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The C5 Aircross has been given a facelift to tone down its polarising design. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
The C5 Aircross has been given a facelift to tone down its polarising design. Picture: DENIS DROPPA

At a recent motoring event another motoring journalist and I happened to park our Citroën C5 Aircross test cars side by side. The event host, from one of SA’s top-selling brands, quipped that it’s probably the only time one might see two C5s parked next to each other.

His tongue-in-cheek barb about Citroën’s rarity was not off the mark as the French brand hasn’t set the sales charts alight since its return to SA in 2019. The C5 Aircross competes in SA’s fast-growing compact crossover segment and in theory it should sell a lot better than the 55 units it shifted in 2022 — a far cry from the hundreds sold by rivals such as the VW Tiguan, Toyota Rav4 and Kia Sportage.

Perhaps local buyers still find the chevron-badged cars too quirky, or they cling to negative perceptions about Gallic aftersales support. On the latter front Citroën, now part of the Stellantis group, has increased its parts supply stock and appointed more dealers in a bid to boost its reputation, though it still has fewer dealers than the above-mentioned popular brands.

As for the quirkiness, the C5 Aircross has been given a facelift to tone down its polarising styling, which some may have found too flamboyant with its garish grille and red accents.

While the car still stands out in a crowd, the facelift leaves the C5 Aircross looking a little less Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and the bright red exterior accents have been ditched in favour of a more elegant look.

The brand’s signature chevrons are now black, underlined with chrome, and visually stretched by a set of narrowing chrome and black piano keys that gradually blend into the daytime LED lighting. Diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels are standard across the range as are gloss black side mirror caps and functional roof bars. The tail lamp clusters have also been redesigned to incorporate an eye-catching three-dimensional LED light signature. 

Interior changes involve a minimalist e-Toggle shifter for the automatic transmission and a repositioned infotainment screen.

The cabin has a pleasantly premium feel, with wide and well-padded seats. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
The cabin has a pleasantly premium feel, with wide and well-padded seats. Picture: DENIS DROPPA

As before, the Citroën C5 Aircross sells in two 1.6l petrol turbo models starting with the entry-level Feel (R633,900) that comes standard with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and fully customisable 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster.

The flagship Shine version, on test here, ups the game with a larger, 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, power adjustable driver’s seat, stainless steel sill scuff plates, leather upholstery, push-button start, auto-dimming rearview mirror and a hands-free, foot-operated motorised tailgate with programmable opening height memory. The Shine also has a reverse camera, 180º park assist and a slew of active driver aids including brake assist, active safety brake, collision risk alert, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring.

The fully loaded spec sheet comes with a R683,900 price that places the C5 Aircross Shine at the more expensive end of the midsized crossover segment. Customers can opt to fit a panoramic sunroof with electric interior blind. 

The cabin has a pleasantly premium feel with soft-touch dashboard and armrests, and metal garnishings. The wide, well-padded seats are particularly comfortable and seem suited to long journeys.

The split-level boot is a useful 520l in size, expands to 1,630l with the rear seats flipped down, and houses an almost full-sized spare wheel. Cabin oddments space is plentiful too, including a storage box between the front seats that’s large enough for a 2l cooldrink bottle. 

The best part of the car is its cushy ride quality, thanks to progressive hydraulic cushion suspension that uses hydraulic buffers to help eliminate bounce from the drive. With high-profile tyres it makes for a car that whisks along bumpy roads with one of the most comfortable rides in the class.

The Shine model comes with a fully loaded spec sheet for R683,900. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
The Shine model comes with a fully loaded spec sheet for R683,900. Picture: DENIS DROPPA

A generous 230mm ground clearance makes the C5 Aircross a useful car for mild offroading even though it’s only a front-wheel drive. The ride height doesn’t negatively affect the handling and this Citroën carves through curves with a neat and settled demeanour.

The 1.6l petrol turbo engine is fairly gutsy, delivering easy-going cruising performance on the open road and lag-free acceleration in urban driving. The test car averaged an economical 8.6l/100km.

As a family crossover with many features and a very comfortable ride, the C5 Aircross hits the mark. It probably deserves to sell a lot better, and the toned-down but still interesting styling may attract more people to take test drives.

Tech Specs

ENGINE

Type: Four-cylinder petrol turbo

Capacity: 1.6l

Power: 121kW

Torque: 240Nm

TRANSMISSION

Type: Six-speed auto

DRIVE TRAIN

Type: Front-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE 

Top speed: 189km/h

0-100km/h: 10.5 seconds

Fuel Consumption: 7.9l/100km (claimed); 8.6l /100km (as tested)

Emissions: 179g/km

STANDARD FEATURES

Automatic headlights, automatic headlamp levelling, front fog lights with cornering, LED daytime running lights, automatic windscreen wipers, cruise control, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, ABS brakes, electronic stability control, six airbags, keyless operation, driver attention alert, tyre pressure monitoring, dashcam, blind spot monitoring, progressive hydraulic cushion suspension, parking aid with reversing camera, climate control, digital instrument cluster, touchscreen infotainment system, half-leather seat trim.

Warranty: Five years/100,000km

Maintenance plan: Five years/100,000km

Price: R683,900

Lease*: R14,625 per month

* at 10% interest over 60 months no deposit

COMPETITION

Chery Tiggo7 Pro 1.5T Executive, 108kW/210Nm — R472,900

Haval H6 2.0 GDiT Luxury, 150kW/320Nm — R518,950

Renault Koleos 2.5 Dynamique auto, 126kW/233Nm — R584,999

Mazda CX-5 2.0 Carbon Edition, 121kW/213Nm — R640,600

Peugeot 3008 1.6T Allure, 121kW/240Nm — R664,900

Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Elite, 115kW/192Nm - R669,900

Toyota Rav4 2.0 VX auto, 127kW/203Nm — R671,600

Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT Line Plus, 132kW/265Nm — R692,995

Opel Grandland X 1.6 T Elegance, 121kW/240Nm - R701,900

Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI R-Line, 110kW/250Nm — R722,300 

Citroën C5 Aircross Shine 1.6 turbo auto

WE LIKE:

Ride comfort, space, features

WE DISLIKE:

Very little

VERDICT: 

Same practicality, less quirkiness

MOTOR NEWS star rating

**** Design

**** Performance

**** Economy

***** Ride

**** Handling

***** Safety

**** Value For Money

**** Overall

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