Citroen C5 (2001 TO DATE)
MODELS COVERED: (5dr hatches and estates 1.8, 2.0, 3.0 petrol, 2.
0 90, 2.0 110, 2.2 diesel [LX, SX, Exclusive, Exclusive SE])
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
This could be history in the making. What we have here is a used car model guide that deals with a large
Citroen and contains no close juxtapositions of the words catastrophic and depreciation. Does this mean a new found market respectability for the Citroen C5? Yes and no. Partly because it, in effect, replaced two separate ranges, the Xantia and the XM the C5 mops up buyers from both, so that could well explain its rehabilitation.
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Part of it must also be attributed to the fact that the C5 is a very respectable offering in its own right. With low mileage used examples now appearing, can we recommend a C5 over, say, a Mondeo? Read on.
The C5 marks a welcome return by the double chevron people to real innovation after a decade spent cloning in-house
Peugeot designs. Make no mistake. Underneath those anonymous looks lies a car that is anything but. You dont have to drive one very far to find out why.
This 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. None of this you would expect from a car with styling as, shall we say, conservative as this one. Wed only suggest you give it time to grow on you and point you towards the estate version (with looks that suit the understated shape rather better). The stylings deceiving too.
At first glance, youd swear it was a saloon when in fact its a five-door hatch (theres no four-door option). 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. One particularly nice touch (borrowed from the Peugeot 607) is the way the exterior mirrors fold in automatically when you lock the car.
The C5 range opens at £4,700 for a 1.8LX hatchback on a 2001 Y plate. Opt for a 2.0SX and the asking price rises to £5,100 or £5,600 if its specified in HPi Exclusive form.
Diesel lovers will warm to the 2.0-litre HDi engines, the 90bhp LX opening proceedings at £5,700. 110bhp under the bonnet, again with LX trim, will be around £5,900. Should you want the 136bhp 2.
2-litre HDi diesel hatch, youll need £6,500 for a clean example in SX trim. Estates have proved a big hit and a 2.0-litre HDi 110 LX on the 2001 Y plate retails at £5,900 or £6,500 if the slightly plusher SX trim is specified.
Insist on a service history. The complex suspension system is pretty reliable, but make sure that it's been checked out because replacement parts for it are pricey.
(Approx - based on a C5 V6 - ex Vat) Clutch assemblies are about £205, brake pads around £45 and an alternator around £175. You'll pay around £220 for a headlamp, around £245 for a radiator and around £110 (exchange) for a starter motor.
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 then, 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 sourced from the Peugeot/
Citroen empire and include some familiar favourites.
Most buyers will choose between four engines lifted from the old Xantia (1.8 and 2.0-litre 16v petrol units, and 90 and 110bhp 2.0-litre HDi turbo diesels) but the 3.
0-litre V6 has undergone some serious surgery and there are two powerplants that are distinctly innovative. First up is the 2.0 HPi petrol engine. With an all-alloy construction and direct injection, this is the first of a new generation of petrol powerplants that will gradually roll out across future Citroen and Peugeot models.
Even more impressive however, is the 136bhp 2.2-litre HDi turbo diesel, one of the finest four cylinder diesel engines in the world. On the move, it wont take long to find out why. Under hard acceleration and at cruising speeds, its actually quieter than its petrol counterpart.
Its fast too though not particularly so in the 0-60mph benchmark increment (10.9s). Through the gears however, its almost faster than the 210bhp 3.0-litre petrol V6.
Yet at the same time of course, getting on for twice as frugal (57.6mpg on the extra urban cycle).
The Citroen C5 is a big departure from the usual upper medium sector fare. If you want a sporty drive you should really opt for a Mondeo or a 406. If you value space, clever technology and a ride better than a
Bentley then a used Citroen C5 makes a lot of sense. Itll be interesting to see what advancing age does to the C5s residual values, but right at the moment theyre holding reasonably firm.
Fortune favours the brave. Good luck.
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