Summary
The Citroën C5 Aircross is a medium-sized SUV/crossover. It was initially launched in China, with European sales starting in late 2018. It basically replaces the Citroën C4 Aircross and C5 estate models.
The C5 Aircross has received consistently good reviews from the UK media since it was launched. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 67% as of September 2023, which is right in the middle of a large pack of similar cars – although still behind its high-ranking rivals like the Skoda Karoq and Hyundai Tucson.
The Citroën C5 Aircross has received particular praise for providing a very comfortable ride (at the expense of handling) and clever interior design. Its exterior styling is distinctive, which can be somewhat polarising, although next to some newer rivals (Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage) it looks quite conservative.
The C5 Aircross received a mild mid-life update in Spring 2022, with minor styling updated and trim changes.
C5 Aircross highlights
- Comfortable ride
- Spacious and well-built interior
- Frugal engines
- Quiet driving experience
C5 Aircross lowlights
- Tight rear legroom
- No four-wheel drive options
- Rivals have sharper handling
- No seven-seat models
Key specifications
Body style: Five-door SUV/crossover
Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £27,815 on-road
Launched: Winter 2018/19
Last updated: Spring 2022
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross will turn some buyers away with its looks while attracting others. But this newcomer is right up with the best in its overcrowded segment and very much worth checking out.”
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Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross SUV brings concept car design and cushioned comfort to a hotly contested market segment.”
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Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol automatic Shine (facelift)
Score: 7 / 10
“There’s not a vast amount new with the revised Citroen C5 Aircross. We’re very pleased that Citroen has stuck to its guns with its focus on comfort above all else, making this a relaxing and practical family SUV. However, the infotainment tech is still a bit of a let-down, and the auto box is best avoided.”
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Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid (facelift)
Score: 7 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross PHEV is a solid enough package, but its average BiK rating will probably be a dealbreaker for many user-choosers. Indeed, with Citroen sources saying that a version with more than 40 miles of EV running – and the resulting lower tax hit – could well be with us by the end of the year, it’s hard to make too strong a case for a vehicle that, updates notwithstanding, feels like a bit of a stopgap.”
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Model reviewed: Hybrid
Score: 7 / 10
“The Citroën C5 Aircross builds on the refinement offered by petrol and diesel versions with a smooth powertrain, but it also shares the same lifeless steering and peculiar ride. It’s still close to matching the appeal of its sister model, the Peugeot 3008, for a lower price.”
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Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol automatic Flair Plus
Score: 8 / 10
“By adding this more affordable, more economical engine and gearbox combination to the range in place of the old PureTech 180, Citroën has boosted the appeal of the C5 Aircross. The engine is punchy and economical, and while the gearbox isn’t the fastest, it is smooth.”
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroën C5 Aircross is a mid-size SUV that majors on equipment, practicality, comfort and funky styling. It’s a really good all-rounder that’ll rightly appeal to a wide range of buyers.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid automatic
Score: 8 / 10
“Plug-in hybrid powertrain makes Citroen’s flagship SUV more versatile, but competition is fierce”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“There’s quite a lot to like about the Citroën C5 Aircross. It’s an interestingly designed car that’s good to sit in, with the right kinds of material in the right kind of place, and an intelligent interior design.”
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Business Car
Model reviewed: 1.2 PureTech 130 Shine (2022)
Score: 7 / 10
“The C5 Aircross is the same comfortable, refined SUV it has always been. However, the PHEV remains our favourite, thanks to its low BIK figure bringing welcome day-to-day running cost savings, and an extra layer of refinement.” (Martyn Collins)
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Car
Score: 8 / 10
“This works, if what you want is a car that’s as much about the passengers as it is about the driver; if you want a car that looks a little bit different from the norm, but which provides all the practicality and convenience of the familiar Japanese and German contenders.”
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Car Keys
Model reviewed: Hybrid 2021
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid brings bold design, plenty of standard kit and a comfortable ride to the electrified SUV class.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross is a funky and relaxing family SUV that offers very little in the way of driver enjoyment” (Andy Goodwin)
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroën C5 Aircross packs plenty of space and lots of tech into a stylish and comfortable package, but the infotainment systems in alternatives are easier to use.”
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Company Car Today
Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Flair Plus
“Comfortable and sensible as well as offering plenty of character inside and out, the Citroen C5 Aircross makes plenty of sense in PHEV form.”
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Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 7.8 / 10
“An efficient, good-looking crossover with a huge boot, the C5 Aircross brings Citroën into the heart of the segment, and certainly not before time.”
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Daily Mail
“Don’t expect racetrack performance. What you do get is relaxed long-legged driving that is both intuitive and calming — just what you want if you are ferrying a family around.”
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Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic Flair
“The new Citroën C5 Aircross might have taken a while to get here but it’s a welcome addition to the class.”
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Discover EV
Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Shine
Score: 7 / 10
“As Citroën’s first plug-in hybrid model, the C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid impressed us. For customers who still want the benefits of a zero emission vehicle for daily driving, with the option to travel a long distance, without any concerns in terms of charging it provides practical and comfortable mobility.”
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: petrol-electric plug-in hybrid
Score: 7 / 10
“Citroen’s family-sized plug-in hybrid might look like an SUV, but really it’s more of a butch-looking family car. That makes it more efficient and better to drive, though, unless you really need to go off-road.”
