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SHARPER FOCUSED FIVE

Models Covered: (5dr hatches and estates 1.8, 2.0 petrol, 1.6, 2.0, 2.2 diesel [VTR, VTX+ Exclusive])

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Big Citroëns have tended not to make a whole lot of sense as a new car buy. Most savvy buyers know that they depreciate heavily and the only way this can be offset is by negotiating big discounts from new. The facelifted Citroën C5, launched in 2004, was no exception. Although residual values proved to be far better than its predecessor, this was still a car that you needed to slash some seriously big numbers off the RRP in order to make viable. Fortunately many did and this means that used buyers now have the twin benefits of abundant stock and very low prices for what remains a decently modern car.

In late 2004, the facelifted C5 went on sale. An entry-level 1.6-litre HDI 110 replaced the 2.0-litre 90bhp unit and the 2.0-litre 110bhp was upgraded to 138bhp. The 173bhp 2.2-litre twin turbo engine was introduced in Summer 2006 just after the arrival of the VTX edition models aimed at the company car market. This updated car incorporated the company’s contemporary front-end design, with the narrow aperture of the double chevron grille running the width of the car’s nose. The boomerang rear lights look like those from the old Maserati 3200GT blown up to 200% on a photocopier. The front lamps are also a good deal more sculpted than the softer teardrop lamps of this car’s predecessor. Xenon dual function lamps turn as the car corners – a throwback to the legendary DS. An involuntary lane departure warning system was developed that prevented drivers from losing concentration or dozing off at the wheel. If the car detects a steady lane change without an indication, it can sound a buzzer in the cabin. Safety was enhanced with the fitment of no fewer than seven airbags, including one to protect the knee area as well as a speed limiter and the latest generation ESP stability control package.

Building in features more often seen on luxury cars is an ongoing theme, the C5 featuring laminated side window glass. Not only does this aid safety in the result of an accident, it also provides enhanced protection against crime and even boosts the cabin’s acoustic qualities. Manufacturers of car stereos have long lamented the fact that with a high proportion of echoing surfaces, the car’s interior is one of the most acoustically challenging environments in which to create great sounding music reproduction. It has been found that the insulating layer of clear plastic inside a laminated windscreen produced less acoustic scatter than the harsher echoes that rebounded off a more brittle toughened screen. Go for the estate version and you’ll find that the load floor is wide and flat, giving a capacity of 563 litres which is the largest in class. More importantly, it’s possible to exploit that space without significant intrusion from the rear suspension turrets, the Hydractive 3 system being tucked away beneath the floor. This means that the available width of 1176, measured at the narrowest point between the rear tail lights, is still the widest in class.

We’ll start with the diesel models first. The 1.6 HDi in LX hatch form starts at £7,400 on the 54 plate with a VTR tacking another £600 on top. Go for the 2.0-litre HDi and you’ll need to find £9,300 for a 138bhp Exclusive. The 2.2 HDi Exclusive with an automatic gearbox will be £10,400. Go for an estate and you’ll need to add around £700 to these prices. The petrol engined models start at £6,300 for a 1.8i LX while a 143bhp VTR will be around £7,200.

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.

Some aspects are carried over from its predecessor, Citroen reasoning that there’s no point messing with things that work well already. This hatch or estate will ride and corner differently to anything you’ve ever driven. The credit for this goes to Citroen’s unique Hydractive suspension. Devotees of the marque who owned an XM or a Xantia will know what we’re 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 you’re 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. Comfort then, is this car’s number one priority. It’s not seeking to deliver as sharp a driving experience as you could expect in a Mondeo or a 407 – it’s looking at the high mileage driver who wants to arrive unruffled. Certainly, the engines are up to the job. These are sourced from the Peugeot/Citroen empire and include some familiar favourites. A choice of six powerplants is offered, with petrol engines from 117 to a hefty 210bhp as well as the acclaimed HDi common rail diesels developing between 110bhp and 138bhp. Revised six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes are also available as well as Citroen’s award-winning particulate filter.

The Citroën C5 is a very interesting used car buy. It’s also one that offers a lot of very high-tech function at an extremely low price. While this may sound rather scary in terms of ongoing reliability, it’s probably a good car to buy now rather than in five years time. The diesels are well worth seeking out and the estate models are comparatively more competitive than the hatchback models. Our pick would be a 138bhp 2.0 HDi VTR estate.

