The C5 X is Citroen's new flagship, aiming to combine the attributes of a big estate car, a family SUV and an executive saloon. We've already sampled the plug-in hybrid C5 X, and we came away impressed, but now we're trying the more practical but much less potent 1.2-litre petrol engine. Can it live up to the standards set by its siblings?
In the metal
From the outside, there's little to separate the petrol-engined Citroen C5 Xs from their hybrid siblings, but that's no problem. They're all good-looking cars with their slightly raised ride height, rounded-yet-sleek silhouette and the chunky body cladding. This car is a little quirky and a tad left-field. It's unmistakably a Citroen.
Inside, the modern, funky feel continues with a really smart dashboard. The interior quality is impressive for Citroen, with some really tactile, soft plastics on the dashboard and door cards. Sure, some are a bit crummy lower down, but the same is true in some Audis these days.
The styling department has clearly gone to town in there, though, because Citroen's chevron motif can be found here, there and everywhere. There's chevron stitching in the leather on the doors, there are chevrons in the dashboard trim and there are chevrons in the plastic. As if we needed any more clues as to which company designed the C5 X.
As is the Citroen way, technology plays a starring role in the C5 X cabin, with a digital instrument cluster and a touchscreen infotainment screen included as standard. The company seems to have realised the error of its ways when it comes to touchscreen heater controls, and we're pleased to see physical switchgear make a comeback. That hasn't been the case in some recent Citroen models.
The tech itself is a vast improvement on what's gone before, with a clear digital instrument cluster and a sharp touchscreen on the dash. The controls are still a bit confusing at first, and there are some odd buttons on the dashboard that provide some degree of control, but the system looks and feels clearer than the Citroen touchscreens of old. Even if it isn't as good as some of competitor screens.
But for all the design and technology, practicality is the selling point of this big estate. Citroen has created an incredibly roomy cabin with big, comfortable seats, acres of rear legroom and sufficient headroom, although the sweeping roofline makes things a little tight for the very tallest passengers. Most will have more than enough room, however, and carrying four adults won't be an issue.
There's a big boot, too, and that's where the petrol-powered C5 Xs come into their own. Where the hybrid has a 485-litre luggage bay, the 1.2 PureTech 130 ups that to 545 litres thanks to the lack of a battery under the boot floor. Admittedly, the difference isn't huge, and both boots are pretty sizeable (albeit less sizeable than that of the Skoda Superb), but those who will regularly pack their car to the rafters might consider ditching the hybrid in favour of petrol power.
Driving it
Citroen's 1.2-litre PureTech 130 engine is a familiar feature across the French brand's range, and it's largely successful. Refined and efficient in smaller cars such as the C3 and C3 Aircross, the characterful three-cylinder unit is one of the best small-capacity petrol engines on the market.
However, in the C5 X it comes up short. When all is said and done, this is a big car. It's 4.8 metres long and it weighs more than 1.5 tonnes, which makes it a chunky car for a 1.2-litre engine. Even one as good as this.
So although it's perfectly good and surprisingly quiet when you're crawling around town, the PureTech 130 engine struggles when you demand a little more performance. It doesn't seem to have enough torque - the low-down grunt that helps you get moving - and it feels ill matched with the eight-speed automatic gearbox that's standard on every version of the C5 X. That means it's slow to pull away from junctions and it needs plenty of revs to help it on its way, so the refinement goes out of the window.
Fortunately, the C5 X's engine note isn't too unpleasant, thanks to the characteristic thrum of these three-cylinder engines, but it does become a bit loud at higher speeds. The more powerful 1.6-litre PureTech 180 engine might be a better bet for those who want petrol power and the extra boot space that provides.
Although petrol C5 Xs are more spacious than their hybrid siblings, these less powerful cars lack the clever adaptive suspension that's standard on hybrid models. We were impressed by the adaptive system on smooth roads, but the difference between the two cars on more broken surfaces is less pronounced. The hybrid is still very good over more rounded bumps - speed humps, cats' eyes and the like - but it gets caught out by sharper imperfections such as potholes.
The petrol-powered C5 X is unquestionably less comfortable on fast, smooth roads, but it feels slightly more controlled and composed than the hybrid over rough surfaces. In truth, neither car is as comfortable as Citroen claims, but both are pretty smooth most of the time. Just be aware that the hybrid's characteristics are heavily dependent on the drive modes, which allow the car to be set up for ride comfort or body control.
Because the petrol-engined car is set up to strike a balance between the two, it feels more controlled than a hybrid in Comfort or Hybrid modes, but it's also less comfortable. And because the Sport setting firms the hybrid up noticeably, it loses the comfortable edge.
The other key consideration is efficiency. Of course, the hybrid's official figures mean little in the real world, but the 1.2-litre PureTech will still likely prove thirstier on the road. According to the WLTP economy test, the petrol C5 X uses 5.8-6.8 litres of unleaded every 100km, which is respectable without being especially impressive. Our test also suggested the occasionally sluggish performance and resultant need to put your foot down every so often might make such figures difficult to achieve.
What you get for your money
Irish prices have not yet been confirmed for the C5 X, and we will update this section when we know more. However, we do know the C5 X will come with a choice of three trim levels and three powertrains, with this 1.2-litre petrol joined by the more powerful 1.6-litre petrol and the plug-in hybrid.
Summary
This lower-powered version of the C5 X is not especially easy to recommend. This engine has performed well in lots of other Citroens, but the C5 X just feels too big and bulky to be powered by such a small unit. That means performance and refinement are instant casualties, not to mention economy. It may have more boot space than the hybrid, but we'd suggest spending more on the more powerful 1.6-litre PureTech 180 if you're that worried about the shortfall.
