Citroen C5 vs Ford Mondeo vs Mazda 6: 2008 group test
The Citroen C5 and driver-oriented Mazda 6 are the most recent arrivals in the family car class. But can they pip our current favourite, the superb Ford Mondeo, to the post?
Style and technology – those are the two qualities that define Citroen. Or at least they did.
Think back to the company’s glory days – not only was the DS stunning to look at, but it featured hydropneumatic suspension, a hydraulic transmission and directional headlights.
However, since the demise of the GS more than 20 years ago, the firm’s family cars haven’t hit the same heights. The BX and Xantia were neither as innovative nor as boldly styled, and it’s safe to say bosses won’t regard the first C5 as their finest hour.
With the new C5, Citroen is putting style back at the top of the agenda. But good looks alone are no longer enough to succeed in this competitive class, so the brand has followed its advertising slogan “alive with technology” to the letter: the C5 gets hydractive suspension, a fixed-hub steering wheel, a unique Parking Space Measurement System and, perhaps most importantly of all, promises to blend French flair with German quality.
When the new model hits dealers next week, it will be available in three trim levels and offer a choice of two petrol and four diesel engines. But it won’t have everything its own way. Mazda’s new 6 is large, spacious and promises a sporty driving experience. In £18,420 2.0D TS2 spec, it’s the most affordable car in this test by £1,500.
Used - available now
2022 Fiat
500e
32,394 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £10,997
2018 MINI
3-Door Hatch
21,000 milesManualPetrol1.5L
Cash £9,999
2021 MINI
5-Door Hatch
21,000 milesManualPetrol1.5L
Cash £14,999
2018 MINI
5-Door Hatch
47,000 milesManualPetrol1.5L
Cash £11,499Both face our class leader: the Ford Mondeo. It’s hugely capable and has amazing road manners – and so will provide the sternest possible test for the newcomers.
Verdict
Citroens have always defied convention, and the latest C5 is no exception. With its Hydractive suspension and superb 2.2-litre diesel engine, it delivers a driving experience that places the emphasis on comfort and refinement. For motorway use, neither the Mazda nor Ford can touch it.
But it’s not the best car here. The Citroen is let down by ordinary build quality, modest practicality and an interior that’s not easy enough to get on with. It’s a very independent-minded car, and if that’s what you’re after, you won’t go wrong. Yet for most buyers, the Mondeo is still the class leader. It has no real weaknesses bar residual values, and is great to own.
This leaves the Mazda 6 last – although it’s still a very worthy buy, due to its great looks, value for money and sharp handling. Unfortunately, this focus on driving fun comes at the expense of comfort and refinement.
First place: Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Titanium
So the Citroen majors on comfort and refinement, while the Mazda focuses on driver appeal and handling. The big question is this: can the Auto Express Car of the Year 2007 offer it all in one package?
The current Ford Mondeo was launched last summer, and with it the firm set new standards for the class. It gave the car a wider spread of skills than ever, and the design took a big step upmarket. So even with thousands of examples on UK roads today, it still has real presence.
While it’s not as stylised as the Citroen nor as sporty as the Mazda, its decent proportions and neat detailing provide strong visual appeal. What’s more, the saloon’s vast dimensions make a statement – at 1,500mm by 1,886mm, the Mondeo is taller and wider than its rivals.
Since Ford raised the bar for size in this class, other manufacturers have followed suit, and the 4,779mm C5 is actually the longer car – if only by 1mm. But the Mondeo’s wheelbase is 2,580mm – 35mm bigger – so the Ford still has the edge over the Citroen for rear legroom. The blue oval’s hatch boot is also practical, with easy access.
The front is equally spacious and, thanks to a low-slung seat and a wide range of reach adjustment on the steering column, the driving position is excellent. As with the Mazda, the ergonomics make you feel immediately at home – the wheel is great to hold and the metal-effect multifunction controllers provide easy access to audio, phone and trip computer commands.
The rest of the dash is equally well laid out, while the soft materials and neat details, such as the circular air vents, add a premium feel, even if the chrome trim round the dials, window buttons and centre console is a little overdone.
But such small niggles don’t stop the Mondeo from being a high-class place in which to spend time. The seats are comfortable and the cabin is more relaxing than the Mazda’s, as there’s less vibration from the engine – although it’s not a patch on the Citroen for sound insulation on the move. The Ford’s 2.0-litre TDCi diesel delivers comparable performance, and peak torque arrives at 1,750rpm – 250rpm earlier than in the 6 – but it can’t match the C5’s refinement.
Still, for ride comfort, the Mondeo retains the advantage. While it has less tyre noise and a softer set-up, the Citroen doesn’t control suspension movement as well as the Ford. As a result, the Mondeo thumps less over bumps, and remains impressively composed in all situations.
