The Citroen C5 X is Citroen’s return to the D-segment with a car that tries to rival much more expensive cars when it comes to comfort and ease of use. Citroen didn’t design the C5 X to be a sports car which is not necessarily a good thing if you like fun-to-drive cars, but if you like comfortable cars, the C5 X is the car for you.
Reliability-wise, we can’t really say anything at this moment because the C5 X is now only starting to roll off the production line. Motoring journalists have had enough time with the C5 X and they were keen to point out certain issues that aren’t necessarily related to reliability.
These issues include the fact that the car’s hybrid powertrain isn’t calibrated as well as some other hybrids and that the car tends to roll quite a bit in the corners. Another potential issue is the fact that the C5 X is not going to be offered in diesel form at all which is certainly a disappointment for those who prefer diesel cars.
We also need to mention that the C5 X does not come with AWD which is a shame as the car does somewhat resemble off-road ready cars like the Subaru Outback for example. Either way, you will have to wait a little longer before all the relevant reliability assessments come out as the car is still way too fresh for that to happen.
Citroen C5 X – Hybrid powertrain calibration issues
First of all, this is not necessarily an issue for two different reasons. For starters, these calibrations can be changed via software update very easily so if Citroen deems that the hybrid powertrain calibration can be better, they are likely going to make it happen at some point in time. Nevertheless, we do need to point out that many motoring journalists said that the calibration is not as smooth as rival cars.
The other reason why this isn’t an issue per se is that it only happens when you want to accelerate rapidly. After we have cleared all that out, we can now say that many journalists complained about how the electric motor interacts with the gasoline engine during swift accelerations.
This hybrid system is designed to save fuel which means that the electric motor and the combustion motor complement each other in order to always offer you the most efficient experience possible. However, when you put your power down, the way the combustion engine kicks in can often be jittery and unsophisticated to some.
Citroen C5 X – Body roll in the corners
In the intro of this article, we said that the C5 X is not designed to be a sports car. This does not just mean that the car isn’t fast in a straight line. It’s worth mentioning that a vast number of carmakers tend to design cars that try to do more things at once. As such, some of them want their cars to be sporty and comfortable, while others prioritize other things.
Citroen decided to ditch the sports car ethos and focus solely on comfort and ease of use which means that the car tackles road undulations really well. Aggressive potholes don’t unsettle the car as the car glides over bumps in a really graceful and serene manner.
However, the drawback here is when you put your power down during cornering, the car will roll quite a bit which can cause understeer really easily. This also isn’t a problem if you like comfort-oriented cars, if you like sports cars, you are likely not going to love this.
Citroen C5 X – No diesel C5 X and no AWD C5 X
We also need to mention the fact that the C5 X is not offered as a diesel or an AWD car. Diesel cars are somewhat hated at the moment due to being not too good for the environment, and many brands (Citroen included) want to get rid of diesel cars altogether. Thus, the C5 X does not come in diesel form.
Diesel fuel is more power dense which is why most diesel cars have higher torque numbers and are also the preferred choice for those who spend most of their time on the highway, in Europe at least. To top it all off, the C5 X does not come with an AWD system which is a shame as the raised-up ride height and beefed-up suspension could be a welcomed addition during wintertime.
FAQ Section
Is the Citroen C5 X an estate or a crossover?
The Citroen C5 X seems to be a car that borrows its design inspiration from many different types of cars. For starters, the car does like an estate when you look at it from the side. However, when you take a look at the roofline, you will see a distinct curvature that makes the C5 X resemble coupe-ish estates as well.
However, the C5 X also has a raised-up driving position and a raised-up ground clearance which also gives it a utilitarian look, but more on the crossover side. As such, the C5 X is unique as there aren’t many cars that look that way. The Audi A6 Allroad and the Subaru Outback do seem to be somewhat similar.
Is the Citroen C5 X a luxury car?
The Citroen C5 X is not a through-and-through luxury car as it does not come with a price tag that can rival the likes of the A6 Allroad, a true luxury car from this segment. However, the C5 X also isn’t a standard economy-level car because it does come with loads of luxurious touches that do elevate the experience quite a bit.
When did the Citroen C5 X reach the market?
The Citroen C5 X is on sale for about a few months now while some markets (like Australia and NZ), are going to get the C5 X probably by the end of the year. Therefore, we ought to wait a few months longer until we can assess the C5 X’s reliability thoroughly and correctly as correct reliability assessments do take time, sometimes even years.