5 Citroen C2019 Aircross Review: Feelings

What's the difference you're looking for in the oversaturated SUV market? Is this the price? Warranty? Functions? How about comfort?

There are many mid-size SUVs in Australia. Most of them like to trade their performance or value or, more than ever, their sportiness.

You can see it in huge wheels, aggressive body kits, stiff suspension. The list goes on. But not for the Citroen C5 Aircross.

The most recent offer from the legendary French automaker is dedicated to one. Comfort.

My question is, why is comfort such a niche concept in SUV land? And how does this fancy orange Citroen do it? Read on to find out.

5 Citroen C2020: Aerocross feel
Safety Rating
engine's type	1.6 L turbo
fuel type	Regular unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	7.9l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$32,200

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

The C5 Aircross arrives in Australia in just two specification levels, and the one reviewed here is the base Feel. At $39,990 before travel expenses, it's not exactly cheap, but thankfully well-specified.

And as of press time, the Citroen Feel is priced at $44,175 as part of the pricing campaign, including all registration, dealer, and other pre-delivery fees.

In the box, a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio and built-in sat-nav, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display, auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic headlights and wipers, keyless entry. push-start entry and ignition, dual-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights and an electric tailgate.

Buying a Citroen no longer means buying old cabin equipment. Big tick! (Image credit: Tom White)

It's good. Not very good are the halogen headlights (kind of a distraction from the sleek styling of the front end) and the lack of radar cruise control.

The Aircross does have a decent array of active safety features covered in the safety section of this review.

Competitors? Well, there's a good chance you'll buy the C5 Aircross over other alternatives in the midsize space, including the Peugeot 3008 Allure (which Aircross shares engine and chassis with - $40,990), Renault Koleos Intens FWD. ($43,990) and possibly a Skoda Karoq (only one trim level in Australia - $35,290).

Looks good, but halogen headlights are not encouraging. (Image credit: Tom White)

Aircross's secret weapon, not found in any other midsize SUV, is the seats. Citroen calls them "Advanced Comfort" seats, and they're stuffed with memory foam "inspired by mattress technology."

And it sounds like a sales brochure, but it's not. As soon as you sit down, you seem to be floating in the air. A little genius!

Citroen pairs this with reasonably sized 18-inch alloy wheels and a unique suspension system that uses "progressive hydraulic cushions" (a nod to Citroen's past) to cushion the ride.

Smart and stylish alloy wheels complete the C5 comfort package.

It's a double convenience, and it's a real pleasure to sit behind the wheel. All for the same price as its Peugeot sibling. Worth considering.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

It wouldn't be a French car without a fair amount of style, and the Aircross has plenty of it.

From the orange paint job to the floating taillights and the chevron grille, the Citroen is absolutely unique.

This Citroen is not without a visual department, with plenty of touches to skim through. (Image credit: Tom White)

Like the previous C4 line, the C5 Aircross inherited the plastic "air bumpers" under the doors, while the soft SUV plastic look continues above the wheel arches and the front and rear of the C5.

There's a lot going on both front and rear of this SUV, but somehow it's not overly complicated, with all the strokes and highlights flowing into each other to maintain some semblance of consistency.

The rear of the C5 is a bit more tame, with body-color panels contrasting with the plastic strip, glossy black highlights, and dual square exhaust tips. The floating glossy roof rails are a spectacular, if silly, touch.

The C5 Aircross combines all sorts of elements to create a uniquely stylish look. (Image credit: Tom White)

Personally, I would say that this car looks better than its Peugeot 3008 sibling, although it looks like it was created exclusively for city dwellers and not for adventurous people.

Inside it normal. For Citroen. Gone are the days of floating steering wheels or frankly wacky instrument clusters, it's all pretty familiar and done to improve the brand.

That's not to say it's not a cool place, and I was surprised to find myself surrounded by stylish hardware, quality soft-touch materials, and understated block design. The C5 has a small oval steering wheel that feels good to hold.

The C5 Aircross has a very… ordinary… interior. This is a good place to be. (Image credit: Tom White)

These stunning memory foam seats are finished in a slightly odd gray synthetic denim. Some people didn't like it, but I thought it was a good contrast between the exterior and interior of the car. The raised center console gives front passengers a premium sense of added security.

The gray materials will be a little divisive, but my number one annoyance was the complete lack of tactile buttons for adjusting the climate control or media functions. Is the volume knob too much to ask for?

Beyond that, the C5 has one of the most tame and practical trims of any Citroen...maybe ever...and it doesn't get boring either.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

The C5 Aircross is one of the most practical SUVs in the segment in terms of interior space. There's just a bunch of stuff and lots of smart backup features.

Up front, you have small recesses in the doors, lovely large cupholders on the center console, as well as a top drawer that was a little shallow but still handy, as well as a small cavity (apparently meant to hold a key). and a large drawer to store your wallet or phone.

