Citroen C5 Aircross pricing revealed

Citroen has revealed key pricing and specification details for the forthcoming C5 Aircross, while confirming a new plan of attack for its operations in Australia.

Watching on in recent years as sister brand Peugeot undertook its own rebuilding program in Australia, Citroen officials say the French brand is now ready for a renaissance Down Under.

The Citroen C5 Aircross is the first of several new models that will arrive in showrooms from July, priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs. The positioning will see the Citroen compete against mid- to high-specced versions of the Peugeot 3008, Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5.

Citroen’s Australian distributor, headed by former luxury goods and alcohol industry exec Ben Farlow, is adopting a burger-with-the-lot approach with the way it specifies its vehicles -- in an attempt to play on Citroen’s quasi-luxury bent.

As such, the C5 Aircross will employ a “comfort is the new cool” mantra, using Citroen’s patented hydraulic bump stops, and ridding itself of an options list save for paint colour.

In entry-spec Pure trim ($39,990 plus on-road costs), the C5 Aircross will feature 18-inch alloy wheels, a wireless phone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, automatic lights and wipers with LED daytime running lights, a 180-degree reversing camera and hydraulic suspension.

Standard safety will encompass automated emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and full airbag coverage, while the cabin will be replete with the French marque’s mattress-like comfort seats.

The $43,990 (plus on-road costs) C5 Aircross Shine variant that sits upstream of the Pure will add larger 19-inch wheels, sun roof and leather upholstery.

Both C5 models will employs a 121kW/240Nm turbo-petrol four-cylinder shared with the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 – sister SUVs that it sits between in size.

Drive will be shuffled to the front wheels only via an eight-speed automatic; despite ongoing requests, there is no immediate scope for an all-wheel drive version.

The C5 Aircross boasts 40:20:40 split/fold seats and a 720-litre boot.

Farlow confirmed with carsales.com.au that, as part of the brand relaunch in Australia, Citroen’s distributor has chosen to discontinue the C4 Cactus, Berlingo and C4 Grand Picasso.

“The cars that we want to deliver and the brand that we want to fulfill – a more youthful energy than we’ve seen in the past – our whole line-up has been under review,” he said.

“What’s important to me is that everyone knows the current line-up is not going to be the line-up at the end of the year. The C3, C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross is what we see the future as.

“We’re going to build Citroen back up through SUVs.”