Citroën C5 Aircross

The Citroën C5 Aircross is a compact crossover SUV produced by the French automaker Citroën since 2017. The first generation model was previewed by the Concept Citroën Aircross concept car which was unveiled at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. The production version was officially presented for the Chinese market at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show.

The second generation model was released in April 2025, it is based on the Stellantis' SLTA Medium platform, shared with a wider range of other Stellantis vehicles.

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First generation (C84; 2017)

In Europe, the model was presented at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, and sales began later that year with the 2019 model. In 2018 production of the C5 Aircross started as well in France at the PSA plant in Rennes. The model takes advantage of the 100-million-euro investment share of Groupe PSA. The C5 Aircross is also assembled in India as CKD since January 2021.
File:2019 Citroen C5 Aircross Flair Plus BlueHDi 1.5.jpg, Rear view (pre-facelift)
File:Citroen C5 Aircross, Paris Motor Show 2018, IMG 0233.jpg, Interior (pre-facelift)

Features

On the technical side, the C5 Aircross is part of the Citroën "Advanced Comfort" program. Efforts have focused, in particular, on interior space and interior luminosity (notably through a large panoramic sliding roof) and on suspension comfort, via a new progressive hydraulic thrust system.

The C5 Aircross is equipped with optional 12.3-inch TFT digital dashboard screen and an 8-inch capacitive HD touchscreen. In terms of driving aids, the C5 Aircross offers optional automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring or adaptive cruise control (with automatic stop). A torque vectoring system marketed as the Grip Control and start assist are also available. Lane-keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition were optional.

The European version has a choice of two petrol engines: the 1.2-litre ''PureTech'' and the 1.6-litre ''PureTech'' , as well as two diesel versions: the 1.5-litre ''BlueHDi'' and the 2.0-litre ''BlueHDi'' . Depending on the version, these different engines can be coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox, or an eight-speed ''EAT8'' automatic transmission.

The C5 Aircross is also the first Citroën vehicle equipped with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Introduced in November 2019, the plug-in hybrid system combines a PureTech 180 petrol engine that develops with an electric motor, with a fully-electric range of around under WLTP testing standards.

Chinese market

Sales in China started in late 2017. The engine options in China are the standard modern turbocharged 1.6-litre (350THP) and 1.8-litre (380THP) engines that are used as well in the Chinese Citroën C5 and C6 and the Peugeot 4008 and 5008 and the Peugeot 508 and some DS models. All these models use the 6 speed third-generation Tiptronic automatic transmission. The European and Chinese cars are largely identical, apart from the engine and gearbox options. In the interior, the European version has three individual adjustable and foldable seats, while the Chinese model has a fixed folding 60:40 bench at the back.
File:2018 Dongfeng-Citroën C5 Aircross, front 8.9.18.jpg, alt=Front view, Front view (pre-facelift)
File:2018 Dongfeng-Citroën C5 Aircross, rear 8.9.18.jpg, alt=Rear view, Rear view (pre-facelift)

Facelift

The European C5 Aircross gets a facelift in January 2022, with a major redesign of the front end, minor redesign of the rear end and new interior features.

The Chinese version is facelifted in July 2022. With the similar exterior changes to the European model, it was renamed from Dongfeng Citroën Tianyi C5 Aircross to Dongfeng Citroën Tianyi Beyond (or more rarely Dongfeng Citroën Tianyi Beyond C5 Aircross, as the name "C5 Aircross" is still present on the tailgate).

In India, the facelift model was launched in September 2022.

From 2023, CKD C5 Aircross are sent by Stellantis Chinese partner Dongfeng Motor Corporation to the former Stellantis Kaluga plant, in Russia. Stellantis being out of this country since the sanctions against Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, these operations are done without its endorsement. Stellantis states having lost control of its Russian entities. The company based in Russia that assembles these CKD kits using the Kaluga plant is named "Automotive Technologies".

Plug-in hybrid

In November 2022, the C5 Aircross received a plug-in hybrid version. Its petrol engine develops , less than the hybrid version that also has electric range.

