Citroen C5 1.8-LITRE RANGE
You Know Someone Doesnt Like You When You Get A Big Car With A Small Engine. With Citroens C5 1.8 The Hard Done By Have Found Their Talisman. Andy Enright Reports
Something strange has been going on in the medium range family car sector. Inch by inch after each iteration these cars are getting bigger. Though we dont spot it right away, they have gradually grown to a size whereby Citroens C5 isnt far shy of a
Vauxhall Carlton or a
Ford Scorpio of yesteryear. Which means that the 1.
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8-litre versions arent powerful enough to punch their way out of a wet paper bag, right? Wrong. Engine technology has progressed apace and the 1.8-litre
Citroen C5 is a long way removed from the less desirable end of the stick.
Its available in three distinct versions, an LX five-door version costing £14,995, an LX estate at £16,095 or the sporty looking VTR hatch version which retails at £16,195. Youll have to put up with the predictable gibes about how you drive a C5, but even Sir Clive could never have envisioned that personal transport solutions would have come this far, so soon and from Citroen, whose 2CV probably offered as much resistance to stray artics as the Cambridge gnomes trike. Its all part of Citroens global naming policy that has already seen explosive C4 rally cars and will soon yield green-gilled C6 variants. Innovation has always been an integral aspect of the Citroen brand personality and although that innovation had been shackled in recent years by the companys subservience to more mainstream
Peugeot designs, the C5 marks a welcome return to Gallic indifference.
Asked why it looks nothing like a
Ford Mondeo or
Volkswagen Passat, the C5 would probably shrug dismissively and contrarily plough its own furrow. The latest model features a number of enhancements both visual and functional but the C5 remains very much a C5. The double chevron grille is rapidly being adopted right across the Citroen range and now the C5 has it along with boomerang style front and rear lights. Interior quality has also been improved, there are now seven airbags and Citroens directional Xenon headlamps are available.
"The C5 marks a welcome return to Gallic indifference."
Underneath these updated but still relatively anonymous looks lies a car that is anything but. You dont have to drive one very far to find out why. This family five-door (hatch or estate) will ride and corner differently to anything youve ever driven. The credit for this goes to Citroens unique Hydractive 3 suspension.
Devotees of the marque who owned an XM or a Xantia will know what were talking about here, for both of these cars featured early versions of this system. In its latest form, the advantages of this fluid-sprung set-up over conventional steel springs are almost impossible to ignore. Thus equipped, this C5 can read the road and adapt its ride set-up accordingly, depending on the ground surface, the speed and the way that youre driving. Sensors strategically located around the car feed information to a central control system that can then change both spring and damper rates as necessary.
For example, on bad surfaces below 43mph, the car will be lifted by 13mm to prevent the possibility of grounding out. Over 68mph on a smooth road however, the gadgetry will automatically lower the front of the car by 15mm and the rear by 11mm to reduce drag. You can even choose a raised 40mm position for potholed farm tracks or an even higher setting to make it easier to change a wheel. On the move, you monitor each state of affairs via a multi-function screen built into the top of the fascia.
Theres the choice of normal or sport modes, though drive the car hard and youll find that it switches automatically to sport mode anyway. Where you notice Hydractive 3 most however, is on bad roads or in hard cornering. The worse the surface, the better this car feels (nothing, but nothing at any price rides speed humps better). Its real party piece however, is reserved for sharp corners.
As you enter the bend, you expect the car to start rolling in the normal way except that it doesnt. In fact, all the way through the turn, the body stays absolutely flat. Its a rather weird feeling. Comfort them, is this cars number one priority.
Its not seeking to deliver as sharp a driving experience as you could expect in a Mondeo or a 406 though in fact, its not that far off. Certainly, the engines are up to the job. These are borrowed from Peugeots parts bin and are none the worse for that. Most buyers will choose the 2.
0-litre engine, but for those who do plump for the 117bhp 1.8-litre variants, theyll be getting a car that can hit 60mph in 10.9 seconds on the way to 112mph. In a car the size of a small rural shire thats respectable performance, and the fuel economy figure of 36.
7mpg isnt anything to sniff at either. The engine is surprisingly quiet and cultured, even when you decide to drop the hammer, and the modest power only really becomes apparent when accelerating at speed on motorways. For the majority of the time the C5s cosseting ride wont make you hanker for anything markedly quicker under the bonnet. The C5s styling is deceiving.
At first glance, youd swear it was a saloon when, in fact, its a five-door hatch (theres no four-door option but you can have an estate). Inside, the well-appointed cabin is as spacious as anything in the class and the 456-litre boots enormous. At the wheel, it doesnt feel quite as solid and classy as some rivals (blame the different plastics and mock wood for that) but its not far off. And of course, in keeping with the theme pursued by the rest of the car, its as hi-tech as you could wish.
Airbags are everywhere, theres a great trip computer and you can specify voice activation for the stereo as well as for the optional satellite navigation and in-car telephone systems. Another interesting prospect is the lane departure warning system, which alerts drivers if they drift across lanes without indicating. Keen drivers will break out the bargepoles when faced with the prospect of a spell behind the wheel of the Citroen C5 1.8, but theyd be missing out.
All it takes is an adjustment of attitude. Just as the car is confident enough not to slavishly ape the established rivals, its best to relax, take in the big picture and enjoy the C5 for what it is. If you can do this, the executive car rat race suddenly looks a distant unappetising place. Executive stress relief has never been sweeter.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Citroen C5 1.8-litre range
PRICES: £14,995-£17,795 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 8
CO2 EMISSIONS: 182g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 112mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 32.6mpg / (extra urban) 47.1mpg /(combined) 36.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin Front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [saloon] Length/Width/Height 4618/1770/1476mm
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