The C5 X however retains the typical French quirkiness by being simultaneously a saloon, SUV and an estate.
It may not seem like it but Citroen has not made had a true flagship in its lineup since its C6 saloon that was killed off in 2012. Once the marque that was famous for its futuristic and floaty French flagships like the DS and the XM, the twin chevron marque has in more recent time though has transitioned towards more mass market city cars, MPVs and crossovers.
This all however has changed as French automaker has recently boldly announced its intention back into the large car segment with the unveiling its new flagship model. Dubbed the C5 X, the main thing that one could say this latest twin-chevron alternative to the likes of the BMW 5 series, Mercedes E-Class and even the Peugeot 508 is that it is certainly a fitting Citroen flagship, as it is about as bonkers as its spiritual predecessors of yesteryear.
Touted by Citroen to be an original design that supposedly breathes new life into the large car segment, the new C5 X is in essence a saloon, estate and an SUV all rolled into one car. While this might sound like a recipe for disaster on paper however, Citroen has actually managed to make this mishmash of ideas look rather nice.
Inspired by the CXperience concept shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the jacked-up estate-esque silhouette of the C5 X is capped off on either end by the marque’s current V-shaped LED lighting signature. Within its over 4.8 m length meanwhile are other exterior highlights like a fastback sloping rear roofline and 19-inch alloy wheels that are tucked beneath the chunky plastic cladding and raised ride height.
Speaking of the raised ride height, this elevated stance of the C5 X apparently still manages to recreate the magic carpet ride quality of its predecessors. Utilising a hydraulic cushion suspension set-up with three settings, Citroen is promising that this new flagship is able to ‘to overcome all obstacles, potholes, kerbs, speed bumps and other road connections’ and simply just ‘fly over the road’.
Its comfort prowess though is not just down to its trick suspension setup, as the C5 X’s ‘lounge-like interior’ with its mattress-style Advanced Comfort seats supposedly play a big role in this department too. Citroen is boasting too that courtesy of its 2,785 mm wheelbase, this new model offers outstanding space for its rear seat occupants.
The C5 X also gains a large opening glass sunroof and acoustic laminated front and rear windows to further enhance the roominess and refinement in this large French car. As for other more technical interior highlights on the other hand, this Citroen features as standard a 12-inch floating central touchscreen with voice control and smartphone mirroring, a full colour heads-up display, a powered tailgate as well as a host of active driver aids like long range blind spot detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Top 360 Vision surround view camera in addition to proximity hands-free access and start.
Moving onto what lies under the hood of this French flagship, powertrain details for the C5 X are still rather vague at present, though Citroen has confirmed that it will be available with a range of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The latter of which supposedly will output a combined 225 hp and offer up to 50 km of all-electric range.
Set to go on sale in Europe in the second half of 2021, the new C5 X is estimated to cost from £27,000 (RM 154,000) for the base petrol-powered model to around £35,000 (RM 199,000) for the top-tier PHEV variant. Not too bad for what is Citroen’s new flagship.
Like with all prior Citroen flagships however, resale value may be a problem for the C5 X. Though there perhaps isn’t a more comfortable way in losing all your money on a car.
PRESS RELEASE: Citroën has unveiled its new flagship, C5 X, which breathes new life into the large car segment with an original design that combines a saloon and an station wagon, an innovative proposition in the purest tradition of great Citroën cars. This new model, available in both petrol and plug-in hybrid versions, expresses modernity, status and innovation, all of which are high expectations for customers in the large car as well as SUV segments.
C5 X breaks new ground with the World Première introduction of Citroën Advanced Comfort® active suspension, which further enhances the impression of travelling on a magic carpet, a sensation closely linked to the history of Citroën. It is a real invitation to travel, with its lounge-like interior space offering the recognised comfort of Advanced Comfort seats and unparalleled roominess, particularly in row 2. The boot, with a 545-litre capacity and meticulous workmanship, is ideally suited to the needs of station wagon customers. The plug-in hybrid version, with ë-Comfort combined with driving in electric mode on a daily basis, enhances the feeling of serenity on board.
This feeling of well-being on board is also increased by advanced technologies that simplify the use of the car. For instance, the Extended Head Up Display, as well as a range of driving assistance features that reduce the driver’s mental load, such as Highway Driver Assist, or the new infotainment interface with a central 12″ HD touch screen, natural voice recognition and a customisable display with widgets, just like on a tablet.
