Citroën C5 test

Intro: Conquering

According to Citroen General Manager, Gilles Michel, the new C5 will break new ground. For sure, Michel is proud of the new car...things are looking up at Citroen, there’s an osmosis and everyone is sure they’ve come up with a winner. In fact, today the challenges is to build a car to compete in the market’s most demanding sector, where the industries most competent constructors reign, the M2 segment. With the C5, Citroen is taking aim at Renault’s Laguna and even more importantly German heavyweights Audi with the A4 and Mercedes with the C Class. A clear challenge if not just a bit daring...

Esthetique: Eye candy

Citroen has done its best to conserve its values but it did work with no less than 40 different suppliers on the C5, which they kept very close tabs on from start to finish. Citroen was wise to do so, the finish quality is first rate...and the design of the dash board is particularly innovative. There’s no skimping on the standard issue equipment. The standard pack has seven airbags, speed regulator, mono-zone AC and an MP3 CD player. Sound proofing has been improved...the seats are comfortable and overall it all works. A lot of options reserved for higher end cars are offered, like the massaging seats...so far Citroen is right on the mark. The real revolution is aesthetic...the preceding C5 was rather banal...while this one is just one of the finest looking cars in the segment and arch rival Renault with its Laguna has its work cut out to catch up ! Citroen said its C5 was a charmer and it is. Balanced, refined and racy, the C5 boasts a daring but statuary style. The French have managed to mix sturdiness and quality...its rear concave deck window is a reminder of the C6.

Motorization: 7 engines to choose from

There are seven engines to choose from: three petrol and four diesel. There haven’t been any evolutions on this front. The 3-litre V6 petrol wasn’t available at the time of this test, so we gave the 143 brake horsepower 2-litre model a go....and we must say it had a hard time of it in pulling along the C5’s near 1600 kilograms and we must also admit we were disappointed that it came with just a five speed gearbox...and silence was cruelly broken when we hit the 130km/h mark. A sixth gear would make a world of difference, with a 300 less rpm for the same speed.

On the road: A philosophy

Driving comfort lives up to Citroen’s reputation...when you first set out you can’t help but think of the C6...total silence on board...and a smooth ride. This car is equipped with Hydractive 3...it adjusts, in real time, to road conditions and a driver’s tendencies. The C5 scores high marks for comfort as long as you don’t push it too far... because in Sport mode, this silky smoothness worthy of being called a Citroen can wash out just a bit, especially on the back roads in Portugal. In any case, its handling can’t be too harshly criticised. When it comes to handling, Citroen has always had its reputation of going against the grain. While this is the case, the C5 can be had with a more traditional suspension that promises completely safe road handling...the C5 is a dream come true for Citro-Maniacs and win over the others...up to now the C5 is still without reproach. This new C5 is a success in a number of areas...going after the Germans is a tall order but while it does have what it needs, Citroen’s may not yet have the image to persuade a customer who is on the fence between a C5 or BMW’S 3 Series, for example.