Citroen C5 Aircross Facelift - Expert Review

The Indian automobile market has a variety of SUV’s to choose from. Ranging from sub-compact to the premium segment you have an SUV from most brands available for sale in the country. However, their characteristics and nature of use can depend from product to product. One such model that is very specific to the term comfort is the name of Citroen C5 Aircross. Out and out French, the C5 Aircross has been around for a while now but requires a mention due the recent update it received in terms of a facelift. So how different it is from the first iteration, we tell you all about it and can it be a worthy contender in the 36.67 lakh price bracket let us find out?

Citreon C5 Aircross – Exterior Design

The C5 Aircross has been updated with a sharper exterior design. Upfront the latest iteration features a refreshed nose which looks more attractive than before. It now provides a pair of single LED headlamp setup instead of the split ones. The grille that you see here is finished in new Piano black finish with chrome bits and it features Citroen’s New logo design. These blue functional inserts on either side of the front bumper give the SUV a neat look. Presence of a bigger air damp, a silver strip at the bottom and a pair of fog lamps complete the front design.

Move to the sides, and the most significant change you get to see are the 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. Further, blue inserts found on the lower part of the front doors over the plastic cladding complements the white colour along with previous elements like the blacked-out roof, chrome surrounds for the window sills and a pair of black finished roof rails. While the rear stands to offer redesigned tail lamps with rectangular lights, a boot mounted spoiler and fake twin exhausts. On the whole with the upgraded exterior design, the C5 looks more sophisticated and premium than before.

Citreon C5 Aircross – Interior Layout and Features

The interior of the Citroen C5 Aircross has been a bit subdued from the beginning. It's an all-black cabin and offers the same layout as before. Though there are a couple of things which have changed. The list includes a refreshed center console. The console in particular brings to the table a new 10-inch infotainment system which has now replaced the out-going 8-inch unit. Since the infotainment unit is an upgrade, one would have expected it to perform seamlessly however that is not the case out here. To add, the overall sound quality from 6-speakers on board isn’t the greatest in its class.

Compatibility features include Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. For charging your electronic devices, one can either utilise the USB ports provided in the front and the rear or else simply use the wireless charger placed upfront. In terms of equipment, the SUV still misses out on a 360-degree camera which should have been there in a vehicle at such a price point. Further to accommodate the floating infotainment system, the air conditioning vents available in the centre before have been repositioned to just right below.

The other element to take note is the gear lever which has been refreshed to provide simple switches rather than the conventional one. Though it takes a bit of time getting used to these switches while using the automatic transmission. Key highlight of the cabin remains its highly well cushioned seats which provide great comfort. Though the front seats miss out on ventilation, there is still a good amount of head, shoulder and legroom. Towards the rear, the seats can be individually reclined and put forward like before which is a good thing.

It ensures that comfort is not compromised even if a decent sized 3 individuals are seated in this section. There is still ample head and legroom. From the luggage point of view, the C5 Aircross offers 580 litres of boot space which is very generous for both short and long-distance getaways. As for safety features it offers Park Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring System, Grip Control with Hill Descent Assist, Reverse Camera with top vision view, Hill Start Assist among many others.  So, all in one, the onboard experience of this SUV is quite reasonable with the element of comfort topping the chart.

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Citreon C5 Aircross – Engine and Performance

How is it to drive? Well mechanically, the C5 Aircross Facelift remains unchanged. It comes only in a diesel derivative which is a 2.0-litre turbo unit with an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox on-board. Its power figures stand at 177 bhp and 400 Nm torque. On the tarmac the powertrain sounds and feels very refined unless held by the neck in which case the engine noise does tend to creep into the cabin. That apart, the gearbox also complements the performance by handing out slick shifts.

The powertrain features a linear acceleration which is great for both city and highway use. The presence of the grip control selector offering different driving modes like Standard, Snow, Mud, Grass and Sand comes in very handy when required. Keeping our Indian road conditions in mind, its ride quality courtesy the air suspension ensures that soaking in potholes and broken roads isn’t really an issue. Further the SUV handles decently well given its overall size. To club it, the drive experience is a pleasurable one which will keep the driver and its occupants pretty pleased with the performance.

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Verdict

Having upgraded the C5, Citroen has definitely given a new lease of life to the SUV. It is more appealing with a spruced up interior while lack of certain features might make a customer think whether it would be the right buy? However its core attributes like comfort, performance and great ride quality make it a contender no less. So now it totally depends on what exactly you are looking for?