Citroën C5 Aircross
Are you sitting comfortably?
Citroën has launched the C5 Aircross in Europe, bringing a sharp focus on in-car comfort to the compact, five-seat SUV segment.
It’s the second model to receive Citroën’s rallyderived Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension, after the C4 Cactus. The set-up aims to deliver “peerless comfort” while retaining the relaxed characteristics of the company’s long-standing hydropneumatic system.
The two-stage system uses a pair of hydraulic stops – one for compression, the other for rebound. Citroën says this results in “a magic carpet ride”, even over uneven ground.
So-called Advanced Comfort seating aims to further improve interior comfort with thicker, softer padding and greater adjustment. Meanwhile, double-laminated glass and engine bay soundproofing tackle exterior noise.
Citroën head of product Xavier Peugeot said this will make C5 Aircross “the most comfortable SUV on the market” and bring “an all-new level of overall comfort” to the segment.
The production version of the Aircross has been toned down from the original concept, with the company’s Airbumps now less prominent in a bid to appeal to a Chinese audience.
The 4.5m-long, 1.84m-wide C5 Aircross is built on the same EMP2 platform as the Peugeot 3008 and has a 2.73m wheelbase.
This helps to give it the largest cargo capacity of any SUV in the segment, with up to 1630 litres once all three rear seats are folded flat.
UK prices have yet to be confirmed, but the Aircross’s starting price is expected to be close to the £22,870 entry point for the 3008. At launch, buyers will have a choice of Puretech petrol and Bluehdi diesel engines. A plug-in hybrid variant, a first for any Citroën, is due in late 2019.