ESTATE OF THE ART
If Citroen’s C5 is to succeed here, sales of the Tourer estate version are crucial. Just as well that it seems to be a stylish and accomplished product then. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Citroen’s second generation C5 has proved to be a huge step forward from its rather quirky predecessor and the Tourer estate version is an even more desirable package. It’s spacious, stylish and comes equipped with a range of clever convenience features. Some are familiar (like a motorised tailgate), while some are rare or completely unique at this price point (like self-levelling suspension hydractive suspension).

In its latter years, Citroen’s original C5 struggled to sell in any meaningful numbers in the UK and those that did make it here were invariably estate models. The second generation C5 sees Citroen back to its best but its success will depend very much on the sales performance of the Tourer estate variant we’re looking at here. This car retains its predecessor’s best bits and attempts to address its issues by injecting a little of the flair previewed on the C6. Can it propel Citroen back into medium range contention in an estate market dominated by impressive contenders? As you’d expect, the engine line-up is exactly as you’d find in the saloon version, a car that borrowed most of its under-bonnet hardware from the first generation C5 model. The one exception is the 2.7-litre HDi V6 unit borrowed from the C6 executive saloon that suits the C5 Tourer variant particularly well. The petrol line-up begins with the 127bhp 1.8-litre unit and ends with the 143bhp 2.0-litre but it’s the diesels that will account for the majority of sales. Citroen are offering HDi oil-burners of 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2 litre capacities respectively producing 110, 138 and 173bhp as well as the 208bhp V6 range-topper. There are two suspension set-ups to select from in the C5 range. The first is a conventional arrangement that uses double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link system at the rear. The second is the Hydractive 3 Plus self levelling suspension that adapts to the road surface in order to deliver a smooth ride. This system lets the driver to select from three modes that offer progressively firmer suspension settings for a sportier driving experience or a more comfortable one as required.

"It offers a far more elegant ownership solution than one of those mini-MPVs…"

At 4.83m long and 1.48m tall, the Tourer adds an additional 5cm and 3cm respectively over the Saloon. Load space is abundant, thanks to the Tourer’s cavernous boot (505-litres) and split folding rear seats, which can be laid completely flat to create an extensive capacity of nearly 1500 litres – one of the largest in the segment. Access is made simple and convenient by the Tourer’s large tailgate, which can be specified in motorised form and allows bulky items to be loaded or unloaded with ease. When placing heavy items into the car, a button located on the rear lowers or raises the car’s suspension, bringing the boot floor to a more convenient height. Simply closing the tailgate automatically returns the rear suspension to the correct level. Stylish elements include the black or silver roofbars and dark tinted rear side and tailgate windows. There’s also an optional panoramic glass roof. A 12V accessory socket is available for charging or powering electrical devices and a clever dual-function flashlight mounted into the wall of the boot operates as a boot light or a convenient rechargeable hand-held torch. Neat storage solutions can include shopping bag hooks on the boot side walls, side storage nets for stowing loose objects and a luggage cover blind. Ceiling hooks located behind the rear seats and the front seats allow a cargo net to be fitted to retain items during transit. Prices start from £16,695 and the C5 range is offered in a choice of three trim levels - SX, VTR+ and Exclusive – and, just like the Saloon, the Tourer (offered at a premium of around £1,100 model for model) is extremely well specified. Cruise control and a speed limiter, air-conditioning, external roof bars, an acoustic windscreen and an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS) are all fitted as standard, whilst most versions are equipped with an automatic electric parking-brake and hill-start assist.  For ease of parking and pedestrian safety, the C5 Tourer is also available with front and rear parking sensors, as well as a parking gap assistance system. It’s possible to specify your C5 up to a pretty serious level with the higher trim levels benefiting from a raft of desirable gadgets and yet more made available via the options list. The highlights include the integrated NaviDrive control system with its 7" screen, a voice-activated telephone system, a massaging driver’s seat, the Lane Departure Warning System that warns you if you drift over a white line without indicating and two different kinds of adaptive headlamps that give improved visibility when cornering. There’s also a collapsible pedal assembly that protects the driver’s legs in the event of an accident. The C5 Tourer’s rivals are many and talented. There’s the Peugeot 407SW with which it shares its engines and many of its underpinnings. An of course obvious rivals like estate versions of the Renault Laguna, Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat. The diesel engines that most C5 Tourer customers will choose deliver strong economy and low emissions. All the oil-burners in the range are fitted with a diesel particulate filter that cuts particulate emissions to next to nothing. It should all go to make this C5 an environmentally-friendly car and, therefore, an affordable one to run. Citroen dealers are also well known for their aggressive marketing tactics and buyers will doubtless be able to access some very favourable deals on C5 Tourer models in due course. We can also expect to see special edition derivatives that sweeten the value proposition further. Of course, this kind of discounting tends to have a negative effect on residual values and C5 buyers shouldn’t expect a particularly strong performance from the car on the used market. And residual values? Well, mirroring the performance of the Saloon, second-hand value experts CAP predict residual values for a C5 Tourer 2.0 HDi VTR+ to be second only to VW’s Passat estate amongst nine key rivals, marking the C5 Tourer as a practical option for both design and cost of ownership. Assuming that you don’t need to carry more than five people, cars like this Citroen C5 Tourer give you a better reason than ever before not to buy one of those compact mini-MPVs that increasingly ply our roads. It does, after all, offer a far more elegant ownership solution. Despite its increased dimensions, the Tourer maintains the elegant styling and aerodynamic qualities of its booted stablemate. With a range of proven engines and a choice of suspension systems, this Citroen certainly offers an involving driving experience, ideally suited to users who spend hours on the road or seek a secure and spacious transportation for their families and equipment.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Citroen C5 Tourer range PRICES: £16,695-£25,495 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 149-212g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0 HDi] Max Speed 125mph / 0-60mph 11s [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 HDi] (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 57.6mpg / (combined) 47.1mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin Front, side and curtain airbags / ABS / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4830/1853/1480mm

