Deliveries for the £27,790 segment-straddling Citroen C5 X flagship will begin this week, which launches with a choice of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Riding high but eschewing traditional SUV design cues for a saloon-aping silhouette and the claimed “versatility and practicality of a station wagon”, the C5 X majors on long-distance refinement and is expected to tempt buyers away from more conventional models in other segments. Some 25% of buyers are expected to switch from an estate car, while 21% will come from saloon models and 15% from small SUVs.
It is offered with a choice of either 1.2- or 1.6-litre petrol engines producing 128bhp and 178bhp respectively, or a plug-in hybrid system – familiar from that used by the Citroën C5 Aircross – which produces 222bhp.
The C5 X Hybrid, available from £36,470, is equipped with a 12.4kWh battery pack good for a claimed 34 miles in EV mode. The 109bhp electric motor can also be used in tandem with the petrol unit for maximum output in Sport mode.
The entry-level Sense Plus trim – available with the lower-powered petrol engine or the PHEV – brings 19in alloy wheels, LED headlights, part-leather-effect Advanced Comfort seats and a 10in infotainment touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, 3D navigation and a reversing camera.
Mid-rung Shine trim comes in at £29,290, adding satin chrome trim, a unique interior colour scheme, a heated steering wheel, a larger 12in infotainment touchscreen and a head-up display.
The range-topping Shine Plus trim bumps the price up to £31,280 for its electrically adjustable and heated front seats, sound-deadening windows, motorised boot lid, blind spot detection and 360deg parking camera.
