Citroen's new C5 thinks it's a supermini
Introduction
Need a big saloon but want supermini-sized emissions and economy? Then Citroen's C5 1.6 HDi might be the perfect solution.
What is it?
It's Citroen's new C5, a car that's intended to take on the likes of Ford's Mondeo, the Vauxhall Vectra and French compatriots the Renault Laguna and Peugeot 407 among many others in the family car market. This sector is dominated by fleet buyers (businesses buying cars for its employees), so the C5 is more than likely to be purchased with company money. That makes its economy and emissions even more important, low consumption making for low running costs. With a 50.4mpg combined consumption figure the C5 1.6 HDi is among the very best in its class.
How does it drive?
The C5 might only have a small 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine powering it, but it feels far livelier than Citroen's figures suggest. Certainly it's not going to win any drag races with its 13.4 second 0-62mph time, but then it's not a car that's built to be racing about in - if you want that try the same engine in the C2 VTS HDi. What the C5 does do well though is cruise and, given the big-mile trips this car is likely to be doing, that's important. The ride, on the steel springs, is acceptable enough, if not as cosseting as the Hydractive system offered on some models. The pay off for the slightly more fidgety ride is sharper steering, and a lighter list price of course. The engine pulls strongly when on the move, allowing you to skip between gears - no bad thing given the rather sloppy shift quality. The interior is improved vastly over Citroen's previous efforts, though oddment storage and cup-holders are pretty obvious in their absence. A decent, if unremarkable all-rounder, that's pleasingly quiet on the motorway - where it'll spend most of its life.
Planet hugger or planet mugger?
We're into the planet hugger category here. The C5's 110bhp 1.6-litre HDi turbodiesel unit is claimed to return as much as 50.4mpg on the official combined cycle, while on the extra-urban run it's possible to add another 10mpg on top of that. Impressive for such a big, roomy saloon. CO2 emissions are very respectable too, the C5 1.6 HDi only emitting 149g/km. Good as that is, the 2.0-litre HDi isn't far behind, with a combined consumption figure of 47.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 157g/km, so you don't necessarily have to pay a big environmental price if you want a slightly quicker version.
Verdict
This C5 1.6 HDi is one of only a small handful of full-sized family cars that offer emissions of below 150g/km and a combined consumption figure in excess of 50mpg. Those are figures that used to be the preserve of superminis. A decent all-rounder, that's certain to be excellent value, the C5 is well worth a look if you're after a big, efficient family car.
Wednesday March 26
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