CITROEN C5 Estate 2001-2004 Photos, engines & full specs

Citroen decided to replace the aging Xantia and XM with only one model: the C5, and since it had to replace two lineups the carmaker offered it as a station wagon as well as a hatchback.

The new model had to check all the boxes for a mid-size segment vehicle but also keep the price of a beefed-up compact-segment model. Moreover, the station wagon featured Citroen's unique self-leveling suspension system. This was able to hold the car's ground clearance at the same level regardless of how much weight was loaded into the vehicle.

At the front, the ellipsoid headlights resembled those installed on the facelifted Xsara that the C5 replaced. This time, on the other hand, they were bigger, so the drivers didn't complain about poor lighting during night-time driving. Up to the B-pillar, the C5 Estate featured the same parts as the hatchback (liftback) version, but the rear doors were new, and behind them, the carmaker installed a third row of windows. On top of that, the long roof received a roof rack. Finally, at the back, the C5 Estate featured two slim and tall taillights that flanked the tailgate.

Inside, the carmaker followed the new-edge design language with curved lines combined with sharp angles. That trend was noticed on the center stack, the overall dashboard design, and even on the vents. At the front, the carmaker placed two bucket seats designed for comfort with minimal side bolstering, while at the back, passengers could have used a split-folding bench. Thanks to that, the loading area could hold between 563 liters (19.9 cu-ft) and 1,658 liters (58.5 cu-ft) of space. Moreover, its maximum loading weight was 600 kg (1,323 lbs).

Under the hood, the carmaker installed a wide choice of gasoline and turbo-diesel engines, ranging between a sluggish 90 PS (89 hp) and a healthy (but thirsty) 207 PS (204 hp) V6 powerplant.