[Auto / Moto] New Citroën C5 X 2021: price, info, photos and video discovery

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Hang on to the SUVs! The Chevrons are finally back on the front of sedans, with an offbeat proposition. How does the Citroën C5 X intend to reinvent the genre?

New Citroën C5 X 2021 - In 2016, Citroën created a stir at the Paris Motor Show by exploring new avenues to reinvent the sedan segment , through the CXperience concept car . A very sharp model, in terms of style, which left doubt as to the return of the CX name, to replace the C5, which has disappeared from the catalog since 2018 . Three years later, Citroën is finally back to business, with an original proposal to say the least.

The right timing?
Neither C5 nor CX, here is the Citroën C5 X. A name which both refers to the CXperience concept, but which above all legitimizes its penchant for the world of SUVs , given its high ground clearance. If adventurer station wagons have been part of the automotive landscape for many years, as the Audi A6 Allroad attests , raised family sedans remain a curiosity. Volvo tried its luck in 2015, with an S60 CrossCountry unloaded from the catalog after only a few months, for lack of success.

The tide seems to have turned six years later. Ford will take this path, from next year, to replace its Mondeo , but Citroën is grateful to him, as well as to all the competition, by landing on the European market with an offbeat architecture that is very successful on Asian markets. This is also the reason why the French will be assembled exclusively in China, in Chengdu.

A bet on the future
Unmistakably, this Citroën C5 X challenges and will not fail to fuel discussions between early Citroënists. But for Citroën, this original proposal was the only way, from its point of view, to return to a segment D in strong loss of speed. So much so that Renault plans not to replace the Talisman, and that Volkswagen could ignore a future Passat. With the extinction of the "papa sedan" , this C5 X perhaps heralds the development of a new breed of sedans.

Mixture of genres
Slightly raised sedans, but not too much. At 1.48 m tall, the Citroën C5 X is only 2 cm taller than a Renault Talisman , for comparison. We are very far from the 1.60 m that most SUVs easily exceed . From these, the Citroën mainly inherits the raw plastic protections , all around its body, but in a rather discreet way. It spares us the eternal clogs at the bottom of the shield or even the roof bars. It just exaggerates its wheel arches by imposing flats. But for the rest, we are dealing with the codes of a sedan , or even a station wagon, according to its parents. Clearly,the C5 X assumes its mix of genres, at the risk of moving away from the natural elegance that emanated from the CXperience concept car. It must be recognized that its large rear overhang is far from lightening its silhouette.

Habitability in subdued ...
So yes, this new C5 X imposes it. As usual with Citroën, we are promised a very spacious interior where comfort is king . But on paper, although it is 5.5 cm longer than the Peugeot 508 , its wheelbase is surprisingly shorter than that of the Sochalienne, by one centimeter. We also expected this new Citroën to be much longer. With a rating of 4.80 m , it returns 5 to 7 cm compared to a Renault Talisman or a Skoda Superb. We also hoped that the French would equal the Czech, in legroom, in the rear seats. But the Citroën is unfortunately served by a length of wheelbase a little tight, which places its habitability in the category average, without shining. However, we feel good on the seat of this C5 X , well designed to accommodate three passengers who will enjoy the incomparable softness of the Citroën seats, but also a significant headroom.

... but a trunk to spare
What makes the strength of this new C5 X is the return to a hatchback, unlike the previous C5 which played it a little too “German sedan” with its classic trunk . Accessibility improves considerably, as in the heyday of the XM, Xantia and the first generation of C5s. On the volume side, Citroën announces for the moment a rather generous water volume of 545 l for the category. 

She knows how to receive
Behind the steering wheel, rather than the dashboard, let's talk about interior furniture . The interior of the Citroën C5 X plays the part of appeasement, in a warm atmosphere, failing to be luxurious . But as a worthy Citroën flag bearer, the sedan pays more attention to details than the rest of the range. Foamed plastics are legion when the finish is very correct. We appreciate the multiple nods to the Chevrons that dot this environment , both in terms of the stitching pattern as on the perforations of the leather, on the speaker covers or even on the elegant bamboo-style headband which bars the cockpit and extends to the door frames .

This C5 X, which only offers automatic transmissions , cleans up its central console. In the absence of a lever, replaced by a discreet slider, space is released between the front passengers to offer multiple storage. But we regret that this large sedan ignores certain tips available on its little sister C4 . Here, no drawer above the glove box, even less support for touchscreen tablets.

Promising amortization
We expected to be very comfortable in this C5 X, and this is the case , for the one who takes advantage of the experience acquired by the C4 and C5 Aircross in terms of seating comfort . Like its little sisters, it promises first-rate sound insulation with its laminated windows . Like its little sisters, it uses progressive hydraulic stopper suspensions to filter out irregularities in the road. So, inevitably, it needed a little more to stand out from the rest of the range. To make a difference, it is equipped with an active suspension . But nothing to do with the gas factories that Citroëns historically embarked on.Here, no sphere. The work of the shock absorbers with progressive hydraulic stops is reinforced by the electronics of a conventional controlled suspension. It remains to be seen whether this system will live up to the Citroën myth during a future test drive in the coming months.

Unexpected equipment
This new Citroën has been developed on the same evolution of the EMP2 V3 platform, recently introduced by the new DS4 and Peugeot 308 . From these compacts, it inherits the new tactile interface, more efficient and responsive , on a screen even larger than its cousins, since it extends over 12 ” . Connectivity includes four USB-C sockets, as well as induction charging for the smartphone , while the software updates in real time, via the Cloud. We also note the introduction of  voice recognition in natural language , like the Mercedes MBUX system.

We didn't ask for so much on a Citroën. A brand which, for several years, has been promoting an essential, no-frills car philosophy. This C5 X is not lagging behind in terms of technology , although, at first glance, one could blame it for the small size of the digital handset housed behind the wheel, inherited from the DS4, which spans only 7 ”Diagonal. Yes, but like on the DS4, we have a giant head-up display which projects information through the windshield in augmented reality, in 21 ”format . Another nice surprise.

Driving aids also allow the C5 X to reach level 2 in terms of autonomous driving . The Highway Driver Assist combines the adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go function and helps to maintain in the way to manage the speed and trajectory of the vehicle. For its part, blind spot monitoring increases its range to 75 m, when the Rear Cross Traffic Alert system detects a danger nearby when reversing. A safe arsenal that however skips the Matrix LED headlights .

Plug-in hybridization
Conversely, this new C5 X is converting to rechargeable hybridization , dear to the Stellantis group. For the moment, Citroën simply evokes the block accumulating 225 hp , as on the C5 Aircross , which allows about 50 km of 100% electric driving. But, subsequently, we imagine that the 180 hp PHEV engine, which has just been inaugurated in the Peugeot 308 , will also be part of the trip. A block which will be essential for him to hope to convert, at a lower cost, diesel enthusiasts to hybridization . Because, unfortunately for some, the seasoned sedan will ignore diesel. Side 100% thermal, it will only be necessary to rely on a range of gasoline engines which has not yet been unveiled.

Citroën C5 X price
Indisputably, Citroën is taking risks to return to the D segment. But let us recognize that a classic offer would probably have been doomed to failure. This C5 X, it is perhaps the solution to bring down the clientele from SUVs gradually to sedans . The future will tell. In the meantime, orders for this new C5 X will start this fall , before the first deliveries expected at the very end of the year, or even early 2022 . As for prices, the base price should be around € 30,000, according to our estimate.