Front passengers get plenty of storage options, but the lack of adjustment dials is a downside. (Image credit: Tom White)

Rear seat passengers get decent legroom and headroom, but what's really special here is that each passenger gets their own memory foam seat with just enough width to travel in decent comfort. Even the large transmission tunnel does not interfere with the legroom of the central passenger.

Rear passengers also get pockets on the backs of the front seats, dual air vents, small cupholders in the doors, and a 12-volt outlet. Without the drop-down armrest, it would be nice to see more practical cupholders in the door cards.

Really. These seats are SO good. (Image credit: Tom White)

The trunk is really huge. Like, the biggest giant in the segment. At a minimum, it weighs 580L (VDA), but as an added bonus, the rear passenger seats can be moved forward on rails to get a whopping 140 extra liters of space for 720L. With the rear seats folded down, you can use 1630 hp.

A power tailgate that can be operated by waving your foot underneath the car is also standard, opening up a completely unobstructed opening. Thus, it not only has the best luggage compartment in its class, but is also easy to use.

The trunk is just massive. It is also easy to use. (Image credit: Tom White)

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10

The C5 Aircross only has one powerplant, no matter which class you choose. It is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 121 kW/240 Nm.

It shares that engine with the Peugeot 3008, and the power compares well to Renault Koleos' 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine (126kW/226Nm), given that it's much smaller and (theoretically) less demanding on thrust.

Citroen's 1.6-liter turbo engine is modern but underpowered. (Image credit: Tom White)

The ever-smart Skoda Karoq is hard to beat in this segment thanks to its 1.5-litre engine (110 kW/250 Nm) delivering high torque figures.

The C5 Aircross only sends power to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic, by comparison the Koleos has a lackluster CVT and the Karoq has a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

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How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

The 1430 kg C5 consumes 7.9 liters of 95 octane unleaded petrol per 100 km.

This roughly corresponds to the segment, and in practice I managed to achieve a figure of 8.6 l / 100 km. A liter isn't that bad anymore for a really mixed ride.

The need for mid-range fuel is a little annoying, but that's to be expected from a small European turbocharged engine. Its main competitors (with the exception of Koleos) drink the same way.

What is it like to drive? 7/10

To put it bluntly, the C5 Aircross is not the most exciting car you can drive. It's not even exciting for the segment, as the focus is refreshingly far from sporty.

You'll get sluggish acceleration consisting of a sometimes lazy six-speed automatic transmission and a dash of turbo lag every time you hit the accelerator pedal.

But the C5 Aircross is, oddly enough, not sporty at all. I would say that Citroen is one of the few automakers that truly "understand" what it is like to drive an SUV. Comfort.

You see, this SUV more than makes up for its lackluster performance by being arguably the most enjoyable place to drive in its segment.

We've talked about how unrealistic the seats are in terms of their quality memory foam padding, but it doesn't end there. The C5 has the same finely balanced steering as the rest of Citroen and Peugeot cars, as well as reasonably sized tires on alloy rims and a hydraulically cushioned suspension.

All this contributes to a quiet ride and makes most road bumps, bumps and potholes completely unproblematic.

Suspension has its limitations: hitting a particularly sharp bump or pothole will cause the car to bounce off the shock absorbers, but on 90% of Australia's urban roads, it's just amazing. I wish more midsize SUVs would drive like this.

It's also very quiet thanks to "extra insulation" in the engine bay and small alloy wheels.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

5 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10

Aircross has the same set of active safety features no matter which class you choose. This means Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB - works up to 85 km/h) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) , driver warning (DAA). and traffic sign recognition (TSR) are standard.

You'll get the added benefit of front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree parking view that's excellent in terms of functionality.

The C5 Aircross gets important active safety technology, but this time without active cruise control. (Image credit: Tom White)

Expected enhancements include six airbags and a standard suite of electronic stability and brake control systems.

This is an impressive suite that has everything you would expect from a new car, except for the odd lack of active cruise control.

The C5 Aircross has not yet received an ANCAP rating (although its European full-safety equivalents have a maximum five-star EuroNCAP score).

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10

All modern Citroens come with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, which is the industry standard.

It's all good, but this is the most uh... European service pricing, which is the killer here.

The C5 Aircross is covered by a limited-price maintenance program that costs between $458 and $812 per annual visit, averaging $602 per year over the five-year warranty period.

This is a little disappointing, given that Citroen's cheapest fixed-price service is equivalent to the more expensive service of more popular brands.

Verdict

The C5 Aircross may seem like a niche European "alternative" SUV, but I wish it wasn't. More mainstream players could learn a lot from how brilliantly packaged this Citroen is.

It's truly class-leading in terms of passenger comfort and even luggage space, even with excellent multimedia and safety in this base Feel class.

Unless you really need to tow, performance (or, in this case, lack of it) should be low on your SUV priority list anyway.