Citroen C5 II - for the German?

What are German cars associated with? With correctness, which sometimes even hurts. And French? The opposite of German cars - in every way. You can buy a car that connects these two countries, or rather wants it to be. What is a Citroen C5 II?

I'll be boring, but I have to mention the advertisement for this model - the company presented its work as a German car built in France. And this means that in practice it must be reliable and fascinating at the same time. At least according to stereotypes. How is it really?

The company has undoubtedly spent a lot of time creating the Citroen C5 II. The car hit the showrooms in 2008, and buyers had a huge selection of technological innovations, like in NASA. Hydropneumatic suspension Hydroactive III +, and in richer versions even seat massage - the car was able to pamper you. In addition, Citroen met all those who consider the hydropneumatic suspension to be the work of the devil - he first proposed the classic one. The same as in the Peugeot 407. Does this mean that the C5 has become an ideal car? Unfortunately no.

CITROEN C5 II - A VISION OF MODERNITY

Citroen limousine is much better in terms of reliability than the previous version. However, the ideal is still far from perfect as the TUV report places C5 at the end of the table. So far, such reports can be trusted, because this is also another matter. Then what kind of errors can be expected?

As for the engines, they can show minor leaks, the 2.0 HDi diesel is quite expensive to run, the petrol ones sometimes overheat, and the first ones with a supercharged 1.6THP under the hood can cause timing problems. It is also worth remembering that particulate filters are in all diesel engines and they need to be filled with Eolys fluid from time to time. Unfortunately, it doesn't cost as much as a pack of water. Mechanical failures are often suspension related. Pins, rod ends - these are the main weak points. In hydropneumatic versions, the entire system also likes to depressurize from time to time. The spheres themselves are not very expensive, worse if the pump fails. The remaining faults are related to short-lived front discs, fogging headlights, tire pressure sensors, and sometimes even corrosion of the undercarriage. Should I be interested in another car because of the risk of a malfunction? Well, every car breaks down, and it's enough to get into the Citroen C5 to quickly notice that this is no ordinary car.

FROM ANOTHER TALE

Compared to the German competition, C5 is like Maryla Rodowicz's clothes compared to the creations of news anchors - there are a lot of fireworks. The design of the dashboard is very unusual, and the central part of the steering wheel with an asymmetric airbag remains stationary. Only the wreath itself rotates. It's nice that at night you can turn off unnecessary backlighting, and the number of buttons used, especially on the steering wheel, is terrifying. In addition, the horn buttons are small - you can miss the nerves. Good equipment in the C5 is relatively simple. That's great news, but it's a pity the navigation system is so difficult to use and the power tailgate is slow. The quality of the interior may not fend off the German competition, but the materials used and the fit are really good here. And most importantly - everything is done on a grand scale, although the trunk lighting is in my lead. The lamp can be pulled out and then it serves as a flashlight - the Skoda slogan "Just smart" fades. Only the trim on the steering wheel and shifter could have been a little more solid. However, it's hard to find more finesse in any other car. Details score the most points.

There is a station wagon and a sedan to choose from. The latter is distinguished by an unusual solution - a concave rear window. It not only increases the loading opening, but also becomes less polluted. At least that's what Citroen says. However, the most surprises await the driver on the road.

DRIVING IS EXCELLENT

The choice of power units is huge. The weakest gasoline engine is 1.8 liters and 127 hp. For a compact car, this would be fine, but in a limousine, it can only control the air conditioning compressor. 2.0-liter engine with 143 hp is a much better choice, although power is only available at high revs. The supercharged 1.6THP with 156 hp, developed in conjunction with BMW, makes the best impression. Beware of old options - they have timing problems. What hit the top? Width 3.0 215km. Greedy for fuel and lazy. More diesels. The weakest 1.6 HDi 110KM is a dark joke of engineers, it is best to find the 2.0 HDi 138-163KM option (with an emphasis on the more powerful one). It's the perfect compromise between performance and fuel consumption. Its stronger brothers are 2.2l 173km and 2.7l 208km. However, the biggest curiosity is the suspension.

The Classic has a slight tendency to oversteer, but the brand's prowess is the Hydroactive III+. I have always been interested in how modern hydropneumatic construction works on our roads. According to legend, only tanks and Citroen cope with them. There is something in this, because in the C5 the sensations are completely new. I still wonder how he manages to swim without much emotion, even at long intervals. It is possible to lose teeth in ordinary cars.

The system consists of 7 modules with spheres that replace shock absorbers. In the settings, you can choose one of 4 different suspension heights, but when driving slowly on rough roads, the car automatically rises and falls after exceeding 110 km / h. All this also actively adjusts to body slope, although the front end still has a slight tendency to dive. I, too, was tempted to press the sport button, but that option makes little difference because the car is still just comfortable. However, it responds somewhat more clearly to inequalities. How's the driving? The steering isn't a masterpiece, but you can't fault the steering itself. Entering slaloms can be completely relaxed, and the Citroen C5 will behave predictably on them. This car is designed for our roads.

Does the Citroen C5 combine German solidity with French elegance? True, you can work on reliability a little more, but it delights with its sophistication. It is very difficult to create a car that would have so much flavor and that would not have the aura of a Marilyn Manson concert. Everything here is tactical. And if he is the most important, then the C5 will quickly win the heart of its owner.

This article was created thanks to the courtesy of TopCar, who provided a car from the current offer for a test and photo session.

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