I leased an estate version of this car for 3 years and absolutely loved it. It wasn’t an Exclusive (a trim level below) but it did have the hydro pneumatic suspension, but no acoustic glass and a few less goodies than your test car. I used to do a childish thing of lowering and raising the suspension whilst stationary at red lights to amuse/annoy/baffle other motorists! All passengers I carried were impressed by the waftiness and it was the most comfortable and relaxing car I have ever owned. Would have had another but leased costs became prohibitive probably due to quite savage depreciation. It’s still on the road…AO09HDU
I have a 2011 C5 X7 Comfort. I don't get full leather, heated seats or satnav. I bought it as my last chance to get a hydraulic Citroën. I would have been happy to get 3 years out of it. 3 1/2 years later I don't know what I would replace it with. I also get very favourable comments from passengers. It has not needed anything serious fixed, the worst thing it needed was a starter motor. No oil needed between changes at 217,000 km. Lovely car.
ı want to ask something ı have 1.6 e hdi wversion of c5 x7. I owned it for 5 years it is around 250 000 km. do you think it is sensible for me to upgrade it with 2.0 exclusive ones. also i think conventional ones are very good soft and floaty asc well.
@@AshapMec Yes, upgrade while you can - I have the 2009 C5 X7 Tourer and it's simply amazing. Better still if you are a DIY mechanic as although they are complex cars, it's easy to understand and repair if you are comfortable with a spanner. Just check the pinion at the bottom of the steering wheel under the rubber cover as the pinion rusts and writes off the steering rack which are really expensive on RHD cars. Some great forums for enthusiasts too!
Same! I had a 2011 C5 X7 Comfort, which as you said... didn't get full-leather seats, satnav, heated seats or sunroof... none of which I wanted anyway... but it did get some of the niceties that Mr HubNut mentioned for the Exclusive, like electric park brake, Hydractive 3+ suspension, Automatic gearbox (honestly would always prefer a manual gearbox, despite my Grandpa years!) with SPORT selectable on both suspension and gearbox... in RED (why not? am never having a non-red car again)... and it was beautiful. The seats never impressed me though. They look nice enough, but is that what one wants from seats? My 2001 Xsara has seats that I prefer. They hold me (hug 85Kg me), whereas I feel the that seats in more recent cars (C4 and C5) are designed for much bigger folk, so they are less my huggy style in the Citroen C5 X7! What a reliable beast it was, too. It was on it's third timing belt and second batch of suspension bushes and drop links; Fourth (I think) set of tyres and second battery by the time we parted when she showed 280K kilometers on the clock I came here to say that I find the gorgeous C5 (X7) to be a LARGE car... Bigger than is my preference, as I prefer (and recently bought) something of the size of a Corolla (never in a million years... just a size comparison), Citroen C4, VW Golf or Peugeot 308 (I bought a 308 in Elixir Red). Just now (am embarrassed to say, and hope that Wikipedia has made a mistake) I learned that my new (P5) Peugeot 308 is exactly the same width as the X7 Citroen C5! According to Wiki, exactly the same at 1852mm wide! It's just a little bit less long! Who cares about length? It's all about the width, right? Despite the seats, I definitely see myself in another Citroen C5 X7. I cannot see myself ever warming to a C5 X (mostly due to the loss of Hydractive suspension) because I don't hold SUVs in high esteem (plus red was not a colour option, unlike on the C4??).
This cars design strangely never ever seems to age, whenever I see one on the road it ages like an ol' A4 or 3 series from 5/10 years ago. But in an evolutionary good! Way!
8 місяців тому+21
Dear Reader, I think Mr. HubNut is made for Citroën., or the other way around. I dare not speak for Mrs. HubNut. This car was the last model my father owned, when I drove it around in the Provence (on vacations). Of course, you were blown away by all the German motor-monsters on the straights, but you could always catch up with them on the winding (mountain) roads. You could see the cars front keeping perfectly horizontal when turning right to left. And black with chrome strips is always a good combination. Sadly my father exchanged it for a Renault Laguna III estate. Very good, bur boring. And these days I just walk. With Sad Regards, Michel F. van den Brun Pedestrian
Sadly, not as stable as DS and CX Citroens, with their centrepoint steering geometry. The C5 is now like all other cars and inclined to deflect the steering wheel if you hit a bump with no hands on the wheel.
