when compared with rivals.  

Tax

Now that the luxury car road tax threshold has been raised to £50,000 for EVs, no version of the C5 Aircross needs to pay the supplement.

For company car users, it’s the electric versions of the C5 Aircross that are going to be of most interest. The Hybrid sits in the 30 per cent benefit-in-kind (BiK) company car tax band, while the Plug-in Hybrid is in the more affordable 18 per cent band. But the biggest savings will be on the all electric version, which is presently in the three per cent band, rising to four per cent in 2026. 

Depreciation

Our depreciation figures predict that the C5 Aircross will retain between 50 to 52 per cent of its original value over three years or 36,000 miles. That compares well with the Vauxhall Grandland (49-51 per cent), but is a little behind one of our favourite mid-size SUV, the Hyundai Tucson (52-56 per cent).

The electric e-C5 Aircross doesn't do quite as well as the hybrid, at 45 to 47 per cent over the same period, with the Skoda Elroq maintaining between 47 to 55 per cent, and the Vauxhall Grandland Electric doing even better, at between 53 to 58 per cent.

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Citroen has a reputation for building comfortable, friendly and approachable cars, and this is certainly the case with the C5 Aircross. Some might initially find it difficult to tell it apart from the plethora of similarly sized and shaped SUV rivals, but there’s just enough flair from the design team to give it distinctive visuals without alienating previous customers. 

A prominent Citroen badge sits in pride of place both front and rear, located between clever lighting elements that give the C5 Aircross an eye-catching look. Up front, thin LED headlight units sit between two horizontal daytime running lights, but it’s the rear lights that had Citroen’s design team flexing their creative muscles. These units are split into three main elements; the uppermost of two horizontal strips on each side juts out from the bodywork as if it were a tail fin on a commercial jet. It’s both very distinctive and we’re told it benefits airflow. 

The rest of the exterior is otherwise pretty standard, with contrasting black lower bumpers and wheelarch surrounds, plus a generally upright stance. There’s no sloping roofline or slim windows here; it’s all very practical and approachable. 

If you were a fan of the bright green that the C5 Aircross was originally revealed in, unfortunately it hasn’t made production. If you want to stand out, then stick with the Ruby Red metallic paint that comes as standard, because the other options are white, grey, black, dark blue and dark green.

Interior and dashboard design

The warm and friendly feel continues on the inside, where Citroen has cleverly used fabrics across much of the dashboard and door cards. We say ‘cleverly’, largely because the actual quality of the plastics surrounding the fabrics is pretty low-rent, but you don’t really see or come into contact with them. It creates the impression of higher quality. 

Materials and build quality

The cabin feels well screwed together, with little in the way of squeaks or rattles in any of the versions we’ve driven. There is some gloss-black plastic in places, including a large chunk of the centre console, but there is an overlayed texture to the surface, so scratches and dust won’t be quite so obvious.

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Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

Citroen has a unique infotainment set-up compared with other brands in the Stellantis group, and it might just be the best one. In front of the driver is a small 10-inch display with your key information, but it’s the 13-inch portrait-orientated screen in the centre console that does the heavy lifting.  

It’s not a sophisticated system, but it works well. The top two-thirds of the display are dedicated to your normal infotainment elements, including media, navigation and phone connection. The embedded navigation is functional, but lacks a little refinement in the graphics department. It does feature embedded route planning that will help with longer journeys in the BEV versions, where you need to schedule charging stops. 

Many will revert to phone mirroring via wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and in this case, the screen performs very well, with crisp graphics and quick responses. Below the main section is a large static area dedicated to the air conditioning. This is easy to use, and there’s a row of physical buttons below that provide shortcuts to certain functions. There’s also a volume wheel and an on/off switch for the stereo down there. 

The centre console has space for a single wireless phone charger, along with a couple of USB ports and a handy shelf behind the main screen for charging even more devices.

"While You! trim is the entry point to the C5 Aircross line-up, it’s far from being a basic model. It has the same 13-inch screen and 10-inch digital display as the other versions in the line-up, with the former featuring navigation, 12 months of connected services, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus the ability to connect two devices via Bluetooth simultaneously." - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.

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For a five-seat SUV, the Citroen C5 Aircross is generously sized, and it’s slightly bigger and more practical than many of its key competitors, although a Dacia Bigster is taller and makes better use of its interior space. The C5 Aircross is helped by its large external dimensions and the boxy shape. There’s only the one bodystyle, and there’s no option of seven seats as there is in the smaller Citroen C3 Aircross, despite the C5 Aircross being a larger and more expensive car.  

Across all the different powertrains there’s very little difference in terms of practicality, which is a big achievement when you consider many rivals have to compromise boot space to make room for any electric running gear. All models have underfloor storage in the boot, a flat rear floor and impressive levels of storage up front. 

Dimensions and size

At 4,652mm, the C5 Aircross sits at the larger end of the mid-size SUV class. This is around 100mm longer than direct rivals such as the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, plus European alternatives like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Peugeot 3008. 

The Toyota RAV4 and Ford Kuga are much closer in size, but Chinese competitors such as the MG HS and BYD Seal U are bigger still. The BYD stretches to almost 4.8m long.  

Seats & passenger space

Thanks to its boxy shape and large windows, the Citroen C5 Aircross feels more spacious inside than just about all of its key rivals, and it has generous measurements inside. Space up front is good, with wide, soft seats that still offer excellent support, while the large centre console creates a convenient armrest with storage split over two levels.