File:Citroen C5 Aircross Plug-in-Hybrid, Paris Motor Show 2018, IMG 0193.jpg, alt=Front & side, C5 Aircross Hybrid Concept (front view)
File:Citroen C5 Aircross Plug-in-Hybrid, Paris Motor Show 2018, IMG 0207.jpg, alt=Rear & side, C5 Aircross Hybrid Concept (rear view)
File:2022 Citroën C5 Aircross Plug-in-Hybrid 1X7A6945.jpg, Front view (facelift)

Technical data

Europe

China

Concept model

The Citroën C5 Aircross was previewed by the Concept Citroën Aircross shown at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show, measuring in length and fitted with 22-inch wheels.

File:Festival automobile international 2017 - Citroën Aircross Concept - 004.jpg, Front view
File:Citroën Aircross Concept Back IAA 2015.jpg, Rear view

Safety

Second generation (CR3; 2025)

Concept model

The second-generation C5 Aircross concept was unveiled on 14 October 2024 at the 2024 Paris Motor Show.

Production model

The second-generation C5 Aircross was unveiled on 29 April 2025, with pre-orders opened in June 2025 and deliveries set to commenced in the final quarter of 2025. The second-generation model is the fifth vehicle to be based on the Stellantis' SLTA Medium platform, shared with the Jeep Compass, Opel Grandland and Peugeot 3008/ 5008. Like the previous generation, the second-generation model continued to be produced at the Rennes Plant in Rennes, France.

Development

Sébastien Moraux, the C5 Aircross product manager, justified the choice for the C5 Aircross to use the SLTA Medium platform instead of an entry-level platform to meet the vehicle's ambitions, particularly in terms of electric range. This platform choice has enabled Citroën to offer a true C-segment crossover SUV while retaining its core values which is comfort. This is reflected with the integration of the Advanced Comfort suspension, seats with revised padding, and a carefully designed interior that contributed to a serene on-board experience.

''"We didn't want to undertake the sole development of a platform. So, we aligned with the platform of others because we needed to offer a vehicle with greater electric range, and this platform allowed us to achieve 500 to 680 km."''

The C5 Aircross line-up was simplified with three trim levels and a limited number of options, along with the availability of four powertrains. Price accessibility was also a priority, with its price positioning lower than that of the previous model.

Unlike the Berlingo and C3 Aircross, the second-generation C5 Aircross is not available with the seven-seat configuration. Moraux explained that integrating seven seats within the chosen length of the C5 Aircross would have compromised the comfort of the rear passengers, and the rear design with its rather "fastback" roofline after the second row seats would have required lengthening the vehicle, impacting aerodynamics. Citroën has therefore prioritised a compromise between interior space and size, considered its configuration to be the most relevant.

Design

The exterior of the production model largely identical to the C5 Aircross Concept previewed at the 2024 Paris Motor Show and the design team, was led by Pierre Leclercq.

The front fascia features two horizontal strips and two cubes forms the LED daytime running lights and surround the matrix LED headlights which are optional. The lighting setup contains 20 LEDs which automatically switch on and off to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic or the driver from road sign reflections. The front also features Citroën's new logo, moulded grooves on the front bumper mimics the grille's chevron pattern, and the front end is completely closed to optimise aerodynamic efficiency.

The second-generation C5 Aircross retains the two-box silhouette of the previous model, but with a focus on aerodynamics. The side features a character line traced in a single gesture, which runs from front to back. The roofline is sloped after the second row seats, a design aimed at optimising aerodynamics while preserving interior space. The ground clearance is and the first Citroën vehicle to be available with 20-inch alloy wheels. However, the flushed door handles featured on the concept car were not retained for the production car due to economic reasons.

The rear fascia features Citroën Light Wings, which consists of three red horizontal strakes and was featured on the concept car and the gloss black panel on the upright hatch, echoes the front fascia design.

