Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid 225: The fresh Tiguan opponent in the test

In fact, the 4.50 meter long springs SUV in the test off and on so smoothly that the occupants could believe they were floating on paved roads. Even on cobblestones, little of the bumpy adversity is passed on to travelers. It only works where bumps in quick succession hit the combination of hydraulically controlled dampers and steel springs SUV a bit bumpy.

A bit awkward: Sporty driving style is not the thing of the C5 Aircross. Alternating curves cause the body to rock.

The C5 is designed for comfort

The Aircross becomes restless when it is steered through rapidly changing curves. Then it starts to rock and the weight of more than 1.8 tons pushes outwards uncomfortably. That’s especially little fun when you’re confronted with the completely unresisting steering when you’re not in sport mode, which doesn’t make cornering any better.

And so the soft Frenchman is neither a Kraxler nor a sports car, although he would have what it takes. Because as a plug-in hybrid, it has a system output of 224 hp and a maximum torque of 360 Newton meters.

Since both the 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 181 hp and its electrified colleague with 110 hp drive the front wheels individually or together, the necessary rear support is missing for both sporty rides and rough terrain.

The Frenchman also keeps a low profile at the traffic light start: fired up in a double pack, 100 km/h is reached from a standing start after 8.9 seconds. Anyone who can stand it acoustically can reach speeds of up to 225 km/h on the open road. Even if the capacity of the 13.2 kWh battery is quickly exhausted at such speeds.

Undecided: The electronics don’t always know exactly how to distribute the work between the combustion engine and the electric motor.

Incidentally, the noticeable jerking while driving is not due to the eight-speed automatic transmission, but to the moments when the electric motor and combustion engine work out together with the electronics how best to go about their work. While the consumption in joint operation with 40 percent e-share is determined at 5.6 liters and 9.0 kWh, the four-cylinder approved on its own on average 9.3 liters, which is not really economical.

Fast charging with 7.4 kW

It is charged with 3.7 kW as standard, which takes seven hours at the household socket. There is an optional onboard charger with 7.4 kW, which reduces the time at a public AC charging station or a corresponding wall box to around three and a half hours.

While driving, rolling and braking energy is of course also transferred to the battery during recuperation. It would be nice if the alternation between collecting energy and stopping were a little more harmonious. So the Aircross always stumbles somewhat awkwardly at the intersection.

There is a feel-good atmosphere for all passengers. Especially the comfort seats in front live up to their name.

All passengers are well accommodated

Getting into the French is anything but awkward for the passengers. The doors open wide, the driver and front passenger take a seat in what Citroën rightly calls “comfort seats”, and passengers in the second row can get by in three individual seats. Although they are located a little higher because of the battery underneath. But because the Aircross is sufficiently high at 1.69 meters, there is also room for the heads of taller people. A plus is that the seats can be moved lengthways by 15 centimetres.

All of this is comfortable and fits very well with the still idiosyncratic, but almost noble-looking interior. There are stitching, imitation leather, chrome strips and plastic parts that are very pleasant to the touch. Further details on the hybrid Citroën can be found in the picture gallery.