Citroen C5 Aircross Shine 2019 Review

Like most cars that end up in our driveways, the Citroen C5 Aircross began life as a concept model many of us knew would change significantly by the time it hit the showroom.

Compared to many showcars, however, the C5 Aircross managed to retain most of its edgy design through to the production stage, and is, in reality, as close as we could have hoped the boldly-styled SUV would be while still meeting the safety and practicality datum a modern vehicle must.

This is in many ways as interesting as the design of the C5 Aircross itself. There’s no ‘form over function’ here. In fact, Citroen’s newest Aircross model offers a number of technological, ergonomic and practicality benefits many of its ilk can only hope to match. Maybe it’s worth looking in the Citroen showroom after all; assuming you can find one…

The two-variant Citroen C5 Aircross range  is priced from $39,990 (plus on-road costs) for the entry-grade Feel, while the higher-specification Shine tested here starts at $43,990 plus ORCs.

Both are powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine matched to an Aisin-sourced six-speed automatic transmission and driving the front wheels.

Citroen claims a 0-100km/h time of 9.9sec and a top speed of 201km/h. Fuel consumption is rated at 7.9L/100km on the ADR Combined cycle while CO2 emissions are listed at 179g/km.

The figures make the five-seat SUV competitive against many competitors at the same price, while the after-sales provisions nudge it ahead slightly.

Citroen offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with roadside assistance, while capped-price servicing tallies $3010 over the same period. Service intervals are set at a generous 12 months or 20,000km (whichever comes first).

Depending on hue, metallic paint costs either $690 or $1050 (Pearl White only).

Comfortable seats are one thing, but a comfortable ride is quite another. Citroen has worked hard to provide the C5 Aircross with a comfort-focussed ride lacking in many of its ‘sporty’ competitors, but the softer damping does suffer at the hands of sharper impacts, and contributes to a feathery feel from the electrically-assisted steering.

It’s easy enough to get out of phase with the chassis of the C5 Aircross on a winding country road, but most SUV buyers probably won’t mind.

Contrary to popular belief, the Australian market isn’t hell-bent on a stiff-at-all-costs chassis tune, and if you’re more interested in comfort over outright handling, the C5 Aircross might just be a suitable compromise – even on the larger 19-inch alloy wheel and 205/55 tyre combination found on the Shine variant tested.

That family focus continues inside the cabin with oddment and drink bottle storage that shines brighter than most. Multiple USB ports, a 12.3-inch TFT instrument panel and sensibly located controls lend a tech-savvy feel to the front and rear seats alike, though the human-machine interface of the touchscreen-heavy infotainment system can grate once the novelty wears off.

Generally, the remainder of the C5 Aircross’ controls are logically placed and simple to understand. Ergonomics border on excellent with sensible levels of adjustment all-round, though visibility suffers by virtue of a thicker C-pillar which can obstruct rear three-quarter vision.

Night-time illumination from Citroen’s dusk-sensing halogen headlights is acceptable, rather than brilliant. It’s also unusual that a high-grade model be offered without adaptive cruise control, seat heaters or a sunroof, especially when viewed against it contemporaries.

Under the bonnet Citroen employs the PureTech 180 direct-injected and turbocharged engine familiar to a variety of BMW, Citroen, DS, MINI, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall models.

The compact unit makes 121kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm at 1400rpm, which at times struggles to motivate the 1402kg (tare) C5 Aircross with any real verve.

The six-speed automatic and generous use of Sport mode does what it can to keep the engine singing, but with a full complement of passengers and luggage, performance is leisurely at best.

Conversely, fuel economy tallied an agreeable 8.2L/100km over the course of a week’s mixed driving.

Citroen launched its C5 Aircross in Australia in July 2019. The model’s arrival coincided with centennial celebrations of the French brand, and gave it an opportunity to compete in the mainstream SUV model mix for the first time in a long time.

Citroen’s previous small and funky offerings notwithstanding, the C5 Aircross is a sensible, sorted and stylish SUV family buyers should consider alongside the ‘tried and trusted’ range of usual suspects.

Innovation and ingenuity appears to be alive and well at Citroen, the C5 Aircross breaking ground many other manufacturers seem reluctant to tap.

The Australian Citroen line-up currently includes three passenger models – the C3, C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross – as well as the Berlingo light van.

Family buyers with an eye for bold design are the obviously mark for the Citroen C5 Aircross.

What’s interesting here is that this SUV loses none of the practicality expected of an adventurously-styled family hauler, providing a 150mm sliding second row and between 580 and 720 litres of cargo space in five-seat mode – 280 more than the Mazda CX-5. In two-seat mode, the C5 Aircross swallows as much as 1630 litres.

Individually segmented rear seats provide higher levels of flexibility and comfort for second-row passengers. The inclusion of ISOFIX child-seat anchors to the outboard pews and three-point seatbelts and head restraints throughout is a thoughtful consideration not always available elsewhere.

Front-seat passengers are likewise well catered to; the top-spec C5 Aircross Shine here was equipped with Citroen’s Advanced Comfort seats that are literally as comfortable as they sound. Additional structural foam is used to create a supportive and sculpted mattress-like cushion and squab that provide an exceptionally cossetting experience ideal for longer journeys.

Sharing its roots – and PSA EMP2 platform – with the stronger-selling Peugeot 3008 means the Citroen C5 Aircross is a competitor to myriad medium SUV rivals.

The five-seat family SUV market is one of the most crowded in Australia and includes 21 rivals from the likes of Ford, Holden, Mazda, Nissan, Skoda, Toyota and Volkswagen, to name but a few.

Given its higher specification level, however, the Citroen C5 Aircross is a more natural fit against similarly equipped higher-trim grades, which precludes sub-$30,000 ‘entry’ models from the majority of the aforementioned manufacturers.

Like for like, the Citroen C5 Aircross Shine on test (from $43,990 plus ORCs) is a more fitting rival to SUVs that include the Ford Escape Titanium (from $45,840 plus ORCs), Peugeot 3008 GT Line (from $44,990 plus ORCs) and Volkswagen Tiguan 132TSI Comfortline (from $44,650 plus ORCs).

Depending on what you expect for your money in terms of equipment, the C5 Aircross Shine is worth taking a look at.

It mightn’t have some of the equipment other SUVs at this price point offer as standard, but it makes up for it with a quiet, comfortable ride, well-cushioned seats and a cargo area that shames many SUVs the next size up.

OK, the engine can be a little laggy off the mark and ultimately lacks the energy of some mid-size SUV rivals, but again, the flipside is better fuel economy and a smooth, quiet ride.

As much as anything, the Citroen C5 Aircross is a case of ‘swings and roundabouts’, and though it mightn’t fit the mould we’ve become accustom to in this class, it certainly ticks a lot of boxes where practical five-seat family motoring is concerned.

Depending on where you sit, that’s a good thing. I’d certainly take a test drive of the Citroen C5 Aircross before buying a comparable SUV. You might just be surprised.

How much does the 2019 Citroen C5 Aircross Shine cost?
Price: $43,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 121kW/240Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined); 8.2L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 179g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star ANCAP (2019)