“With C5 X, Citroën has created an ambitious, large touring vehicle, a real tool for winning over customers who are increasingly inclined to explore the world. An audacious and original proposal that truly embodies all of Citroën’s expertise: innovation, care and above everything well-being which we elevate here as a certain form of art of living .” Vincent Cobée, Citroën CEO
AN AVANT-GARDE BODYSTYLE THAT RESHUFFLES THE DECK IN A TRADITIONAL D-SEGMENT
C5 X arouses surprise and excitement at first sight in a rather traditional D-segment. With its strong concept, unique on the market, C5 X is naturally positioned as Citroën’s new top-of-the-range car and is inspired, right down to its name, by the CXperience Concept, unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
- A unique concept: a modern and innovative bodystyle
C5 X’s bodystyle is immediately striking: assertive, robust and distinctive. Renewing the codes of the D-segment, it features a fastback bodystyle that blends saloon and station wagon by adding some elements that make SUVs so appealing. It is an all-new shape with particular attention paid to aerodynamics.
Its long bonnet, fluid and aerodynamic lines, high waistline and kick above the rear wheels bring distinction and dynamism; they are also reminders of various cars that have marked the history of Citroën’s top range. Its tailgate, another distinctive feature of Citroën’s large cars, offers all the practicality of a station wagon: it has a wide, functional opening and a low loading sill for easy, practical everyday use.
- An elevated stance to better control the road
Its elevated stance, thanks to increased ground clearance compared to a traditional saloon and large-diameter 720 mm wheels fitted with 19″ Tall & Narrow tyres on most versions, allows a higher driving position for greater safety and visibility, a feature much appreciated by SUV customers.
With a wheelbase of 2,785 mm for outstanding rear-seat space, C5 X offers generous exterior dimensions, with a length of 4,805 mm, a width of 1,865 mm and a height of 1,485 mm, placing it at the heart of the D-segment.
- A modern, high-tech lighting signature: see and be seen
C5 X features Citroën’s new V-shaped light signature at the front and rear, introduced on New C4. Recognisable from all the rest and immediately identifiable as a Citroën, this technological light signature comprises LED headlights on the whole range. It is visible both day and night and underlines C5 X’s unique bodystyle.
“With its innovative styling that combines the elegance of a saloon, the dynamism of a station wagon and the robustness of an SUV, C5 X embodies the audacity of Citroën’s style. Its unique morphology, aerodynamic lines and modern light signature make it a true Citroën, immediately recognisable on the road.” Pierre Leclercq, Citroën Design Director
AN INVITATION TO TRAVEL IN ABSOLUTE COMFORT
C5 X’s passenger compartment gives a real impression of warmth, tranquillity and space, an invitation to travel through generous proportions, a sense of welcome, a unique attention to detail and unprecedented practicality. Elegance and comfort, combined with innovative but discreet technology, are the watchwords of this welcoming passenger compartment, in the purest Citroën tradition.
- A lounge area, an invitation to well-being and tranquillity.
In keeping with Citroën’s customisation philosophy, C5 X offers original interior environments that allow the passenger compartment to be shaped in the driver’s own image. They give pride of place to warm materials, in refined combinations, with a real sense of detail.
The Advanced Comfort seats in C5 X are the benchmark for seating comfort, making you feel like you’re at home in your living room. They offer a unique welcome and visual comfort thanks to special padding, like a mattress topper. The dynamic and postural comfort is produced by a high-density layer and thickened structured foam, allowing you to feel relaxed even after the longest journeys.
A genuine Citroën exclusive designed to recreate the magic carpet effect of iconic Citroën cars and to overcome all obstacles, potholes, kerbs, speed bumps and other road connections, the Citroën Advanced Comfort® suspension is naturally fitted to C5 X. On the plug-in hybrid version, C5 X takes control a step further with Citroën Advanced Comfort® active suspension. With a choice of three modes, the suspension control system enhances the effectiveness of the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® by relaxing the suspension even more during driving phases to fly over the road and offer greater efficiency, particularly in corners.
Roominess was one of Citroën’s main concerns when designing C5 X. At the front, the comfortable seats and the uncluttered dashboard provide a vast and clear living space. The spacious rear area invites rest and relaxation, with exceptional legroom, comfortable width and generous headroom.
Roominess is further enhanced by the brightness of the 360-degree glass areas around the car, including quarter windows, and a large opening glass sunroof that allows light to flood in whenever required.
To make journeys as relaxing as possible, particular attention has been paid to acoustics, with acoustic laminated front and rear windows providing exceptional insulation from outside noise.
