With its new flagship, the French brand tries to convince that long pleasure cruises via cars still have a future; of course, a high-tech one. There is no explicit luxury here, but the harmonious blend of comfort, practicality, and dynamism generates a certain touch of conceptual elegance.
All the ideas that define the new Citroën C5 X were known more or less in an independent manner until now. Comfort features, a large interior, station wagon design, crossover-SUV riding abilities, refined dynamic behavior—Citroën promises all these were never put together the way the C5 X does it.
Years ago, Citroën was known for its unique “suspension hydro-pneumatique,” which had certain limits in terms of reliability. Later, it was replaced by the “hydractive” (also a type of hydraulic-pneumatic suspension system seen on the Citroën Xantia, XM, and former C5 sedans and wagons series). Now, the C5 X breaks new ground with the introduction of the so-called Citroën Advanced Comfort active suspension, which is said to take the impression of flying on a magic carpet further, a sensation closely linked to the history of Citroën.
Obviously, the inner space of a car of this size should give a clear impression of roominess. After all, we are talking about the European D-segment/full-size family car here—the C5 X is 4,805-mm (189-in) long and has a wheelbase of 2,785 mm (110 in). The C5 X is equipped with elaborated seats, presented under the Advanced Comfort label, and the space for the second row was particularly cared for. With a 545-liter standard capacity (really good value for a typical big European station wagon), the trunk is just finely suited for the potential necessities of a long holiday trip or practical themes.
There are plenty of advanced features on board, and their purpose is mostly related to the enjoyment and safety of trips. Take the Extended Head Up Display, for instance, as well as a range of driving assistance features that reduce the driver's workload (such as Highway Driver Assist). There's also a new infotainment interface with a central 12-inch HD touchscreen, voice recognition, and a custom configurable display, similar to a tablet.
The plug-in hybrid propulsion system delivers up to 225 PS (222 hp) and has a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine at its core. The C5 X can be operated 100% electric for some 50 km (31 miles), and the powertrain allows for a maximum speed in electric mode of 135 kph (84 mph). As for go-anywhere capabilities, the front and rear overhangs look a bit too massive for serious off-roading, but going on rougher terrain should be fun.
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