Citroën occupies an interesting place in the Stellantis stables of French brands.
With Peugeot being positioned as a semi-premium brand to go head-to-head with Volkswagen, and DS breaking away from Citroën as its own brand to give a certain luxury touch to its French rival Audi, Citroën has been positioned as a more general, everyday brand, akin to Skoda.
Citroën (and DS) can draw on a long legacy of quirky, grand salons that, while not to everyone’s taste, specialize in comfort and have pioneered many innovations. new along the way.
The original Déesee, which translates to goddess and is more widely known as the Citroën DS (the inspiration for the current DS brand), features a magic carpet thanks to its air suspension system. it. Later models, such as CX, XM. and even the more recent C6, there are increasingly enhanced versions of this suspension.
With the last C6 rolling off the production line in 2012 – at least for global markets, China saw a new generation – the C5 X marks a return to its refined roots. brand god. It’s locked in Australia, with arrival time set for end of 2022.
Body and proportions: Did Citroën really make a 3-in-1?
Citroën states that “the body style of the C5 X immediately stands out: assertive, powerful and distinct. It has a fastback body style that blends saloon and station wagon by adding some of the elements that make SUVs appealing.”
In fact, Citroën has created a premium scooter modeled on something like the Subaru Outback, but with a sleeker, flatter design that uses enlarged rear openings to create resemblance to an elegant sedan.
The rear and rear three-quarter views are perhaps the strongest evidence yet of Citroën’s ability to combine these three vehicles. The design of the rear doors resembles a typical station wagon, with a wide aperture.
However, the sloping rear windscreen combined with both the roof-mounted spoiler and a larger, almost duck-tailed reciprocating section at the base of the windshield, creates an inverted car-like appearance. fast.
This is enhanced by strips on the rear panel that provide a subtle optical illusion of the C5 X’s rear greenhouse slope. Raised ride height, matte black plastic rear bumper and arches wheels, completing the look by adding a bit of off-road, SUV-ready style.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the C5 X’s side panels is the subtle curvature that begins above the door handles (on both the front and rear doors) before curving inward to meet the bottom of the side windows.
An interesting alternative to simply adding a body line or side pleats to the door panels, it gives the sheet metal more shape than a traditional wagon might have.
In the right weather and at the right angles, it also allows sunlight to create a more interesting combination of highlights and shadows to bring out specific aspects of the design. of C5X.
The front end of the car, by contrast, remains typical of other recent Citroën, featuring the latest angled split headlight as seen on cars like the C4, C3 Aircross (no longer sold in Australia). and to a lesser extent, the C5 Aircross.
The LED daytime running lights are arranged at an angle of 45 degrees, while the main headlights and fog lights are located in separate clusters below the upper DRL.
Interior: High-class facilities
Citroën claims the overarching theme of the interior is to feel comfortable and at home through a sense of spaciousness and a bright, airy atmosphere.
Key to this are the C5 X’s advanced lounge-style comfortable seats, which have high-density foam at their core, as well as a thicker layer of textured foam on their surfaces. The front seats can also be optional with heating, ventilation and massage functions.
The advanced comfort seats are part of a broader program to give the C5 X the same magic carpeting capabilities as its predecessors. This also includes Citroën’s advanced hydraulic cushion suspension, which has two hydraulic stops on the dampers (compression and rebound) to avoid strong bumps.
The plug-in hybrid version of the C5 X also incorporates an active suspension system, inspired by the Citroën C6’s AMVAR system, which is designed to analyze the road surface to determine appropriate suspension stiffness at each stage. wheel.
The interior is designed to provide a refined, open feel, punctuated by features such as the horizontal architecture of the dashboard with perforated wood trim, enhanced soundproofing with doors. Multi-layered front and rear windows, and plenty of storage space for front and rear passengers.
Unlike other vehicles today that have a coupe-like silhouette that reduces visibility in style, Citroën claims the C5 X offers 360-degree visibility to the driver and other passengers, through features like glass (instead of closed plastic). -Windows.
Notably, unlike Peugeot, which has tried to create a more driver-focused cockpit with a central infotainment screen tilted towards the driver and a raised ‘bridge’ style center console that separates With a clear distinction between driver and front passenger, Citroën has opted for a more symmetrical approach to give driver and front passenger equal access to the infotainment screen.
