First Drive: The Citroen e-C5 Aircross is all about comfort and space

What is it?

Midsize electric SUVs are all the rage, with several car manufacturers wanting a slice of this very competitive market.

If you take a look at Citroen’s offering in this area, the C5 Aircross, over the years, it’s become a rather sensible choice among buyers, but it was starting to show its age in certain areas.

Citroën has returned to the drawing board to create the second-generation C5 Aircross, and this time, it features an electric offering with the e-C5 Aircross.

Is it a case of all show and no go? Or does this new electric model really have substance to be a class leader? We’ve driven it to find out.

What’s new?

The most important thing you need to know is that underneath its skin, the car is completely new. It sits on Stellantis’ STLA-M Platform, which is shared with cars such as the Vauxhall Grandland Electric and Peugeot e-3008.

There is a choice of two battery packs, and the car receives Citroen’s latest design language, with lots of bold lines to make this French offering just a little bit different from the competition.

The car is bigger, longer and more practical than the outgoing model and you’ll also be able to get a choice of plug-in hybrid and regular hybrid powertrains, if you don’t want to go down the electric route.

What’s under the bonnet?

Citroen offers the car with a choice of two battery packs, but we’re driving the ‘Extended Range’ model, which comes fitted with a 97kWh battery and an electric motor to produce a total of 227bhp and 343Nm of torque. Citroen claims that this model can travel up to 422 miles between trips to the plug, which makes it one of the best in the segment for electric driving ranges. Meanwhile, the car is compatible with 160kW DC rapid-charging, meaning a 20 to 80 per cent top-up will take 27 minutes.

The ‘Standard Range’ model comes with a 73kWh battery and an electric motor that develops 207bhp, but produces the same torque as the bigger battery unit, with Citroen claiming this model can travel up to 320 miles on a single charge.

What’s it like to drive?

The driving experience of this electric model is similar to the plug-in hybrid car in the way that it has a very smooth power delivery, while the ‘Advanced Comfort’ suspension is supple, composed and – you guessed it – comfortable on longer journeys.

The cabin is refined with little intrusion of wind, road and tyre noise and its steering is nicely weighted, just like the combustion-engined car. Also, this electric model comes with the added benefit of regenerative braking, which means you can drive with just the throttle – lift off and the car starts slowing down while feeding energy back into the batteries.

The only issue we have with the electric version is weight. It carries a 235kg penalty over standard versions and this makes itself known through the corners. It’s got a tendency to lean through the corners and when coupled with a spongy brake pedal, makes the Aircross feel less than dynamic.

How does it look?

Citroen’s design language always stands out from the crowd and this new SUV is no different.

One of the most standout design elements is the rear ‘Light Wings’ taillights, which protrude around the tailgate, while there are nods to Citroen models of yesteryear with the C-pillar grille design, which harks back to the old BX from the 1980s, and the car’s side profile has squared-off wheel arches and hidden window seals for a sleeker design.

At the front, the car uses Citroen’s three-point light signature and the front grille has been smoothed over to improve aerodynamics and efficiency.

What’s it like inside?

The Aircross’ cabin is referred to as the ‘C-Zen Lounge’, with its wraparound design and fabric-textured dashboard that flows into the door card panels.

The floating centre console and infotainment system look modern, while there are several storage areas dotted about the place to make it much more family-friendly. There are deep door bins in the front and rear, a cavernous centre armrest storage area and two cupholders with a cut-out behind the floating touchscreen.

In the back, things are just as impressive, with further seatback pockets on the front seats with phone holders, as well as plenty of head and legroom for rear-seat occupants.

Boot space is one of the best-in-class too, with the e-C5 offering 651 litres or 1,668 litres with the rear seats folded down, which is bigger than what you’d get on a Skoda Enyaq, which offers 585 litres.

What’s the spec like?

Citroen offers lots of standard equipment with the e-C5 Aircross, with all cars coming with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, which allows electrical appliances such as a coffee machine or microwave to be powered with the car’s battery. It could be useful for air pumps when camping, too.

You can add an efficiency-boosting heat pump to the entry-level You! and mid-specification Plus trims as a £700 optional extra, but our top-of-the-line Max trim gets this feature as standard.

In terms of pricing, the range kicks off at £34,065 with all cars coming with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and a 13-inch infotainment screen. Prices jump up to £36,705 for the mid-level car and add extras such as an auto dimming rear view mirror, power folding door mirrors and extended interior ambient lighting.

The flagship Max trim comes in at £39,345 and boasts aluminium pedals, matrix LED headlights and a heated steering wheel; however, prices for the ‘Extended Range’ model with the larger battery are yet to be revealed.

Verdict

Citroen has done a good job with the new e-C5 Aircross as it offers a lot of practicality, provides one of the best-in-class electric ranges and represents excellent value for money.

It’s not the most dynamic car to drive in this segment and some of the interior materials aren’t the most plush, but there’s no question that the e-C5 Aircross is better than its Stellantis-owned rivals, such as the Peugeot e-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland Electric.

If you have a family and need a practical, comfortable and capable electric SUV, then the e-C5 Aircross could be the perfect counterpart.