Aircross will have you sitting pretty

Citroen’s SUV offers a perfectly decent drive – but it’s the interior that really shines, writes Julie Marshall

Families who opt for a large SUV generally favour comfort over sporting prowess.

And this is where the Citroen C5 Aircross scores highly.

It has five soft comfy seats and a suspension that doesn’t jar your bones when you go over a pothole. The driver’s seat is particularly comfortable with plenty of ways to adjust it for the best fit. The same with the steering wheel.

There is plenty of head, leg and shoulder room for all occupants and a decent sized boot.

The driver sits high up so gets a good view of the road, however, the same can’t be said for the rear view which is hampered by the thick pillars. Luckily, all trims get rear parking sensors as standard and our C-Series had front sensors and a reversing camera which certainly helped

Our test car the C-Series came with the quiet and refined three cylinder 129bhp 1.2 Pure Tech engine.

It takes the C5 Aircross from 0-62mph in 10.5 seconds, going on to a maximum speed of 121mph.

Not that you’re likely to be going full pelt with your family in tow. The C5 Aircross is at its best when cruising down the motorway or pottering around town. Throw it around corners and you may find the body roll is more than you’d like.

The six-speed gearbox it’s mated with has a crisp, clean action.

We found the steering a little too light even at slow speeds but especially noticeable on faster roads.

The interior is smart and substantial with a mixture of hard and soft plastics.

Like all Citroens the majority of the cockpit controls are accessed via the infotainment system. I prefer a mixture of digital and good old fashioned buttons and switches for the important ones such as climate control and volume.

Our C5 Aircross came very well specced with programmable cruise control and speed limiter, automatic lights and wipers. It also had a Smartphone wireless charging plate

DAB radio comes as standard with Bluetooth, USB sockets – one in the front and one in the rear – and smartof phone connectivity so you can use many of the apps from your phone.

As befits an SUV designed for family use there are plenty places to stash things in – the centre console is particularly spacious.

The three rear seats are all independent of each other so can be moved around or folded to make the best use of the space in the boot or to give longer-legged passengers room to spread out.

With the seats in place boot room is from 500 to 720-litres and an impressive 1,630 litres if they are folded flat.

Citroen C5 Aircross is not overpriced for the level of equipment and the quality of the package.

The on the road price of the C-Series is £25,550 (including options our test car was £26,490).

A new C5 Aircross will be available later this year which promises a whole new look and improvements across the board.