''"I think the light signature will be a landmark of the car," Citroën CEO Thierry Koskas told Auto Express about the taillights. "It’s beautiful, it’s very original. We would never have shown the rear light n the 2024 conceptif it wasn’t on the production car, because it’s such a strong feature and we really wanted to have it."''

Interior

The interior of the C5 Aircross was designed to be a 'C-Zen Lounge' inside, where "occupants are seated as if in a living room". The dashboard has been designed with influence from traditional living room furniture, with distinctive foam fabric padding reminiscent of a sofa and available in light or dark colours.

The lower part of the dashboard is covered in a high quality foam fabric that extends to the door panels and seats. Some of the interior plastics in the door and centre console storage areas are made from using 20% vine shoots "sourced from organic vineyards in Burgundy and processed locally", therefore the C5 Aircross is the first car in the automotive industry to incorporate vine shoots into its design. Overall, there are of recycled metal parts, of plastics made from environmentally friendly materials, and the seat covers are made from recycled fabrics instead of leather.

Inside, there is a 10-inch digital driver display, Advanced Comfort seats with new electrically adjustable side bolsters on the front seats fitted for the first time, ambient lighting with eight different colours (a first for a Citroën vehicle), "Cascade Screen" HD touchscreen infotainment system (the largest sized touchscreen fitted in a Stellantis vehicle) with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, an extended Head-Up Display, ChatGPT and "Hello Citroën" voice recognition system, a panoramic sunroof, and heated rear seats (a first for a Citroën vehicle). The C5 Aircross does not have AGR certification for the seating, unlike some Opel and Peugeot models, Moraux clarified that Citroën prioritised its own synthesis of comfort.

The maximum boot space is , there is a storage space under the adjustable boot floor, and also of additional storage spaces inside the cabin. Unlike the previous model, the second-generation C5 Aircross does not feature the three independent rear seats which slide and recline independently, instead it has a fixed bench seat. Moraux explained this change as a result of an architectural constraint between the 20-inch wheels and the sliding rail mechanism, therefore this led to weight savings and a lower seating position while improving interior space. However, the rear seat backrests can recline between 21° and 33°, and the rear seats can still fold down separately in a 40/20/40 format.

Powertrains

Like the previous model, the C5 Aircross comes standard with the Advanced Comfort suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions with two progressive cushions placed on each front shock absorber, which absorbs imperfections on the road and provide a "magic carpet" driving feel.

The Hybrid model can fully automatically manage between the two motors, with the electric motor assisting the combustion engine at low speeds and both motors work together at a steady speed to optimise fuel consumption. When driving in town or manoeuvring, the Hybrid model can operated in 100% electric mode if the battery charge level allows, while the battery recharges automatically during deceleration.

The Hybrid Rechargeable model has both a combustion engine and electric motor which can operate together or separately, depending on the driving conditions and driver's needs. There are three driving modes: Hybrid (the default mode with automatic management of the powertrains), Electric (100% operational electric mode), and Sport (maximum performance mode).

The flexibility of the STLA Medium platform allows Citroën to offer a range of electric powertrains suitable to meet the diverse needs of European consumers. There are three driving modes: Normal (default mode), Eco (optimises electric range by reducing in-car vehicle functions), and Sport (maximum performance mode with 100% power and torque). The ë-C5 Aircross is equipped with an EV trip planner for the connected navigation system, heat pump, and a three-level regenerative braking system that optimises the car's kinetic energy to recharge the battery using the steering wheel paddle shifters.

Safety

For safety, the C5 Aircross is available with the Drive Assist 2.0 driver-assistance package which also enables Level 2 autonomous driving, it consists of features such as the driver surveillance camera, an extended blind spot detection, rear traffic alert and semi-automatic lane changing. Depending on the variant, the C5 Aircross is available with the VisioPark which consists of eight parking sensors and a reversing camera with three viewing modes, it can also be upgraded to the VisioPark 360° package which combines four cameras for a 360° surround view of the vehicle.

Sales

Notes

References

External links

Official website
(United Kingdom)

{{Citroën timeline 1980 to date

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Compact sport utility vehicles
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