@@normandiebryant6989 not the one I drove down to the West Country ,dare I say up to 100mph . It had the hydropneumatic suspension and was steady as a rock the same as the various CX ‘s I’ve driven and the DS I’ve also been in . The DS didn’t have self centre steering and I don’t think all models of the CX had the self centre steering .
Ive fairly recently picked one up over here in Aus where they are exceptionally rare, 2012 wagon with 250k kms on the clock. Just had to get one of the last big citroens with hydro suspension after bottling out on a CX and and XM many years back in the UK. Superbly comfortable car to drive and has become a favourite for both me and my wife.
I recently got an estate as my first car,. People normally say to get something small but I didn't enjoy the Ford Fiesta I once had as a learner car at all. The steering wheel being offset from the drivers seat and the car feeling far too eager to overamplify the tiniest of inputs made it much harder to drive. My Citroen gives me a lot more confidence to carry speed into corners without feeling like its going to bounce into the nearest hedge and it's actually a lot easier to park. Not to mention the French armchairs and hydropneumatics are extremely comfortable.
Yeah, the modern Fiesta/Focus (same platform, slightly smaller interior on the Fiesta) are not nice to drive. My time with them in AA learner cars immediately told me I didn’t want anything to do with them, even though I like late-90s Fords.
I remember speaking to a chap at the Motorist last year who had one of the last Hydropneumatic C5 X7's and he was wondering why I was filming his car and gave me all the information about the car as he loved it. An excellent review as always Ian and Carly, certainly cheered me up after my Mental Health Club Meet.
Great review again, Ian. I own a 2008 Tourer 2.0 HDi Exclusive with "only" 136 horses and 6-speed manual for over 7 years now. It has all the goodies, including accoustic glass, electrically operated tailgate, creme leather interior, lane departure, front- and rear parking-sensor and many more. And apart from the squeeky door-handles you also mentioned and some cheap plastics on the central console, the car is solidly built. Squeeks and rattles are almost non-existant, even now its almost 16 years old with 315.000 km's on the clock. Citroën put quite a lot of effort to make this C5 a car with high quality feel of the interior. Maybe that's also the reason they were so heavy. Which, here in the Netherlands, is not so funny because cars are taxed by weight and, on top of that, diesels get an even higher taxe rate. So it doesn't come as a surprise that my HDi costs me over € 500,- per 3 months. But this absolutely doesn't spoil the fun of owning this car, because it's an excellent long-distance cruiser and reliable as well. Of course it has its niggles, but nothing major, mostly regular maintenance. So I'm enjoying it now as much as I did the first day of ownership. It's not as roomy as the C5 Estate mk1 but I don't care. In a couple of months however I will trade it in for a C5 X Plugin Hybrid. The active PHC-suspension impressed me during a testdrive and convinced me as a long-term Citroën-owner to buy my first non-hydropneumatic daily-drive ever. Hopefully I won't regret it.
This is the kind of car you should be running. More modern and potentially more reliable but with plenty of tinkering potential nevertheless with bits falling off periodically. Not to replace all your cars but as a refreshing change to a more 21st Century type vehicle. Some refinement and luxury that I’m sure you secretly desire.
@@mehrzahl2219 You do?! That's news to me as I've done everything I've needed on my phone, even remapped my car with my phone. Sure there are things you can do with a laptop and the right software but it's far from needed.
@kristoffer3000 I agree wholeheartedly. I use an ebay OBD2 Bluetooth adapter and my phone. With that, I can read trouble codes and erase them when I fix the problem. Other than that, it's just a car. Servicing, brakes,starter motor etc no more difficult than 1970! I do have a Citroën specialist mechanic if I run out of talent!
I absolutely adore the design. It looked great when it came out and it still looks great now. Both the sedan and the estate look great but that concave rear window just does it for me.
