Citroën occupies an fascinating place within the Stellantis secure of French manufacturers.
With Peugeot positioned as a semi-premium model to tackle Volkswagen straight, and DS spun out of Citroën as its personal marque to deliver a sure French luxurious twist to rival Audi, Citroën has been positioned as a extra generalist, on a regular basis model, arguably akin to Skoda.
Citroën (and DS) can draw on a storied heritage of huge, quirky saloons that, whereas to not everybody’s style, have majored on consolation and have pioneered quite a few improvements alongside the way in which.
The unique Déesee, translating to goddess and extra extensively often called the Citroën DS (inspiration for the present DS model), featured a magic carpet trip due to its hydropneumatic suspension. Later fashions, such because the CX, XM. and even the newer C6, featured more and more superior variations of this suspension.
With the final C6 rolling off the manufacturing line in 2012 – no less than for international markets, China noticed a brand new technology – the C5 X marks one thing of a return to the marque’s non secular roots. It’s been locked in for Australia, with an arrival set for late in 2022.
Physique and proportions: Has Citroën actually created a 3-in-1 automotive?
Citroën claims the C5 X’s “physique type is instantly placing: assertive, strong and distinctive. It includes a fastback physique type that blends saloon and station wagon by including some components that make SUVs so interesting”.
In actuality, Citroën has created a high-riding station wagon within the mould of one thing just like the Subaru Outback, however with a sleeker, much less slab-sided design that makes use of prolonged rear spoilers to create maybe a passing resemblance to a sublime sedan.
The tail and rear three-quarter view are maybe the strongest proof of Citroën’s capability to fuse these three forms of car. The design of the tailgate is much like a typical station wagon, with a large aperture.
Nevertheless, the steeply-raked rear windscreen coupled with each a roof-mounted spoiler and a bigger, virtually ducktail counterpart on the windscreen’s base create a quasi-fastback silhouette.
That is enhanced by strakes on the rear quarter panel that present a refined optical phantasm about to how steep the C5 X’s rear glasshouse is. A raised trip peak, and matte black plastic rear bumper and wheel arches, full the look by including a touch of off-road prepared, SUV type.
Maybe essentially the most spectacular facet of the C5 X’s aspect profile is the understated curvature that commences above the door handles (throughout each entrance and rear doorways) earlier than curving inwards to fulfill the underside of the aspect home windows.
An fascinating different to easily including a physique line or aspect crease to the door panels, it provides the sheetmetal extra form than a conventional wagon might need.
In the appropriate climate circumstances and on the proper angles, it additionally creates the chance for daylight to create a extra fascinating mixture of highlights and shadows to intensify specific elements of the C5 X’s design.
The entrance of the automotive, in distinction, stays typical of different latest Citroëns, that includes the newest angular break up headlight household face as seen on automobiles such because the C4, C3 Aircross (not bought in Australia), and to a lesser diploma, the C5 Aircross.
LED daytime working rights positioned at a forty five diploma angle in the direction of one another, whereas the principle headlamp unit and fog lamps are situated in separate clusters under the higher DRL.
Inside: Superior consolation
Citroën claims the overarching theme of the inside is a sense of at-home consolation and wellbeing via a way of spaciousness and a brilliant, ethereal ambiance.
Key to this are the C5 X’s lounge-style superior consolation seats, which characteristic high-density foam at their core, in addition to a thicker, textured foam on their floor. The entrance seats can moreover be optioned with heating, air flow, and therapeutic massage features.
The superior consolation seats kind a part of a broader program to endow the C5 X with the identical magic carpet trip as its predecessors. This additionally contains Citroën’s progressive hydraulic cushion suspension, which has two hydraulic stops on the dampers (compression and rebound) to take the sting off sharp bumps.
Plug-in hybrid variations of the C5 X additionally pair this with an energetic suspension system, impressed by the Citroën C6’s AMVAR system, designed to analyse the highway floor to find out the suitable suspension firmness at every wheel.
The inside is designed to have a refined, open feeling, emphasised by options such because the horizontal structure of the dashboard with wraparound open-pore wooden trim, enhanced soundproofing with laminated entrance and rear home windows out there, and quite a lot of storage areas for entrance and rear passengers.
Not like different automobiles at the moment which have a coupé-like silhouette that compromises visibility in favour of fashion, Citroën claims the C5 X affords 360-degree visibility for the motive force and different passengers, via options equivalent to glass (relatively than closed-off plastic) quarter-windows.
Notably, not like Peugeot which has tried to create a extra driver-focused cockpit with the central infotainment display screen tilted in the direction of the motive force and a rising ‘bridge’ sort centre console that provides clear separation between driver and entrance passenger, Citroën has opted for a extra symmetrical method to provide drivers and entrance passengers equal entry to the infotainment show.