A C CHANGE IN STYLE
Our latest acquisition to our long term test fleet is also one of the most handsome cars to pass through our hands in ages. Citroen’s second generation C5. Jonathan Crouch has been enjoying it….

When I was a small boy, I used to collect car brochures – still have them in fact. Certain manufacturers’ leaflets were particularly valuable of course. Ferraris and Maseratis obviously but also others who designed cars, and therefore usually their literature, in a stylish, exciting manner. Amongst these brands was Citroen. I still prize leaflets from early CX and GS models and lately, I’ve gone back to my aging pile to add one more: on the marque’s latest C5.

I really can’t remember the last really beautiful Citroen. You probably have to go back a couple of decades to find one. Yes, the C6 executive saloon is arresting – but that’s not the same as being attractive. The C5, in contrast, is a car that really deserves that adjective, whether you order it in saloon or Tourer estate guise. It also happens to be good to drive and cost-effective to own: what’s not to like? The badge perhaps? Let’s be honest, large Citroen’s haven’t had the best of reputations for holding their value on the used market – but then the previous C5 model quite frankly didn’t deserve to. This second generation car is different. Should you ignore it purely in terms of badge snobbery, then you’ll be doing yourself a disservice. The reason that I know this is that we’ve just added one to our long term test fleet. My wife Katie, fed up with a string of economy-minded superminis and family hatches, refuses to let go of the keys. Her reason for liking the car doesn’t have anything to do with the way that it looks. No, it’s the suspension. "The C5’s just so comfortable to ride in," she told me after a few days at the wheel. "Speed humps – what speed humps? It just spoils you for anything else." I know what she means. There are actually two suspension set-ups to select from in the C5 range. The first is a conventional arrangement that uses double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link system at the rear. The second though, is the system that all potential C5 owners should choose, a Hydractive 3 Plus self levelling suspension set-up that adapts to the road surface in order to deliver a smooth ride. This system lets the driver to select from three modes that offer progressively firmer suspension settings for a sportier driving experience or a more comfortable one as required.

"The C5’s just so comfortable to ride in," my wife told me after a few days at the wheel. "It just spoils you for anything else…."

