Citroen C5 X (2022-2025) review | Roomy, comfortable alternative to an SUV

What is the Citroen C5 X?

The Citroen C5 X is an unconventional large family car that blends elements of estate, hatchback and crossover into a single, slightly leftfield package. It shouldn’t work, but it does, and in a uniquely Citroen way. Roughly similar in size to cars like the Volkswagen Passat Estate, Peugeot 508 SW or Audi A4 Avant, it stands apart thanks to its raised ride height, sweeping fastback-style roofline and SUV-like plastic body cladding.

Rather than competing head-on with traditional estates, Citroen positioned the C5 X as an alternative for buyers who didn’t fancy an SUV. The idea was to combine executive-car refinement with a more relaxed, practical and lifestyle-oriented character. All versions are front-wheel drive, so despite the SUV-inspired styling, there’s no off-road capability beyond coping with rough roads, muddy car parks or a dropped kerb.

When new, the C5 X was offered with a choice of turbocharged petrol engines alongside a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with an electric-only range of 34-39 miles (depending on model year and specification). A mild-hybrid petrol engine arrived later, while every version had an automatic transmission for smooth and relaxed progress. Now discontinued, the C5 X exists purely as an interesting and curiously appealing alternative to more mainstream cars.

How practical is it?

Up front there are broad ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats with more cushioning than you typically get, and plenty of adjustment. They are splendidly comfortable on a long journey, even if you haven’t added the massage function. The digital driver’s dials are also clear to read, even if the graphics are a way off what you get in some other cars. There’s also a very good extended head-up display that shows navigation instructions, the speed limit and more on all but the entry-level car.

The tactile materials look good as well as feeling good, especially in top-spec Shine Plus and Max trim levels, which get some really nice textile inserts. Earlier cars were offered in Sense Plus, Shine and Shine Plus trims, although later examples were largely simplified to Plus and Max specifications.

There are also straightforward, physical air-con controls and they don’t ruin the simple, modern lines of the dashboard. It’s a shame that the view out of the narrow rear window is a little limited, there’s no rear wiper, and there’s quite a big blind spot at your rear corners. At least a blind-spot monitoring system is standard on most higher-spec models and all plug-in hybrids.

Those in the back get plenty of space, so two tall adults or three kids will be fine for legroom and headroom. It’s worth pointing out that the Citroen C5 Aircross SUV will be a better option if you routinely carry three children in the back seats, as they have three individual seats and Isofix points in the back, compared to the C5 X’s two Isofix mountings. More than that, the rising windowline in the Citroen C5 X does make for quite small rear windows, so it feels dark back there, even if you’ve got the optional sunroof fitted.

Boot space is plentiful. The plug-in hybrid has a bit less capacity than the standard petrol cars, at 485 litres compared to 545 litres, but even the Citroen C5 X PHEV is still on a par with the VW Passat GTE plug-in hybrid – not to mention most family SUVs, including the Nissan Qashqai. The low load lip, long boot floor and practical hatchback boot opening all help to make this a really practical car if you’ve got a big dog to ferry around, or just lots of stuff to carry in the boot.

What's it like to drive?

Very comfortable, thanks to the French manufacturer’s trademark ‘Advanced Comfort Suspension’, which uses hydraulic cushions for the suspension bump-stops, bringing extra waftiness. The plug-in hybrid also has electronically controlled adaptive dampers – called Advanced Comfort Active Suspension – which continuously adjust the car’s ride to suit the road surface.

It works well, too, making the Citroen C5 X almost limo-like in the way it rides. However, comfort doesn’t begin and end with the suspension; it’s about noise, vibration and control responses – and in all of these areas the Citroen C5 X is less impressive. The 1.6-litre petrol that features in the plug-in hybrid can sound a little strained if pushed hard, and sometimes the eight-speed automatic transmission can feel a touch slow to respond (although the wheel-mounted paddles give you better control). There’s also a fair amount of wind noise, and the brakes could be easier to modulate for smooth stopping. So there are a number of niggles that mean the C5 X falls short for ultimate all-round comfort.

It’s never a car that you’re going to relish driving enthusiastically, either, as that engine gets noisy and the outright performance (0-62mph in around eight seconds, despite a combined power output of 223bhp) is average at best. In many ways the perky, 128bhp 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol may be the better bet, not only as it’s usefully cheaper to buy, but also because it’s happy to rev and has a more predictable pedal feel.

The 178bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol sits between the entry-level engine and the plug-in hybrid, offering stronger performance without the added weight and complexity of electrification. Alternatively, late models featured a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol (badged Hybrid 136) for a good blend of performance and fuel economy.

The light steering is great in town and on the motorway, but it doesn’t offer enough feedback and weight to satisfy on more challenging roads. There’s a fair amount of body lean, too. Ultimately, the Citroen C5 X is a car that is unashamedly comfort-oriented, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

The Citroen C5 X comes well equipped across the range, even in entry-level form. Early cars were offered in trims such as Sense Plus, Shine and Shine Plus, while later examples simplified the lineup to Plus and Max, with broadly similar equipment levels.

Even lower-spec versions came with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, part-leather upholstery, cruise control and lane-keeping assistance. Plusher models add features such as a head-up display, heated steering wheel, upgraded interior materials and additional driver-assistance systems. And top-spec versions offer an electric tailgate, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, and a 360-degree parking camera.

A 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system features on the entry-level Sense Plus, while the Shine and Shine Plus get a 12-inch touchscreen, all featuring satnav with a charger search function for the PHEV, Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and all the other features you’d expect. By the end, both the Plus and Max trims had the 12-inch screen as standard.

The graphics aren’t as sharp as those in some rivals, but the system is responsive enough and becomes easy to use once you’re familiar with its swipe-based menus.

Citroen C5 X running costs

The Citroen C5 X represents excellent value for money on the used market, partly because it never achieved the same popularity as more conventional rivals – and many buyers prefer a premium badge on their car. That means buyers can often find well-equipped examples for less than similarly sized alternatives such as the Volkswagen Passat or Peugeot 508.

Running costs vary depending on engine choice. Early 1.2 PureTech 130 and 180 models are generally the most straightforward to own and can achieve around 40mpg in the real world. The Plug-in Hybrid 180 and 225 models can be extremely economical if you remember to recharge the battery, although real-world fuel economy tumbles if the battery isn’t topped up. Around 30 miles of electric range is realistically achievable.

Later cars were offered exclusively with the Hybrid 136 mild-hybrid petrol engine, which combines a small electric motor with a turbocharged petrol engine to improve efficiency and smoothness. Miles-per-gallon in the high-40s to high-50s mpg is achievable on a long journey.

Servicing and maintenance costs are reasonable for a car of this size, especially given the shared mechanical components across the wider Stellantis range. Standard petrol and mild-hybrid versions are cheaper to insure than the plug-in hybrids.

Citroen C5 X reliability

There still isn’t a huge pool of model-specific reliability data for the Citroen C5 X, but broader brand performance gives a useful indication of what ownership might be like.

In the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, Citroen finished an impressive sixth out of 30 manufacturers, placing it ahead of several more established brands. That strong result suggests Citroen models – including those developed under Stellantis ownership – are generally dependable.

The C5 X also benefits from widely used engines and components shared with other Stellantis models, which should help with parts availability over time. When new, the C5 X came with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, which is shorter than the cover offered by some rivals such as Kia and Hyundai. Many used examples will now be outside that warranty period, so buyers may wish to consider an aftermarket warranty for additional peace of mind.