With such beautifully engineered damping, body control is great, too. Due in part to having the widest tyres here, the Ford is sure-footed and stable, even if it allows more movement than the 6. Precise, weighty controls deliver feedback in a way the refined but remote Citroen cannot.
In fact, not even the sporty Japanese model’s steering can match the Mondeo’s delicate responses, and the Ford’s agility is all the more impressive bearing in mind its dimensions and weight. At 1,615kg, it’s 85kg heavier than the 6.
In Titanium trim, the Mondeo is the most costly model of our trio. There’s a long standard kit tally, however, which includes seven airbags, cruise control, a CD changer and Bluetooth connectivity. The Ford has the greatest potential for personalisation, too, with the most extensive options list. But does our current champion still have the best blend of attributes – and can it keep its crown as the class favourite?
Economy
The Ford came close to matching the Mazda’s economy by achieving 39.5mpg. Better still, its 70-litre tank allows it to travel over 600 miles between fill-ups. As with all these cars, our results were well down on the claimed figures.
Residuals
for resale values, the Ford is left trailing. Go for a lower-spec model, and you’ll limit your financial penalties and bring down running costs. But the Mondeo is unable to shake off its mass-market image, which means its used values suffer.
Servicing
If costs count for more than customer service, you’re unlikely to go wrong running the Ford. Calls to dealers revealed three years’ maintenance should cost around £500. But we wish the blue oval would improve its warranty package
Tax
While it emits merely 7g/km more CO2 than the Japanese car, the Ford is taxed two per cent more heavily. This, combined with the high price of the Titanium model, means even lower-band business drivers face an annual bill close to £1,000
Second place: Citroen C5 2.2 HDi VTR+
Talk about a transformation. The first C5 was best known for its dowdy styling, but the new one takes inspiration from the bold C6 executive saloon. That alone should guarantee it makes more of an impact in the family car sales charts than its predecessor.
It’s in dealers from next week, with a Tourer estate due in the summer, and Citroen says the C5 brings new vitality and personality to a class where status is key. Put simply, buyers aspire to German brands – could that be why the rear lights seem to have been taken from an Audi A4, while the sculpted flanks hint at the BMW 5-Series?
Overall, it’s a handsome car with pronounced creases – especially the bonnet ridges. But it looks better from some angles than others, and is sensitive to colour and wheel choice. Stronger shades and larger-diameter rims help to disguise the fact that the new C5 is big.
It’s longer than the Ford – if only by a single millimetre – and is very nearly as wide, too. This bodes well for interior space, as does the large boot opening and split-fold rear seats.
However, the saloon can’t match its two hatchback competitors in this test for practicality. And passenger space is also limited. Although there is a flat floor, it has 80mm less legroom than the Ford, while shoulder room and head clearance are tight. But with 70 per cent of cars in this sector going to fleet customers to spend their lives pounding motorways, it’s the driving environment that’s critical to the C5’s success.
The design is good on the whole. It’s not as user-friendly as the Mazda’s nor as attractive as the Ford’s, yet it’s individual and interesting. The stylish door panels are great, the seats are well shaped and it’s much easier to reach the buttons on the redesigned fixed-hub steering wheel.
There are two major weaknesses, though. Firstly, we counted eight cubbies including the door pockets, and they’re all small and inaccessible. Secondly – and of much more importance given Citroen’s claim of improved quality – the C5 simply isn’t as well built as the Mondeo, let alone a premium German saloon. The materials don’t seem any more tactile or easy on the eye than those in the C4 hatch, the orange lighting looks cheap and there’s evidence of corner-cutting.
Going for a drive will help put your mind at rest, largely because the Citroen is so soothing. The 2.2 HDi diesel never emits more than a distant hum, and power delivery is relaxed.
Performance is a secondary consideration. Just as well, because while the 171bhp C5 is ahead of the 138bhp Mazda and Ford in terms of output, it wasn’t much quicker at the test track.
It’s easy to see why. At 1,729kg, the Citroen is 200kg heavier than the Mazda. We blame the 2.2’s Hydractive suspension – a 2.0 HDi with standard springs weighs 121kg less.
Nevertheless, the gas suspension system gives the C5 a unique feel – and one that’s focused exclusively on comfort. Even with Sport mode engaged there’s no hint of athletic ability – the steering remains vague and the suspension soft, although roll is limited and grip good.
If you spend plenty of time on motorways, you’ll love the way the Citroen seems to glide along. OK, the suspension is less able to deal with sharp ridges and potholes, but overall it’s a relaxing car.
And a good value one, too. Not only is the standard kit list generous, the C5’s long-term |running costs are manageable, too.
Economy
It’s by far the heaviest car here, as well as the most powerful – so we weren’t surprised the C5 was the least efficient. Its 35.7mpg average gave it the shortest range, at 558 miles, and fuel costs nearly £200 higher than the Mazda’s.
