2016 Citroen C5 Review

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The Citroen C5 is a D-Segment offering from the French brand that rivals the likes of the Hyundai Sonata and the trusty Nissan Altima. Currently in its second-generation of production, the 2016 Citroen C5 is a little long in the tooth, for it hasn’t undergone any major changes in nearly a decade. Unfazed by the negative criticism, however, the C5 cements its reputation as being rebellious and truly different.

Exterior

While the design of the second-generation Citroen C5 has been criticized by faithful fans for trading its French aura with German aesthetics, the C5 seems to have taken a step in the right direction. With LED Daytime Running Lights integrated into the headlamp clusters and dashes of chrome complimenting the prominent contours along the bodywork, the 2016 Citroen C5 is a 4,780mm long canvas of uniqueness.

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Interior

Continuing its differentiation spree into the cabin, the Citroen C5 welcomes two temperature gauges, a hazard-light switch on the wrong end of the dashboard, and an extremely odd steering wheel that is weighed down by 18 different controls. While the supple leather, perforated aluminum and black trims are all A-OK, the layout of the cabin and the placement of the controls is best described as an OCD sufferer’s worst nightmare.

Safety & Tech

In the Citroen C5’s most recent encounter with Euro NCAP in 2009, it walked away victorious with an impressive 5-star safety rating. Not much of a surprise once you learn that the C5 is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, traction control, directional xenon headlamps, a speed-limiter and nine airbags – safety features that some of its rivals could only dream of.

Unfortunately, as far as tech is concerned, the 2016 Citroen C5 leaves a lot to be desired. While it is home to a massage driver’s seat and an infotainment system with split-screen capability, it also happens to be equipped with what is arguably the most complicated satnav system in automotive history.

Drive

Residing under the elongated hood of the Citroen C5 is a turbocharged 1.6 liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 160 horsepower and 240 Nm of torque. Impressive figures, keeping in mind that its Japanese rivals with significantly larger engines produce lesser torque and marginally more horsepower.

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Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that races into the highest gear before hitting 70 km/h, the C5 offers a smooth and extremely quiet ride when cruising down the street. Mash the accelerator pedal, activate Sports mode and the French sedan takes on a whole new personality. While the indecisiveness of the transmission reduces, it begins to hold gears for significantly longer and attempts to deafen you with engine drone before shifting cogs at red-line.

Due to limited wing mirror adjustment options, blind spots are huge and unfortunately, always present. Fuel efficiency, however, is truly outstanding. Sipping just 5.6 liters for every 100 kilometers, the 2016 Citroen C5 highlights the benefits of a smaller displacement coupled with a turbocharger. When the time to finally fill-up does come around, it’s a novelty and sheer entertainment for petrol station attendants as they snigger while you pass them the key to remove the fuel filler cap.

Equipped with a Hydractive III+ suspension set-up, the C5 offers varying ride heights to maintain a constant height regardless of load and to overcome obstacles along the way. Additionally, electronic sensors read the road and driving style hundreds of times a second and adapt the hydraulic damping accordingly, maintaining poise.

Verdict

By now, you’re probably thinking that the Citroen C5 didn’t leave a very good impression on us, and it is here wherein lies the problem. Normality is subjective and had we only driven French automobiles, we’d probably have thought that every other vehicle out there was a little strange. So while the Citroen C5 definitely has room for improvement, we respect Citroen for maintaining its ground and being different at a time when the pressure to conform to industry standards is high and creativity seems to be running dry.

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