Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid 2021 long-term review
Can this new plug-in hybrid fulfil the potential we saw in the initial petrol variants?
*Why we’re running it: *To see if there’s more to this funky plug- in SUV than a tax-friendly CO2 rating
-Month 1 - Specs-
-Life with a C5 Aircross PHEV: Month 1-
*Why no plug socket indicator standards? - 3 February 2021*
I got caught out the first time I tried to charge up the C5. The battery symbol is positioned on the right- hand side of the digital instrument screen, but the arrow that indicates where the charge port actually is on the car points left. I parked
up, started a charge session, then realised the car was facing the wrong way and the cable wouldn’t reach.
*Mileage: 2809*
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*Welcoming the C5 Aircross to the fleet - 20 January 2020*
It might seem weird that a Citroën C5 Aircross is joining the Autocar long- term fleet roughly two years after the car was launched, but there’s logic here, I promise.
You see, this chunky, funky family SUV was originally available only with a selection of oh-so-very-20th- century three- and four-cylinder petrol engines, plus a couple of four-pot diesels. We road tested the range-topping oil-burner at the time and liked its snazzy interior and laid-back, cruisy demeanour enough to award it three and a half stars.
This one, however, is the new plug-in hybrid version, which arrived in the UK last summer.
It’s effectively Citroën’s first proper step towards electrification (not countingthelikesofthesmall-batch AX Electrique and C-Zero from way back when), and it arrives in the context of a far larger and more serious shift towards battery power across the wider PSA Group and the car industry as a whole.
This is our chance to find out just how versatile this new C5 Aircross is compared with a conventionally powered SUV and discover exactly what the real-world benefits of running a PHEV actually are – past the obvious company car tax breaks that primarily drive people into cars like this, of course. It should give us plenty of opportunity to ponder the wider question of electrification, too.
But first, some details. KP70 VSX arrives in the poshest Flair Plus specification, with a list price of £36,845 before options. That makes it nearly £5500 more than the top-rung diesel and over £6000 more than the flagship petrol. Private buyers who won’tgainfromits10%benefit-in- kind rating might already think that looks like questionable value.
However, standard equipment is decent enough, given that lofty price. There’s a fully loaded infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay, thank heavens), 19in alloys, part-leather upholstery, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control and an arsenal of active safety systems, among other things. There aren’t any heated seats, though, so my other half is already saying she doesn’t like the C5 Aircross. But in her book, heated seats are the only difference between a good car and a bad one, so I’m not too worried by her initial verdict.
And for what it’s worth, you can get them – along with nappa leather upholstery – as a £1770 option. Speaking of options, our car doesn’t have many. There’s Pearl White pearlescent paint (£720) and a Black Exterior Pack (£300), which gets those alloys, the roof and the wing mirror housings painted, well, black. That’s it. I think it looks pretty neat.
Beneath the quirky but rather charming exterior is the same EMP2 platform that underpins everything from the DS 7 Crossback to the Vauxhall Vivaro. Its suspension is, on the face of it, pretty conventional, with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Slightly less conventional are the so-called Progressive Hydraulic Cushions – a pair of hydraulic bump stops fitted to each strut that supposedly mitigate the effect of rebound and allow for a softer suspension tune. We’ll evaluate how effective they are in due course.
The powertrain, meanwhile, is shared with the Peugeot 508 Hybrid. It features a 1.6-litre, 178bhp four- cylinder turbo petrol engine and a 107bhp electric motor that’s housed within the eight-speed gearbox, which combine to endow the big Citroën with a system output of 222bhp. Of greater significance, however, is the lithium ion drive battery because, you know, that’s effectively what lends this model its attractive on-paper eco credentials.
It has a 13.2kWh gross capacity and provides a claimed range of between 33 and 40 miles, according to WLTP test procedures. Plug it into a 7kW charger and it will be topped up in less than two hours. It results in the promise of fantastical fuel consumption figures, too: officially, you can expect as much as 222.3mpg, but you’re likely to see Covid-19 completely disappear before hitting those sorts of heady heights.
While my west London flat does have off-street parking, I don’t have access to a home-charging wallbox. And because I rent, I won’t be forking out to install one, either. There are, however, two lamp-post chargers on my road and another couple of public chargers within a five-minute walk, so I should be able to plug the car in pretty easily and reliably.
What will be interesting to discover over the course of this long- term test, however, is whether or not the fuel savings that come from being able to run around on electricity will be worth the cost of plugging in. I’m not entirely sure they will be.
I’ve yet to actually use the engine. And on the very short trip I have done since taking possession, the car informed me that a full battery was worth about 16 miles of range – less than half the official figure. I’m putting this down to the winter weather for now, but this will need to drastically improve if the car is to stand a chance of proving its value.
We will see, but I reckon this is shaping up to be a fascinating experiment in the financial viability of running a plug-in car and charging it almost exclusively at public-access points. I’ll be sure to report back on my progress over the coming months.
*Second Opinion*
All those ovals and lozenges make the C5’s cabin look
a tad gimmicky, but I’d rather that than the chintz of the DS 7. A bit more differentiation for the PHEV wouldn’t go amiss, but it’s plush, quirky and, in EV mode, quiet enough to evoke big Citroëns of old. I would have liked a bit more DS-esque floatiness, though.
*Felix Page*
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-Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid Puretech 180 Flair Plus specification-
*Specs: Price New* £36,845 *Price as tested* £37,865 *Options*Pearl White pearlescent paint £720, Black Exterior Pack £300
*Test Data: Engine* 4 cyls in line, 1598cc, turobcharged, petrol, plus 80kW electric motor *Power* 225bhp (combined) *Torque* 369lb ft *Kerb weight* 1755kg *Top speed* 140mph *0-62mph* 8.7sec *Fuel economy* 157-222mpg *CO2* 32g/km *Faults* None *Expenses* None
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