Citroen C5 Aircross facelift review: New hits, old misses
Citroens flagship crossover gets design updates, a new touchscreen and a bigger rate tag.Citroens flagship for India, the C5 Aircross, is a distinct, flavourful take on the 5-seater premium crossover segment, contending with the Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan. For 2022, the C5 gets a facelift that includes revitalized styling and an all-new touchscreen to name a few new functions. Priced at Rs 36.67 lakh, not only is it Rs 4.77 lakh more pricey than its introductory price in April 2021, it is also the most costly car in its class.Still one of the most special, trendy crossovers around.This upgraded variation can be found in one fully-loaded Shine variant thats powered by a diesel motor mated to an automatic, which transmits power to the front wheels.Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: outside changesLike the pre-facelift version, the revitalized design wears an unmistakable design, different from anything else out there since of its skillfully performed, unique and characterful design aspects. This facelifted C5 happily flaunts its oversized brand name identity on its nose; the double-chevron logo is bigger than before and now sports a make over, with each of the chevrons finished in black with chrome laying out. Its grille gets two chrome-studded parallel lines that tastefully blend into the twin LED DRLs, which are now placed within the headlamp cluster. Gone is the split-headlamp set-up, which makes method for a single system. This new design is far from traditional, as on closer inspection youll observe a distinct, layered casing thats both eccentric and cool. The air-dam below is redesigned, too, and is underlined by a glossy chin finished in silver. Changing red highlights around the repositioned synthetic air-vents and around the trapezoidal aspect on the side body cladding are grey highlights with all but the white body paint option; with the latter, these highlights are blue.Silver highlights change red ones on the outbound version. These are painted blue on the white C5s.The concave, flat bonnet has been kept, which, in addition to the unique body cladding, roofing system rails and its upright position, provides it some much-needed SUV cred. New 18-inch alloys ended up in a two-tone shade enhance its styling, while the unique C-shaped window overview in silver includes just the best amount of bling to its side profile. Modifications at the back are restricted to the tail-lamps, which keep their fundamental silhouette however, like the front, include a layered casing and get appealing brand-new LED aspects inside.Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: interior and featuresCitroens unconventional design theme continues the within and while it mainly keeps most bits, it is the main location of the control panel that gets the greatest modification. A new 10-inch horizontally-oriented free-standing touchscreen is one of the talking points of this facelift. It looks rather upmarket with a clear and crisp display, and is significantly much better than the outgoing dated screen. Responses are a bit sluggish, nevertheless, and Citroen hasnt utilized this opportunity to include cordless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (it gets a wired set-up), nor does it get a nicer sounding, branded audio system. Fortunately, Citroen has maintained the shortcut secrets to access various infotainment menus, a physical volume button, along with physical toggle changes listed below to control certain crucial functions.The most significant talking point is the new touchscreen which has richer graphics and looks really premiumCitroen has actually also corrected the switch and button orientation on the centre console to make it more suited for right-hand motorists now and it looks clutter-free, thanks to the equipment lever that is now changed by a toggle-like drive selector. Curiously, you can not switch the drive selector from P to R directly, and it goes to N by default. The big rotary traction mode selector and drive mode buttons have now been clubbed into a single switch placed listed below the equipment selector, so you can toggle in between Sport, Eco and Normal drive modes, as well as Snow, Mud and Sand traction modes, utilizing the exact same controller.Gear selector positioning now better suited for best hand drive orientation.The C5 maintains its big 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and like in the past, its easy on the eyes but it isnt half as exciting in its operation or functionality. The front seats have actually been reupholstered and are quite comfy, with the drivers seat offering electric modification. Some might discover back assistance a touch extreme. Convenience functions like front seat ventilation, seat memory and a 360-degree electronic camera are expected in an automobile of this price, however are still missing from the devices list.Seats are extremely comfortable, albeit some might discover lumbar a bit excessive.There is plenty of space at the back and the breathtaking sunroof does well to flood the cabin with light too. The C5 continues with the three-seat layout, which can be moved forward or back independently, or reclined separately. And while this set-up is great to seat 3 adults in affordable comfort, when there are just two adults seated, theyll miss out on a central armrest, the contoured seats will not allow them to extend out and sit easily, and the seat belt buckles could feel a bit intrusive. For this reason, this rear seat experience isnt as great as a traditional bench seat, which could make it a deal-breaker for some. Whats good is the big 580-litre boot– it crams in a full-sized extra tyre with an alloy wheel, which is unusual nowadays, and the tailgate is electronically operable too.Three individual seats not the comfiest while shuttling 2 adults. Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: efficiency and fuel efficiencyWith no petrol engine option or four-wheel drive, Citroen has actually limited the C5s appeal. On the other side, this 177hp, 2.0-litre diesel motor and 8-speed automated are among the best and best around. One of the smoother engines out there; it is fast too.The engine is responsive and the build-up of speed is rapid, with the torque-converter automated effortlessly transferring power to the front wheels. Instinctive is the 8-speeder that youll hardly ever discover the need to yank the Ferrari-like column-mounted paddle shifters, to take manual control. Flat-out efficiency is impressive, too, and itll accelerate from 0-100kph in just 9.61 sec, and it also clocks similarly remarkable rolling velocity times.Citroen C5 performanceAcceleration (kph) 0-201.00 s0-402.33 s0-604.11 s0-806.65 s0-1009.61 sKickdown Acceleration (kph) 20-805.89 s40-1007.71 sThe automated engine-stop-start function, however, can capture you by surprise, cutting off the engine (and as a result tightening the power steering) even before the cars and truck concerns a total halt. This peculiarity aside, it fires up the engine immediately when you reduce off the brake pedal, and the procedure is buttery smooth, so you would not mind leaving it on to save fuel while idling.While on that subject, in our tests, it handled a fuel performance of 10.3 kpl in the city and 12.6 kpl on the highway. You can expect better effectiveness while holding constant speeds on the highway, thanks to the long-legged ability of its 8-speeder. Drive and traction modes, now clubbed together.Citroen offers three driving modes– Sport, Normal and Eco– however the difference between them is barely perceptible. It also gets traction modes like before– Snow, Mud and Sand, which alter its ESP and traction control settings– however we didnt get an opportunity to put these to the test.Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: ride and handlingWhat we did experience is the C5 Aircross improvement, which is impressive. Citroen has taken cabin insulation up a notch with its double-glazed windshield and front windows, which cocoon the occupants from ambient and engine noises. In fact, you d have to attempt actually tough to hear any diesel clatter from the motor on the inside, despite the fact that it makes rather a racket on the outside.Ride quality is just impressive thanks to its hydraulic bump stops.But the C5 Aircross highlight remains its progressive hydraulic cushions, which are basically hydraulic chambers that change traditional bump stops. At the front, there are two hydraulic chambers on either side of the shock absorber, one for compression and the other for rebound, whereas theres simply one for compression at the back. What this incredibly clever set-up lead to is a flight that is devoid of roadway shocks even over the sharpest of potholes. Its trip comfort and bump absorption capability are unequivocally the best around. The steering is effort-free and the suspension is soft, still, you can drive it swiftly around corners with a particular degree of confidence. However, it is finest taken pleasure in when driven at 6- or seven-tenths, and it does not use a stylish drive like the Jeep Compass or Volkswagen Tiguan.Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: verdictThe Citroen C5 Aircross is a refined crossover with remarkable bump-absorption capabilities that make it unquestionably the best-riding car around. A smooth engine with strong performance, a seamless automatic transmission and an effort-free steering are some of its other highlights. And if you want to stick out amidst a sea of SUVs and crossovers on sale, this is the one for the job.But in its mission to be different, some quirks, especially the specific rear seats design could be potential a deal breaker, as it is not as comfortable as a conventional bench for seating 2 adults. Further restricting its appeal is the truth that not just do its rivals offer multiple engine-transmission options and all-wheel-drive abilities, however theyre likewise much better geared up and more notably, significantly less expensive. For these reasons, the Citroen C5 Aircross is most likely to stay a rare sighting on our roadways, which is unfortunate, since its a genuinely great crossover, one that needs to be experienced to be appreciated.Also See:2022 Citroen C5 Aircross facelift video evaluation
The big rotary traction mode selector and drive mode buttons have now been clubbed into a single switch placed below the equipment selector, so you can toggle in between Sport, Eco and Normal drive modes, as well as Snow, Mud and Sand traction modes, using the exact same controller.Gear selector positioning now much better fit for ideal hand drive orientation.The C5 keeps its large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and like before, its easy on the eyes but it isnt half as exciting in its operation or functionality. Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: efficiency and fuel efficiencyWith no petrol engine option or all-wheel drive, Citroen has actually narrowed down the C5s appeal. It also gets traction modes like previously– Snow, Mud and Sand, which alter its ESP and traction control settings– but we didnt get an opportunity to put these to the test.Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: flight and handlingWhat we did experience is the C5 Aircross refinement, which is impressive. It is finest enjoyed when driven at six- or seven-tenths, and it doesnt offer a stylish drive like the Jeep Compass or Volkswagen Tiguan.Citroen C5 Aircross facelift: verdictThe Citroen C5 Aircross is a refined crossover with extraordinary bump-absorption abilities that make it unquestionably the best-riding car around. For these reasons, the Citroen C5 Aircross is likely to remain a rare sighting on our roads, which is regrettable, due to the fact that its a really excellent crossover, one that needs to be experienced to be appreciated.Also See:2022 Citroen C5 Aircross facelift video evaluation
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