The top section features an armrest bin with a wireless phone charging tray ahead of it next to the drive selector. Lower down under the touchscreen is a secondary storage space where the twin cup-holders are, but it’s going to be tricky to place anything larger than a drinks can or coffee cup down there. It’s also a bit of a fiddle to get to the two USB sockets and 12-volt connector when seated up front.

Space in the second row is also good for the class, although the floor is a little high due to the space needed under the floor for the batteries. That floor is uniformly flat in all models, though, so foot space for middle-seat passengers isn’t an issue. The rear doors open nice and wide, and there’s plenty of seating adjustment, including backrest adjustment on the second row. There are two air vents and USB sockets for back-seat passengers, but the door bins are on the small side.

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Boot space

Citroen quotes a boot capacity of 565 litres in the back of the C5 Aircross, although this can grow to 650 litres with the seat backs upright. All models also come with some under-floor storage, which is handy to store the charge cables for EV and PHEV models. 

The tailgate opens wide and leaves a low load lip that is level with the false boot floor. On either side of the boot floor are small pockets for odds and ends, plus there’s a light and a solid parcel shelf, rather than a roller cover. 

You have to lower the second row from the passenger compartment – there are no levers in the boot – but they leave a flat floor. They split in three sections, so you can drop the centre section to accommodate longer items and still use the two back seats.

Towing

Towing capacities vary depending on the powertrain. Base hybrid models are capped at 1,200kg, with the PHEV lifting this to 1,900kg and the EV going back down to 1,250kg. Citroen offers a towbar for around £700, and this adds Trailer Sway Mitigation to the electronic stability control. 

"Space in the second row is very good for the class, with lots of legroom and wide-opening rear doors. The high ride height relative to the likes of a Tiguan or Ford Kuga will make loading and unloading young children easy, and the boxy roofline ensures the space feels light and open." - Jordan Katsianis, senior staff writer.

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Citroen historically doesn’t have a reputation for top-notch reliability, but that’s something of a red herring these days. The first C5 Aircross scored well in our most recent Driver Power survey, ranking eighth out of 50 models included in the best cars to own list, with plenty of positive feedback from real owners. 

One thing that shouldn’t be a concern is the reliability of the 1.2 PureTech turbo petrol three-cylinder engine in the C5 Aircross Hybrid. Early PureTech units had a so-called ‘wet belt’, with the cambelt running through the engine oil, which could cause problems if the incorrect oil was used and the belt perished, causing a blockage and engine damage. The most recent versions of the 1.2 PureTech use a timing chain instead, thus eliminating any potential issues.

The C5 Aircross shares a somewhat disappointing four stars out of five Euro NCAP rating with its sibling, the Peugeot 3008. It's underwhelming compared with the likes of the Ford Capri and Volkswagen Tiguan, which both received a maximum five-star rating, although the rival Dacia Bigster only scored three stars out of five. You do get a comprehensive list of standard safety-assistance features on the C5 Aircross, including adaptive cruise control, a driver-monitoring system, lane-keep assistance and traffic-sign recognition, all of which are configurable via the main touchscreen. We’d recommend setting these up before you set off, because it can be a bit fiddly to do so while on the move. 

For an additional £1,100 on the Plus trim (standard on Max), you can add the Techno pack, which includes semi-autonomous driving-assistance features such as lane-positioning assistance, lane-change assistance, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

To help buyers purchase with confidence, the manufacturer offers up to eight years of warranty cover, as long as the car is serviced at an approved Citroen outlet. As standard, the three-year/60,000-mile warranty is as basic as they come, and there’s 12 months of roadside assistance, too.

Service plans are available at extra cost, which can be bundled in with any finance deal. Expect to pay around £650 for three years of maintenance.

• Best buy: Citroen C5 Aircross 1.2 Hybrid Plus 

If you’re a business buyer, then the electric e-C5 Aircross is the one to choose, but for everyone else, the standard Hybrid makes more sense. Mid-range Plus trim gets a bit more kit than the You!, although that model does offer great value and doesn’t feel downmarket.

Citroen C5 Aircross alternatives

The Citroen C5 Aircross operates within a huge glut of competitors in the mid-size SUV class. Within the Stellantis group, these include the Peugeot 3008 and seven-seat Peugeot 5008, the Jeep Compass and Vauxhall Grandland, all of which are available with the same choice of hybrid, PHEV and EV powertrains as the C5 Aircross.

Outside of the Stellantis group sit the popular Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, both of which come with hybrid and PHEV powertrains. These are popular options, but aren’t class-leading, but the Nissan Qashqai is. The Nissan X-Trail and Subaru Forester are left-field and rugged Japanese alternatives, with the Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V offering more road-biased options.

There’s also Ford’s Kuga and electric Ford Explorer, the underwhelming Renault Austral or the excellent Renault Scenic EV, and Volkswagen has its own options, including the excellent Tiguan and ID.4. Elsewhere in the VW Group, the Cupra Terramar matches the Tiguan’s powertrain options, and the Skoda Kodiaq ups the game with more space for less money. 

Chinese offerings, such as the MG HS, BYD Seal U and Jaecoo 7, all follow a similar theme of impressive numbers, lots of tech and low prices, but also place a lower priority on driving dynamics and comfort. 

For the class, the C5 Aircross offers lots of car for not much money, with good tech, lots of space, a comfortable ride and a distinctive character, although at the entry point to the range it has a tough rival in the shape of the Dacia Bigster. While the C5 Aircross isn’t class leading in any one area, it offers a compelling combination of factors for family car buyers.

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