Residuals
At first glance, a residual value of just over 40 per cent isn’t great news – but it’s a healthy seven per cent up on the old C5, and the same margin ahead of the executive C6. Overall, it loses £713 less than the Ford, yet still drops by £11,857.
Servicing
Our Driver Power 2007 dealer survey rated Citroen’s network a lowly 24th out of 32. But you won’t have to visit very often, as the C5 has 20,000-mile intervals. The firm says the new car should cost less than its predecessor to service.
Tax
The C5 is the most powerful car, but this does mean extra CO2 – and that drives up its cost for business use. Lower-band drivers face a tax bill of £1,094. We suspect the 138bhp car – which emits 157g/km – will be more popular.
Third place: Mazda 6 2.0D TS2
It isn’t only Citroen that has injected some style into its family cars – Mazda has got in on the act, too. In recent years, the Japanese brand’s mainstream products have grown sportier and bolder, and the latest 6 is a prime example. The first-generation model looked good, but its replacement, launched at the start of this year, takes things a step further.
It’s stylish, athletic and well proportioned, and there’s a hint of coupé in its sporty profile. Yet it retains a premium appearance. As a result, even our mid-spec TS2 has an upmarket presence.
This impression continues inside, where the dash is simple yet smart, with deep-set dials and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel. The driving position is excellent, even if we would like a bit more underthigh support. And, as is the case with the Ford, plenty of attention has been paid to the cabin layout – it’s very easy to get on with. While the 6 can’t match the Mondeo’s material quality, passengers are comfortable because there’s plenty of space throughout the interior.
Despite having the shortest wheelbase and overall length here, there’s more legroom than in the Citroen. The rear chairs fold flat in one simple movement to create a huge 1,702-litre boot – that’s 242 litres bigger than the Mondeo’s. With the split/fold backrest upright, there’s a 510-litre load area, which is 71 litres larger than the C5’s.
The French car has a greater capacity under its bonnet – the 6’s 2.0-litre diesel delivers 138bhp and 330Nm of torque, and so is 33bhp and 40Nm down on the 2.2 HDi in the C5. Yet unlike Citroen, Mazda has kept an eye on the car’s weight. As a result, the 6 takes 9.1 seconds to travel from 0-60mph – only three-tenths-of-a second longer. Only from 50-70mph in sixth is it slower than the C5, due to longer gearing and torque peaking at 2,000rpm, as opposed to the Citroen’s 1,750rpm.
The differences in pace are barely noticeable on the road, although the 6’s lack of refinement soon becomes apparent. It’s gruff and coarse in comparison; our meter was reading 50dB at idle. And it’s noisier at 30mph and 70mph, too, with figures of 64dB and 71dB respectively.
More vibration is felt through the pedals, and the Mazda doesn’t insulate occupants from the outside world as well as the Citroen does. That’s due in part to its stiffer suspension. So although the 6 isn’t as relaxed on motorways and the ride is firmer on urban roads, this tighter edge serves to make you feel more attached to the tarmac. And with more than just a hint of the MX-5 roadster in its manners, the car delivers plenty of smiles on a twisty back road.
The steering is sharp and the 6 turns in with precision. There’s plenty of grip and excellent body control in corners, too. The Mazda remains composed and reassuring at speed, while a snappy gearshift and crisp controls complete the package. With its sporty personality, this model will appeal to keen drivers, even though it lacks the delicate steering feedback and finely honed damping of the equally entertaining Mondeo.
At £18,420, the 6 is £1,725 cheaper than the Ford, while lower emissions of 149g/km result in the most affordable company car tax bills here. Plus, the TS2 model is generously equipped, with a CD changer, Bluetooth connectivity, automatic air-con and climate control all as standard.
The Mazda is sharply styled, well built, good value and great to drive, plus youthful and well engineered. In other words, a great all-rounder.
Economy
During our test, the 6 managed to travel nearly five miles further on a gallon than the C5. Despite its keen road manners, the Mazda topped 40mpg, so 12,000 miles’ worth of fuel should set you back around £1,546.
Residuals
the Mazda is likely to be the safest place for your money. Not only is it cheapest to buy, it will be worth the most in three years. The new car retains nearly 10 per cent more of its value than its predecessor, at 44.1 per cent.
Servicing
The Mazda’s quotes may be lower than the outgoing Citroen C5’s, yet a total of £794 is still nearly £300 more than the Ford’s. The bills are sure to sting as the 6 needs attention every 12 months or 12,500 miles, too.
Tax
This is the only car to put out less than 150g/km of CO2, and falls into Band C for road tax. Plus, the 6’s low price and tax bracket make it attractive to business users, with lower-band drivers shelling out a little over £800 a year.
