Swivelling headlamps are optional for the Citroen C5 V6.
The lyrics of the smash hit from the musical Aspects of Love kept running through my head as I drove Citroen’s latest family saloon.
The Citroen C5 is one car you’ll either fall madly in love with – or hate. Yes, it has the power to drive you to the extremes.
Love for the car comes the moment you set eyes on it. Long and sleek, the C5 has the classic Citroen proportions of a long front overhang and a short butt.
The signature double chevron extends to the long, incisive headlamps and onto a broad, raised shoulder line. Prominent wheel arches and a wide stance give the Citroen C5 great presence.
Cabin is home to countless buttons that activate all kinds of functions… once you finally master them.
The concave rear window, high rump and two-part boomerang rear lamps give it an unmistakable Citroen identity. It’s certainly hard to find a mid-size saloon prettier than this.
This feeling of love at first sight continues when you first enter the Citroen C5 cabin. The textured soft-touch plastics for the fascia immediately strike you.
It is hard to believe that this is a Citroen. As recent as the 1990s, this marque was noted for its hard plastics and the rather indifferent quality of its interior trim.
Brushed aluminium facings for the steering and the dashboard blend well with the top-grade materials used for the mouldings and fittings.
Exquisite presentation sets the Citroen C5 V6 above others in its class.
Love continues as you admire and caress the unique steering wheel with its fixed boss.
Clustered on the left of the boss are the controls for trip computer, cruise control and other drive-related functions. On the right are the minor controls for the audio.
It all looks very neat and clever, but doubt starts creeping in when you actually drive the Citroen C5 V6.
The buttons to activate the horn are limited to two curved ones on the boss. No larger than an AA-size battery, you begin to hate not being able to find the buttons to blast your horn in an emergency.
Though located in a fixed position, activating those wretched buttons in a dire emergency could prove quite a challenge.
After surviving the emergency, you lean back to really appreciate how comfortable and supportive the seats are. Unique to the Citroen C5 is a separate rake adjustment for the upper back.
This will ensure that your neck and shoulders not tire, even after many hours at the wheel.
Battery of switches are a mystery to master.
To prepare for a long drive, you stop to buy some drinks and – lo and behold – your love for the car takes a second beating.
There are no proper cup holders in the front or the rear! I know the French love their wine, but shouldn’t they also spare a thought for those of us who need to drink other beverages?
(We later found it hidden deep within the centre console, which is extremely inconvenient. – Ed.)
Cheap little cup holder fails to match the Citroen C5 V6’s drama or style.
You pack your luggage and golf bags for a golf/touring holiday, and love the 439 litres of space in the boot. You feel good when your passengers tell you how comfortable and serene the C5 is.
Yes, refinement is something you will really love about the car.
Citroen’s extreme efforts at isolating noise and vibration have certainly paid handsome dividends.
Acoustic lining for the windscreen, acoustic mudguards, and special double seals for the doors and windows are just some of the measures undertaken.
Part-leather upholstery indulges one to relax.
Road and wind noise are effectively banished. The Citroen C5 has a level of refinement easily matching those of cars costing considerably more.
Even the engine does not intrude. This is just as well, because the 3.0 V6 engine is a third the age of this magazine’s editor – young for a person, ancient for an engine.
Progressive development has made it acceptable, though not particularly lovable.
It delivers just 215bhp and 290Nm torque – certainly not industry leaders for specific output. It also does not offer class-leading fuel consumption.
Citroen C5’s 3-litre V6 dates back years, but remains refined enough for the job.
The average during my stint with the C5 was 6.7km/L – close to the Citroen’s own urban fuel figure of 6.4km/L.
It will take quite some effort, and lots of open roads, to achieve the claimed combined figure of 9.5km/L.
Changes for the 6-speed auto are smooth and unhurried, well in keeping with the relaxed nature of the car.
Selecting “Sport” cancels out the sixth gear, and the changes start feeling somewhat intrusive.
It would be wiser to leave the auto in “normal” mode, unless in a great hurry.
For the suspension, I loved the “Sport” setting rather than the default mode. Riding on the famed Hydractive III+ suspension, the Citroen C5 wafts along like a magic carpet.
Like the proverbial magic carpet, however, I did find the Citroen C5’s ride a little too soft and wallowy.
Switch to “Sport” mode and the suspension has a “just right” feel, with a good compromise between comfort and bump control.
However, “Sport” mode does not metamorphose the C5’s handling to BMW standards. This is, after all, a Citroen. And it is all the better for not trying to ape the Germans.
With “Sport” selected, roll is minimised. The firmer damping gives greater agility, with handling and road holding more than acceptable for a family car with no sporting pretensions.
Likewise the acceleration. The sprint to 100km/h takes 9.2 seconds, with top speed a creditable 224km/h.
Engine noise is well-muted even at high revs, with the superb sound insulation doing an excellent job of cocooning a V6 engine that is not the paragon of refinement.
Like most Citroens, the C5 is sure to polarise opinions. People wanting something quite different at a reasonable price would find the new C5 a tempting proposition.
They will love the comfort and refinement, and the fact that their car is rather unique.
They may hate the pesky horn buttons and the heavy fuel consumption but, hey, isn’t any love relationship full of compromises?
After all, as the song goes… “Love will never ever let you be the same.”
2008 Citroen C5 V6 3.0 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type V6, 24-valves
Capacity 2946cc
Bore x stroke 87mm x 82.6mm
Compression ratio 10.9:1
Max power 215hp at 6000rpm
Max torque 290Nm at 3750rpm
Power to weight 124.6hp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 9.2 seconds
Top speed 224km/h
Consumption 9.5km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front Drop-link double wishbones, air springs
Rear Multi-link, air springs
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
Type Michelin Pilot Premacy
Size 245/45 R18
SAFETY
Airbags 7
Traction aids ABS, ESP
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4779mm
Width 2096mm
Height 1451mm
Wheelbase 2815mm
Kerb weight 1725kg
Turning circle 11.7m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $139,988
Warranty 3 years/60,000km
+ Stunning cabin, supreme comfort, refinement
– Tiny horn buttons, thirsty engine, hard-to-find cup holders
