Citroën C5 X Hatchback (2022 - ) review

The C5 X is, quite literally, a lot of car for the money, thanks to interior space rivalling models a class above its mid-size hatchback pricing. So, straight away you feel you’re getting great value and the entry level model with its small but punchy petrol engine looks very affordable to buy. If you’re able to plug it in every night and do your regular journeys on electric power alone the plug-in hybrid might save more at the pumps, though it’s worth considering it costs nearly £9,000 more like for like compared with the equivalent petrol-only model. Company drivers could claw that back in Benefit In Kind, though, which is less than half what of you’d pay for the petrol version and a welcome monthly saving. Meanwhile Citroën has been working hard to improve the residual values in its cars, which will help keep monthly finance numbers competitive.

At the time of writing it’s too early to say whether the C5 X will prove to be a reliable choice but looking at Citroën as a whole, and partner brands like Peugeot and Vauxhall who are part of the same group, the direction of travel looks positive. That’s good news, given they all share many of the same parts and engines. The three-year warranty with full European-wide roadside assistance included for the first year is pretty standard, though more and more manufacturers are offering five-year cover these days.

The C5 X includes plenty of safety tech as standard, including automatic emergency braking if you fail to react to a hazard in front of you, lane-keeping, speed limit recognition and automatic LED headlights. You also get front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera as standard, which is good because you can’t see much out of the back thanks to the small rear window. This and poor over the shoulder visibility mean it's therefore frustrating motorway blindspot alerts aren’t standard. Hybrid models get a more sophisticated safety package with enhanced automatic braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus sensors to alert you to traffic crossing behind when reversing out of parking spaces. This extended package also includes semi-autonomous assistance that can supposedly help with motorway driving, but after it accelerated us up a slip road towards some stationary traffic with no sign of slowing down we turned it off and took full control instead.

Citroëns of old were famed for their soft suspension and ability to cruise over bumpy roads without fuss or bother, and the brand is keen to reclaim this as a core value. The technology behind it is branded Active Comfort Suspension and instead of hitting a hard rubber bumpers when it compresses it has soft, fluid-filled cushions. In practice this takes the edge off hard bumps like potholes and speed humps while also keeping the body level through bigger undulations. That it does this without rolling about through the corners is genuinely impressive, and should help any younger passengers who might suffer car sickness in more wallowy cars. Hybrid models get an even more sophisticated active version of the same, which self-adjusts according to the road and your selected driving mode. Seat comfort is another priority, Citroën describing the top layer of padding as being like a mattress liner. After two hours on the road there were no complaints from us, the front seats feeling both soft but supportive. Space is also impressive and will contribute to comfort for all occupants. Legroom in the back is vast, with room to stretch out even for adults. Even more impressive is the boot, which is wide and flat and has brilliant access via a huge hatch and low loading sill – for those fed up of heaving shopping or heavy pushchairs into high-riding SUVs this will come as a total revelation! You get slightly less space in the hybrid version but it’s still a hugely practical car with tons of space for people and kit.

The simple, three-step range is easy to navigate and all versions of the C5 X are well-equipped with a digital instrument cluster, central touch-screen and fully connected navigation. Citroën has obviously been working on its menus and graphics and the phone-influenced swipe and tap interaction is a step up from other models in the range. You can, of course, pair your phone wirelessly and access your apps through CarPlay and Android Auto if you prefer. If you can stretch to it going up to mid-level Shine looks worth it for the bigger 12-inch central screen and projected navigation information on the windscreen while the top-level Shine Plus goes for a more premium vibe with full leather and extension of the noise-reducing acoustic glass to the side windows as well as the windscreen for even greater refinement.

The all-petrol engine line-up for the C5 X is pretty simple and is based around a PureTech 130 three-cylinder or 180 four-cylinder, the numbers corresponding to the horsepower each delivers. An eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard on all models. We started out in the 130 and, while it sounds like a small engine for a car of this size, it does a decent job and punches above its weight, though it’s a little unrefined at lower speeds and under hard acceleration. The plug-in hybrid – or PHEV – pairs the PureTech 180 engine with an electric motor that can power the car on its own for just over 30 miles on a full charge. Unlike some PHEVs it feels powerful enough on electric power to keep up with urban traffic so you could feasibly drive it day to day on this and save the petrol engine for longer journeys or faster roads. When both are working together there’s an impressively effortless power delivery and much better refinement than the three-cylinder petrol – if you can stretch to it the hybrid would therefore seem the one to go for.