Long-term test: Citroen e-C5 Aircross MAX Comfort Range
First report: Can your mood be influenced by the type of car you drive? We’re already seeing strong evidence that it can
Verdict
Early impressions of this practical, comfortable, good-value SUV are very positive indeed. The Citroen e-C5 Aircross represents honest, capable family transport that doesn’t try to be something it’s not. Will I miss the hot-headed performance of my old VW Golf R?
Perhaps. But for now I’m revelling in my new-found sense of calm. Let’s see if that continues over the next few months.
Over time, we develop unconscious habits that define the way we go about our daily lives. Whether it’s instinctively popping the kettle on when you come downstairs in the morning, always sitting in the same spot to watch TV, or eating an identical lunch every day of the working week, these seemingly small things happen without us even realising.
Since taking delivery of my shiny new Citroen e-C5 Aircross, it’s dawned on me how these kinds of subconscious behaviours have evolved over the course of a month.
Coming out of a petrol-powered hot hatchback into a comfort-focused electric SUV has completely transformed my driving style – for the better.
Rewind to last September, when the Volkswagen Golf R landed in my lap. I was excited to spend some time in something with such an unashamed performance focus; I’d long been a fan of VW’s fast-car flagship, and in range-topping Black Edition guise it came dripping with fancy kit and racy add-ons.
But as time ticked by, I developed what my wife might call an undesirable alter-ego – represented here by my angry mask. Each journey felt like a rush, as if I was being hurried along by every BMW and Audi driver in the outside lane of the M25 – all while I bounced about on my 19-inch wheels and low-profile Bridgestone tyres. I managed to ignore most of the rage-baiting boy racers, but eventually it all became quite tiresome – almost entirely without me even realising.
Used - available now
2023 Citroen
C5 Aircross
31,327 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L
Cash £15,263
2023 Citroen
C5 Aircross
32,286 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L
Cash £16,730
2021 Citroen
C5 Aircross
48,343 milesManualPetrol1.2L
Cash £11,367
2023 Citroen
C5 Aircross
22,448 milesAutomaticDiesel1.5L
Cash £17,761Yet the real revelation came when I swapped out of the VW and into the Citroen. The two cars couldn’t be more different – and I knew that would be the case – but I totally underestimated the effect it would have on my mental state. The calm, cosseting e-C5 has instilled a sense of zen (mask number two) that’s been missing for the past six months; the refined powertrain takes the strain around town, backed up by that typically comfortable Citroen ride quality that’s just perfect on the motorway.
I’ll admit it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, however. The counter-argument to the pillow-soft suspension is that the car does tend to roll about a bit through the bends, which on our usual route over the South Downs to visit my parents can result in a few groans from my daughter in the back. I’ve ended up defaulting to straighter roads and dual-carriageways wherever possible.
I’m also really struggling with the My Citroen smartphone app. Having previously run a Peugeot E-2008, though, I can’t say I’m surprised; the two brands’ software obviously shares a similar back end, but its intermittent refusal to connect means I’m often unable to monitor real-time charging or check how much range I’ve got ahead of a long trip.
I’m aiming to investigate this further and will relay my findings in a future report. In terms of equipment and value for money though, the C5 scores well. If you would prefer hybrid power or don’t want an EV, prices start from just over £30,000. That’s an awful lot of car for the cash, even before you consider the relatively modest £3,555 premium Citroen will charge you for the electric version we’ve got here.
The basic YOU trim comes with at least 18-inch wheels (19s on the EV), automatic LED lights and wipers, plus a 13-inch ‘Waterfall’ touchscreen with nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s wireless phone charging, four backlit USB-C ports and keyless start, too. PLUS trim, at the time of writing, costs £2,640 more but brings privacy glass, satin-chrome trim and keyless entry, as well as eight-colour ambient lighting, a reversing camera and Metropolitan Blue seats.
Top-spec MAX models like ours benefit from black 20-inch wheels, matrix-LED lights and an energy-efficient heat pump. On top of that, there’s a head-up display, leather-effect heated front seats and a hands-free tailgate. All this, for less than £40k? It’s not often we recommend the top trim, but with all the bells and whistles the e-C5 MAX feels like a steal.
You don’t feel particularly short-changed on the powertrain, either, even if our car’s 79kWh (73.7kWh usable) battery is averaging only 250 miles to a charge – some way shy of Citroen’s 320-mile combined claim. A bigger-battery model is on its way, although given my newfound calm-and-collected persona, helped by the impending warm weather, I’m confident efficiency will improve over the coming months.
We’ve already subjected the e-C5 to a demanding trip to Center Parcs, filling it to the brim with bags, bikes and enough batch-cooked Bolognese to feed a tribe of seven. The huge 565-litre boot was a boon compared with the load space in my previous all-wheel-drive Golf, although we did have to leave the bulky parcel shelf at home; I’d always favour a retractable roller-type cover, given the choice.
There’s plenty of storage dotted around the cabin, as well. Photographer Pete joked that I’d turned the central cubby into a snack drawer, but I maintain that its contents are mostly there to keep my near-six-year-old daughter happy on the move.
The single cup-holder on the main stack is only really big enough for a can of pop, but there are two more under the console that are big and, in an unexpected turn of events, there’s even a full-size glovebox; gone are the days when Citroen glove compartments were split in two by the car’s fuse box.
So here’s to an enjoyable few months at the wheel of the Citroen e-C5. I’m sure I’ll miss my hot hatch at times, but for now I’m happy to spend some time in something more relaxing.
| Model: | Citroen e-C5 Aircross MAX 210hp Comfort Range |
| On fleet since: | March 2026 |
| Price new: | £39,345 |
| Powertrain: | 79kWh battery, 1x e-motor |
| Power/torque: | 210bhp/343Nm |
| CO2/BiK: | 0g/km/4% |
| Options: | Two-tone Perla Black roof (£400), Puncture repair kit with compressor (£20) |
| Insurance: | Group 29/Quote £1,466 |
| Mileage/efficiency: | 2,265 miles/3.4mi/kWh |
| Any problems? | None so far |
*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.
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