Surprises are in short supply within the C5 engine range with the majority of the units carried over from the outgoing car. The one exception is the 2.7-litre HDi V6 unit that debuted to considerable critical acclaim in the C6 executive saloon. The petrol line-up begins with the 127bhp 1.8-litre unit and ends with the 143bhp 2.0-litre but it’s the diesels that will account for the majority of sales. Citroen are offering HDi oil-burners of 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2 litre capacities respectively producing 110, 138 and 173bhp as well as the 208bhp V6 range-topper. Saloon and Tourer estate bodystyles are on offer. We’ve opted for the 2.0-litre 136bhp HDi diesel model that most will probably end up choosing. With prices starting from just under £18,000, it’s relatively affordable for a diesel-powered Mondeo-sized family model of this kind and affordable to run. The figures suggested that we should average around 50mpg on a regular basis and we’ve been able to achieve that with our car. This C5 is a larger car than the model it replaced and one of the biggest in its class – fortunate for me given my growing family of three small children. The saloon I have is fractionally longer than its Ford Mondeo equivalent and almost as wide with the estate measuring in with an extra 5cm of length. Citroen has paid particular attention to soundproofing in the cabin fitting laminated side windows and an acoustic windscreen to supplement the absorbent body and roof linings that were developed for the C6. The interior sets out to mirror the high quality feel of the larger executive-class C6 and although the centre console looks a little overloaded with buttons, the clean lines of the fascia and the chrome detailing create an upmarket effect. Citroen is well known for including high levels of gadgetry in its vehicles and a further cluster of controls on the fixed-hub steering wheel, though a bit daunting at first, ultimately are effective in helping the driver access the more important features without diverting attention from the road. Space for rear seat passengers is helped by the flat floor. Go for the Tourer estate and you get 505 litres of space with all the seats in place and nearly 1500 litres with the seats flat folded. Our car is the top Exclusive model but we could also have opted for cheaper SX or VTR+ levels. It’s possible to specify your C5 up to a pretty serious level with the higher trim levels benefiting from a raft of desirable gadgets and yet more made available via the options list. The highlights include the integrated NaviDrive control system with its 7" screen, a voice-activated telephone system, a massaging driver’s seat, the Lane Departure Warning System that warns you if you drift over a white line without indicating and two different kinds of adaptive headlamps that give improved visibility when cornering. Standard equipment includes cruise control and a speed limiter as well as six airbags, ABS and ESP stability control. There’s also a collapsible pedal assembly that protects the driver’s legs in the event of an accident. The C5’s rivals are many and talented. Ford’s Mondeo is the obvious car to beat but Volkswagen’s Passat, Vauxhall’s Vectra, Renault’s Laguna and Honda’s Accord are all in there scrapping it out. The C5’s job is made doubly difficult by the fact that these accomplished vehicles are fighting for slices of an ever-diminishing pie. The growth in popularity of compact 4x4 vehicles, including Citroen’s own C-Crosser, compact MPVs and premium hatchbacks has hit sales of traditional medium range models. That said, there are still rich pickings for whichever of car in this class can best strike a chord with the buying public. This car will do just that if Citroen dealers can get people behind the wheel. This may not be the easiest of tasks but those handsome looks should help in this respect. And me? Well I’m just pleased at last to have a Citroen I can feel proud of sitting in my driveway. And now you’ll have to excuse me: I just have to go and drive it again and admire myself in a few more plate glass windows….

Facts At A Glance CAR: Citroen C5 range PRICES: £15,895-£25,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 149-212g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0 HDi] Max Speed 125mph / 0-60mph 11s [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 HDi] (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 57.6mpg / (combined) 47.1mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin Front, side and curtain airbags / ABS / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [saloon] Length/Width/Height 4779/1853/1458mm

C CHANGE
The second generation Citroen C5 promises to be a big improvement over the model it replaces. Jonathan Crouch takes a look

Citroen has been showing signs of getting back to its slightly quirky best of late and the second generation C5 has proved to be another step on that upward curve. The Mondeo-sized medium range family sector it competes in offers tough challenges but this car is equipped to meet them far more effectively than the one it replaced. Sharp looks and German standards of build quality at last complement high technology and a silky ride.

Though it’s had its moments with Xantia and BX models, Citroen has always made rather heavy weather of selling family-sized medium range models. It was a trend that continued with the first generation C5 model, launched in 2001 but hampered by bland looks, high depreciation and soggy handling. A strong range of diesel engines and the Hydractive 3 self-levelling suspension system were plus points though and it was clear that these needed to be part of the huge step forward the MK2 C5 model would have to make if Citroen were not to have to limit their aspirations only to small car sales. Looking at the car, it’s difficult to see how the French designers could have completed their brief much more effectively. Virtually all the outstanding issues are addressed and there’s a far more palatable form of the styling flair we first saw in the marque’s executive class C6 model. If this C5 doesn’t propel Citroen into contention in this sector, then they might as well give up. This still isn’t the sharpest steer in its sector – think Peugeot 407 rather than Ford Mondeo – but it’s now there or thereabouts. It’s also far better suited to the kind of driving that most of the time, these kinds of cars actually do, thanks, rather unusually, to a selection of suspension set-ups – an important choice for buyers to make. The first option is a conventional arrangement that uses double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link system at the rear – but that won’t deliver you the proper Citroen driving experience. Much better to go for the Hydractive 3 Plus self levelling suspension that adapts to the road surface in order to deliver a smooth magic carpet ride. This system lets the driver to select from three modes that offer progressively firmer suspension settings for a sportier driving experience or a more comfortable one as required.

"This C5 is a larger car than the model it replaced and one of the biggest in its class…."