- All the advantages of a station wagon: versatile and practical on a daily basis
Practicality has been considered down to the last detail in the design of C5 X. Therefore, in order to appeal to European customers who are keen on versatility, the boot of C5 X has been designed in the spirit of a station wagon, both in terms of its dimensions and its exclusive features: a generous load volume of 545 litres and up to 1,640 litres when the rear seat is folded down, offering a flat floor, a wide and functional opening, a low sill and straight walls. A luggage roll up, linked with the tailgate, makes loading easier, while the motorised tailgate has a hands-free function so that you are not caught unawares when opening or closing it with your arms full. The whole passenger compartment contains cleverly designed storage spaces, which have been carefully designed to hold, store or conceal all your everyday items.
- Plug-in hybrid’s ë-Comfort: electric every day, combustion engine if necessary
C5 X also offers an offering suitable for all uses, for everyday life and for the unexpected, without constraints and in complete freedom: the Plug-in Hybrid. Delivering 225 hp, this hybrid offers the pleasure of silent start-up and operation with zero CO2 emissions, with the possibility of driving more than 50 km in ZEV mode, a range in electric mode suitable for the majority of users’ daily journeys, up to 135 km/h. It is therefore possible to spend a week without using the internal combustion engine while making your usual journeys, recharging the vehicle as required, at home, at work or at a public charging point. At the same time it is possible to travel far away, to go on weekends or holidays without worrying about recharging, as the internal combustion engine, which is economical and efficient, takes over.
C5 X Plug-in Hybrid is a modern, high-tech electric mobility vehicle that offers comfort and versatility of use: ë-Comfort class mobility, perfectly insulated from the road and the outside world, in complete peace and quiet, as if in a cocoon, with all external influences filtered out. The silent operation, smoothness and movement of the vehicle, pleasure of driving, the gentle suspension, the soft Advanced Comfort seats, the absence of vibrations on board, the ergonomics and ease of use of the interfaces and dedicated services, everything contributes to enhancing comfort on board, for all occupants. C5 X is a new invitation to travel, stress-free, calm and relaxed, with a great sense of care
TECHNOLOGY FOR WELL-BEING AND SERENITY ON BOARD
C5 X adopts state-of-the-art technologies to make travel more relaxed, safer and even more fun.
- Extended Head Up Display: all relevant information in the driver’s field of vision to reduce mental load
C5 X offers an innovation that is as spectacular as it is useful: the Extended Head Up Display, a large-scale, full-colour, head-up display projected through the windscreen, a first step towards augmented reality. This is an immersive technology, foreshadowed in 19_19 Concept, which provides a more serene and relaxed driving experience: drivers no longer need to take their eyes off the road to get the information they want from speed to phone calls and navigation.
- An environment comparable to tablets with My Citroën Drive Plus
C5 X introduces an all-new infotainment interface for Citroën, with a focus on connectivity. Combined with a 12″ HD touch screen, 4 USB Type C sockets and wireless smartphone charging, it updates in real time via the Cloud and features Mirror Screen without the need to plug in your smartphone. Its interface has been designed as if it were a touchscreen tablet: customisation, settings and display preferences, widgets on the home screen. This system has natural, efficient and easy-to-use voice recognition, a personal assistant that understands what is said to it, answers questions and carries out commands, similar to the personal assistant offered on 19_19 Concept.
- A set of driving assistance systems for safer and more relaxed driving
C5 X is also at the cutting edge of technology in the field of driving assistance systems, using the various devices installed all around the vehicle: radar, cameras and sensors.
C5 X offers the best in semi-autonomous level 2 driving in compliance with current legislation: Highway Driver Assist, which combines Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Keeping Assist: the driver no longer needs to manage speed or trajectory, as the vehicle takes care of all these functions.
Many other features make daily life easier, such as long range blind spot detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which detects a danger when reversing, Top 360 Vision, which makes manoeuvring easier by displaying the outside environment on the touchscreen tablet, or Proximity hands-free access and start, which automatically locks and unlocks the doors when the driver approaches or leaves the vehicle.
C5 X, available in petrol and plug-in hybrid engines, will be on sale in the second half of 2021.
“With C5 X, we wanted to provide an emotional and rational response to D-segment customers looking for modernity, refinement, comfort and versatility. With its unique bodystyle, increased comfort, its plug-in hybrid engine and innovations, C5 X offers pleasure and peace of mind in a true Citroën way.” Laurence Hansen, Citroën Product & Strategy Director
