The only unit of the Citron C5 X which passed through Portugal was one of the first to leave the production line — it is part of the first batch of pre-production units — and is currently conducting a roadshow across eight European countries for a very first contact.
It was not yet this time that I was able to drive him and check his qualities as a runner, as is traditionally expected of a large Citroën, but it allowed me to see other aspects of the new top of the range of the French brand.
C5 X, the return of the great Citroën
The C5 X marks the return of Citroën to the D-segment, succeeding the previous C5 (which ceased to be produced in 2017) and… tradition is no longer what it used to be.
The new C5 X leaves aside the traditional features of other saloons in the segment and also, in part, of large saloons with the Citroën stamp (such as the C6, XM or CX).
Despite being inspired by the bold CXperience concept of 2016, the C5 X follows its own path, mixing various genres in its forms. On the one hand it's still a saloon, but its hatchback (five-door) bodywork with a slanted rear window leaves it halfway between a saloon and a van, and its increased ground height is clearly a legacy of the successful SUV's.
If in the first images I saw of the model it revealed to be little consensual, in this first live contact, the opinion hasn't changed. The proportions and volumes remain distinct and challenging, and the graphic solutions found to define its identity, both front and back — which we started by seeing in the C4 — are also far from reaching consensus.
On the other hand, you will hardly be mistaking the road for any of your potential rivals.
The segment has changed, the vehicle would also have to change
This clear distinction of the “revenue” of the segment is justified by the changes that the segment itself has undergone in recent years.
In 2020, in Europe, SUVs were the best-selling typology in the D-segment, with a share of 29.3%, ahead of vans with 27.5% and traditional three-pack saloons with 21.6%. In China, where the C5 X will be produced, the trend is even clearer: half of the segment's sales are SUVs, followed by saloons, with 18%, with vans having a marginal expression (0.1%) — the Chinese market prefers the people carrier format (10%).
The exterior design of the C5 X is thus justified, as confirmed by Frédéric Angibaud, the exterior designer of the C5 X: “it must be a perfect combination of versatility, safety and aesthetics, while taking environmental and economic aspects into account”. The end result thus becomes a cross between a saloon, the practical side of a van and the most desired look of an SUV.
big inside and out
In this first live contact, he also showed how big the new C5 X is. Based on the EMP2 platform, the same one that equips, for example, the Peugeot 508, the C5 X is 4.80 m long, 1.865 m wide , 1.485 m high and a wheelbase of 2.785 m.
The Citroën C5 X is, therefore, one of the largest proposals in the segment, which is reflected in the internal quotas.
When I sat inside, both front and back, space was not lacking. Even people over 1.8 m tall should travel very comfortably in the back, due not only to the space available, but also to the seats that equip it.
The bet on comfort will, in fact, be one of the main arguments of the C5 X and its Advanced Comfort seats, even in this brief static encounter, were one of the highlights. A feature that is due to the two additional layers of foam, each 15 mm high, which promises to make long distances child's play.
Doing justice to the road-going qualities of the great Citroën of the past, it is equipped with a suspension with progressive hydraulic stops, and may also come with a variable damping suspension — Advanced Comfort Active Suspension — which will be available in some versions.
more technology
Even though it is a pre-series unit, the first impressions of the interior are positive, with a robust assembly and materials, in general, pleasant to the touch.
The interior also stands out for the presence of a touchscreen of up to 12″ (10″ series) in the middle for infotainment and with high levels of connectivity (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wireless). There are still physical controls, such as the air conditioning, which are characterized by having a pleasant and solid action in their use.
It also stands out for the debut of an advanced HUD (Extended Head Up Display), which is capable of projecting information at a perceived distance of 4 m in an area equivalent to a 21″ screen, as well as for the reinforcement of driving assistants, allowing semi-autonomous driving (level 2).
Hybrid, how could it be otherwise
The Citroën C5 X of this first “encounter” was a top version and equipped with a plug-in hybrid engine, which will have greater prominence when it hits the market.
It is not an absolute novelty, as we already know this engine from many other Stellantis models, or more specifically, from other ex-Groupe PSA models. This combines the 180 hp PureTech 1.6 combustion engine with a 109 hp electric motor, ensuring a maximum combined power of 225 hp. Equipped with a 12.4 kWh battery, it should guarantee an electrical autonomy of more than 50 km.
It is the only hybrid proposal in the range, for now, but it will be accompanied by other conventional engines, but always gasoline — 1.2 PureTech 130 hp and 1.6 PureTech 180 hp —; the C5 X does not need the diesel engine. And also the manual box. All engines are associated with an eight-speed automatic transmission (EAT8 or ë-EAT8 in the case of plug-in hybrids).
It now remains to wait for a close live contact with the new Citroën C5 X, this time with the possibility of driving it. For now, no prices have been announced for the new French top of the range.