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Fleetworld
Model reviewed: Plug-in hybrid Flair
Score: 8 / 10
“There seems to have been an explosion of plug-in hybrid rivals in the SUV sector, many from Citroën’s sister brands DS, Peugeot, and Vauxhall. However, the C5 Aircross stands out with its impressive comfort and affordable prices.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Shine (2023 facelift)
Score: 8 / 10
“There’s very little to fault the Citroën C5 Aircross Plug-in Hybrid’s overall driving experience. It’s comfortable, and it offers good performance together with the potential for impressive economy if driven mainly on electric power. It also provides decent levels of space in a compact footprint.” (Paul Clarke)
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Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol manual Flair+
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross is good to drive, it has excellent ride quality, along with lots of space, and it offers good value for money.”
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Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroen C5 Aircross is sufficiently different to make it stand out in a very crowded market. There are competitors that drive better, some that feel more premium, and others that are even more practical. But as an SUV for carrying all the family, the C5 Aircross makes a very strong case for itself.”
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Honest John
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s very practical, looks a bit unusual and has an impressive engine line-up. It won’t appeal to enthusiastic drivers but it unashamedly focuses on comfort. And that’s not a bad thing when it comes to the family crossover market.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8.2 / 10
“A distinctive-looking and comfortable addition to a crowded SUV market”
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The Sun
“This is a well-thought-out five-seat family SUV with sliding rear seats that fold flat and a big storage bin in the central glovebox.”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Flair PureTech 180 EAT8
Score: 8 / 10
“A decent, honest SUV.”
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Score: 8 / 10
“Trademark quirk, practicality and comfort.”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel automatic Flair
Score: 8 / 10
“A stylish and likeable SUV with a strong – and pleasing – emphasis on comfort, rather than sportiness. Interior plastics and infotainment are let-downs, while the rear seats could be more generous – but their versatility, and the huge boot, help make up for that.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The C5 Aircross busts out of the me-too SUV mould by cheerfully rejecting sportiness.”
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Score: 8 / 10
“Economy is decent. You get lots of insurance-friendly safety systems too. Citroen seems to have got a handle on depreciation, as evidenced by a very decent PCP rate.”
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What Car?
Score: 8 / 10
“Its ride is superb on most roads, it cruises along supremely quietly, it has a reasonable purchase price and very reasonable running costs.”
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Which?
Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid
“The Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid certainly looks distinctive, and with its emphasis on practicality and easy-to-live-with comfort, it makes a good choice as a family SUV. It’s also efficient, for short journeys at least. While straight-line performance is strong, its main drawback is its roll on twisty roads.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
“It’s a matter of personal taste whether you like the Citroën C5 Aircross’s styling (we think it looks great, particularly in bright colours), but there’s no argument that this is a very practical and easy-to-live-with family car.”
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Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: April 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 87%
Child protection: 86%
Vulnerable road users: 58%
Safety assist: 75%
Note on safety rating
The Citroën C5 Aircross received a four-star rating from Euro NCAP in standard specification, which is sold in the UK with the name ‘Feel’. The more expensive ‘Flair’ and ‘Flair Plus’ trim levels come with additional safety assist technology as standard, which gives them a five-star rating. The Feel can be optioned with this extra kit for an additional cost, which would then give it a five-star safety rating.
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of September 2023, the Citroën C5 Aircross has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of August 2023, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Citroën C5 Aircross to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusive from extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the C5 Aircross, we’ll publish the score here.
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Plug-in hybrid models | 166 mpg | A | 166 – mpg | E – A |
CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Petrol models | 145 g/km | B | 131 – 155 g/km | A – B |
Diesel models | 145 g/km | B | 129 – 166 g/km | A – C |
Hybrid models | 130 g/km | A | 129 – 130 g/km | A – A |
Plug-in hybrid models | 29 g/km | A | 29 – 32 g/km | A – A |
Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Plug-in hybrid models | 40 miles | D | 41 – 166 miles | C – D |
Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
All models | 20 | A | 18 – 28 | A – B |
Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
Year 1 | £194 | A |
Year 2 | £544 | B |
Year 3 | £878 | B |
Year 4 | £1,118 | B |
Year 5 | £1,515 | B |
Overall | £4,249 | B |
The Citroën C5 Aircross is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
We don’t have independently verified fuel consumption data for the petrol and diesel models, but the CO2 levels (which are linked closely to fuel consumption) are good. The plug-in hybrid looks great on paper, but that’s due to the woeful EU/UK goverment lab tests that are completely useless at measuring a plug-in hybrid…
Insurance costs are excellent, while servicing and maintenance over the first five years should be very good as well.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Citroën C5 Aircross has received
2021
- What Car? Awards – Best Large SUV for Value
2020
- DieselCar & EcoCar Top 50 – Best Medium SUV
2019
- DieselCar & EcoCar Top 50 – Car of the Year + Best Medium SUV
2018
- Company Car Today CCT100 Awards – Most Exciting New Car
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Citroën C5 Aircross, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Ford Kuga | Honda CR-V | Hyundai Tucson | Jeep Compass | Kia Sportage | Mazda CX-5 | MG HS | Nissan Qashqai | Nissan X-Trail | Peugeot 3008 | Renault Austral | SEAT Ateca | Skoda Karoq | SsangYong Korando | Subaru XV | Suzuki S-Cross | Toyota C-HR | Vauxhall Grandland | Volkswagen Tiguan
More information
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