Like many brands, Citroen knows the importance of SUVs and is moving to incorporate many more into its line-up, with each wearing its ‘Aircross’ tag to signify the practical, higher-riding body style. The latest is the C5 Aircross. Following the supermini-based C3 Aircross SUV, it enters a class already packed with talented contenders, many of which are either also new or have recently been updated to keep them fresh. Those cars show how important a small but strong turbo petrol engine is in this sector. So the updated Kia Sportage, which only comes with a naturally aspirated 1.6 petrol motor for comparable power, might face a tough challenge, even though it was tweaked last year to keep it up to date. Our third contender here, the Skoda Karoq, is already established in this market, and fresh from victory against the Nissan and Vauxhall, it’s moved through to this next round of competition against the all-new Citroen.
Which car will take the spoils this time? Following the success of its C3 Aircross compact SUV, Citroen has turned its attention to the even more lucrative mid-size market with the C5 Aircross. We’re testing the £25,325 PureTech 130 Flair version, which is bound to be a big seller. Unlike its smaller brother, the C5 Aircross is based on Citroen’s latest EMP2 platform, which is shared with sister brand Peugeot. It offers struts and a torsion beam to take care of suspension at the front and back. The chassis also features Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushion tech, which has been tuned to put the emphasis on comfort. It’s standard across the range and replaces a regular suspension bump stop with a secondary damper that slows body or wheel movement more softly when the damper gets close to the end of its stroke. This is part of the Advanced Comfort philosophy the firm has been developing for its latest cars. It also focuses on seat comfort, cabin refinement and a plush feel on the move. Elsewhere, the technology is familiar, with the brand’s 128bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine linked to a six-speed gearbox.
The design uses many familiar Citroen cues, too, with narrow headlights, funky Airbumps on the doors and lots of plastic cladding. The rounded square motif is repeated inside on the chunky surfaces. There is a contrast in quality and texture between some panels. The cabin isn’t as strong as the Skoda’s, and is more on par with the Sportage’s for finish. It does get plenty of equipment in Flair trim, though. A digital dash with an eight-inch sat-nav system is included, and smartphone connectivity is impressive. There’s also part-leather upholstery, cruise and climate control, parking sensors and a reversing camera. You can add keyless entry and a powered tailgate as part of a £790 pack, but the core kit list is generous enough that, as with the Kia and Skoda, you don’t really need any extras. Using downsized turbo engines like the Aircross’s has meant larger family SUVs have been able to turn back to petrol power. The 230Nm of torque doesn’t match the Skoda, but it easily has the naturally aspirated Kia covered, which meant plenty of flexibility on test. This makes it relatively relaxing, and the ride just about manages to match the engine’s trait.
