Citroën’s segment-straddling new C5 X flagship is now available to order in the UK, priced from £26,490 and with a choice of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Riding high but eschewing traditional SUV design cues for a saloon-aping silhouette and the claimed “versatility and practicality of a station wagon”, the C5 X majors on long-distance refinement and is expected to tempt buyers away from more conventional models in other segments. Some 25% of buyers are expected to switch from an estate car, while 21% will come from saloon models and 15% from small SUVs.
From launch, it will be offered with a choice of either 1.2- or 1.6-litre petrol engines producing 128bhp and 178bhp respectively, or a plug-in hybrid system – familiar from that used by the Citroën C5 Aircross – which produces 222bhp.
The C5 X Hybrid, available from £35,190, is equipped with a 12.4kWh battery pack good for a claimed 34 miles in EV mode. The 109bhp electric motor can also be used in tandem with the petrol unit for maximum output in Sport mode.
The entry-level Sense Plus trim – available with the lower-powered petrol engine or the PHEV – brings 19in alloy wheels, LED headlights, part-leather-effect Advanced Comfort seats and a 10in infotainment touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, 3D navigation and a reversing camera.
Mid-rung Shine trim comes in at £27,990, adding satin chrome trim, a unique interior colour scheme, a heated steering wheel, a larger 12in infotainment touchscreen and a head-up display.
The range-topping Shine Plus trim bumps the price up to £29,980 for its electrically adjustable and heated front seats, sound-deadening windows, motorised boot lid, blind spot detection and 360deg parking camera.
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I quite like the look of this, far preferable to any of the DS designs. I'm struggling to work out its actual size and market position, though, especially when Citroen say it will tempt buyers away from small SUVs?