Surprises are in short supply under the bonnet with the majority of the units carried over from the outgoing car. The one exception is the 2.7-litre HDi V6 unit that debuted to considerable critical acclaim in the C6 executive saloon. The petrol line-up begins with the 127bhp 1.8-litre unit and ends with the 143bhp 2.0-litre but it’s the diesels that will account for the majority of sales. Citroen are offering HDi oil-burners of 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2 litre capacities respectively producing 110, 138 and 173bhp as well as the 208bhp V6 range-topper. This C5 is a larger car than the model it replaced and one of the biggest in its class. The saloon is fractionally longer than its Ford Mondeo equivalent and almost as wide, with the Tourer estate measuring in with an extra 5cm of length. Citroen has paid particular attention to soundproofing in the cabin, fitting laminated side windows and an acoustic windscreen to supplement the absorbent body and roof linings that were developed for the larger C6. The interior sets out to mirror the high quality feel of the C6 and although the centre console looks a little overloaded with buttons, the clean lines of the fascia and the chrome detailing create an upmarket effect. Citroen is well known for including high levels of gadgetry in its vehicles and a further cluster of controls on the fixed-hub steering wheel will help the driver access the more important features without diverting attention from the road. Space for rear seat passengers is helped by the flat floor. Go for the Tourer estate and the 439 litres of bootspace offered by the saloon rises to 505 litres with all the seats in place and nearly 1500 litres with the seats flat folded. When placing heavy items into the car, a button located on the rear lowers or raises the car’s suspension, bringing the boot floor to a more convenient height. Simply closing the tailgate automatically returns the rear suspension to the correct level. Styling was not a strong suit of the original C5 but today’s car appears to have banished the frumpiness that scuppered its predecessor. The huge headlamps joined by the double chevron grille produce a distinctive front end and the highlight at the rear is the concave glass area as seen on the C6. The deep swage lines that run down the flanks just below the line of the door handles is very BMW while the sculpted wheelarches help produce a dynamic stance. If anything, the estate version is an even better looking car than the saloon with its sloping roofline and rear light clusters that curve right round the corners of the vehicle. Prices lie in the expected £15,000-£25,000 bracket common to this class of car, with, as usual, a premium of around £1,100 if you want the estate Tourer version. All variants are extremely well specified. Cruise control and a speed limiter, air-conditioning, external roof bars, an acoustic windscreen and an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS) are all fitted as standard, whilst most versions are equipped with an automatic electric parking-brake and hill-start assist.  For ease of parking and pedestrian safety, the C5 Tourer is also available with front and rear parking sensors, as well as a parking gap assistance system. The C5’s rivals are many and talented. Ford’s Mondeo is the obvious car to beat but Volkswagen’s Passat, Vauxhall’s Vectra, Renault’s Laguna and Honda’s Accord are all in there scrapping it out. The C5’s job is made doubly difficult by the fact that these accomplished vehicles are fighting for slices of an ever-diminishing pie. The growth in popularity of compact 4x4 vehicles, including Citroen’s own C-Crosser, compact MPVs and premium hatchbacks has hit sales of traditional medium range models. That said, there are still rich pickings for whichever of the C5’s contemporaries can best strike a chord with the buying public. The diesel engines that most C5 customers will choose deliver strong economy and low emissions. Economy first: you can expect between 33 and 36mpg for the petrols and between 43 and 50mpg for the diesels. Emissions for the petrol variants range between 188 and 198g/km while the diesels range between 149 and 225g/km. All the diesels in the range are fitted with a diesel particulate filter that cuts particulate emissions to next to nothing. It should all go to make the C5 an environmentally-friendly car and, therefore, an affordable one to run. Depreciation is a step forward from that of the first generation C5 (which wasn’t difficult) but still slightly behind some of this car’s mainstream rivals as the market struggles to adjust to the idea of a largish Citroen with BMW build quality. And insurance? Expect your chosen C5 to be somewhere between groups 8 and 13. Of all the market sectors you could buy from, standards in this one are the highest. Which means that when we tell you that this C5 is good, then you can take it that it’s very good indeed. It’s arguably the best looking car of its kind, certainly the best riding and right up there in all other aspects save that of ultimate, on the limit handling. For all that, there will be many who won’t consider it because it’s a Citroen: their loss. As far as I’m concerned, this second generation C5 has all the credentials to count as an informed choice in the medium range market. It’s a car that effectively handles all the basics while remaining just different enough to stand out.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Citroen C5 range PRICES: £15,895-£25,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 149-212g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0 HDi] Max Speed 127mph / 0-60mph 11.6s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 HDi] (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 57.6mpg / (combined) 47.1mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin Front, side and curtain airbags / ABS / ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [saloon] Length/Width/Height 4779/1853/1458mm