I think the 2.0 HDI Is probably the safe pick as you say. Several friends have these and they have proved very reliable, economical, comfortable motoring. An advantage of the fixed steering wheel centre is that the airbag is always at the optimal place…..they say.
I have the estate version of this as my daily driver. It's a fantastic car. Demolishes distance (it can do 1200km on a single tank) in supreme comfort, and also serves as a capacious workhorse. As well as uppy-downy suspension it has turning headlights, like the DS. In left hand drive form the passenger glovebox is a decent size, as the fuses stay on the left. The stereo is great too. I plan to keep it and drive it until it can go on no more.
As a former owner of an X7 C5, the reason for the wind deflectors - if you wash the windscreen with the drivers window down, you get wet, every time! The only bad thing with the car is leaking steering racks which I believe affects them all.
For anyone who has one, remove the rubber cap at the base of the steering column and get some marine grease onto the pinion shaft to help stop it rusting - that's what ruins the steering rack and they are made from unobtainium in RHD form.
So what's wrong with "floaty" ? I have a C5 Phase 2 , 2.OHdi (2005). It floats beautifully on motorways. So relaxing and comfortable . Just completed a return road trip to Valencia and everyone onboard loved the ride. I got 51.3mpg too. Brilliant !
The 16v 2.0 HDi is honestly a cracking engine, I've got one in my 307 with a stage 1 map. It goes like the clappers and averages 52 MPG. Used across loads of different PSA, Ford & Volvo models from vans and 4x4s to the Focus ST in various tunings. According to my tame mechanic it's the best of the 2000s diesel crop!
Living in Spain I bought a 2014 Exclusiv Tourer from England, (never buy a segundo mano Spanish car!), for the reasons people have already stated, having been a Citroen man since my 1987 BX. I'm only doing low mileage, it's serviced every year along with the ITV. It's my last car and will see me out and I am extremely happy with it. 2 Things. Don't back off when going round corners, whether in sport or normal, and the gearbox has an excellent adaptive learning capability when you drive it for a while.
Great video, back in 2010 I was a Trade Plate Driver and had to deliver the estate version from Gateshead down to Cornwall for the owner. A lovely drive, the memories came flooding back.
Very nice! I like the steering wheel and the rear blinds as interesting features. The suspension is needed more than ever these days, with the terrible state of modern roads.
I love these and think they still look fantastic. Infinitely more appealing than the previous generation (sorry Ian). Early 'Exclusive' trim levels with the 19" 'Adriatique' wheels look utterly brilliant. I'd definitely have one today if I was looking for something around its price point. I'd take it over almost everything else it competed against particularly its sister car, the truly revolting looking widemouthed frog, also known as the Peugeot 408.
I've had mine for 14 1/2 years and nothing had gone wrong until the battery needed replacing after 12 years and, a year ago, when electronics power-supply board failed, causing flocks of error-codes on the dashboard. I've never been stuck on the side of the road, ever. The suspension has been totally problem free and required no maintenance except checking fluid levels.
I have a non hydro X7 C5 and it's still a wafty barge despite it's 'conventional' setup although it is mainly aluminium including the front and rear subframes. There are no useable cup holders, but at least three useable ashtrays.
The conventional setup in one of these still has double wishbones on the front so pretty good compared to the McPherson struts on many other cars. As for the ashtrays, I like to joke that everyone in France smokes including the children.
Loved mine - checked MOT history recently and its still going with 282000 miles on it at its last test- I sold it at around 80k! Excellent car - very stylish and practical with loads of spec. It was horrendous in the snow though - despite having 'Snow-Motion', whatever that was!!
Great video, you should have tried sitting in the rear centre seat as the squab is raised and you have the sunroof encroaching the headroom is very limited. The best thing for me about this model is 2 way adjustment for the front seat backrest so you can have it perfect for your back and shoulders. The worst thing was the pop up cup holder in the armrest, you had to have the armrest up to use it.
Been in one of these with coils. Very comfy cruiser and smooth in town as well. Also found wind noise noticable. Not comfy on the sort of roads you've just been on. More nausea inducing! So probably worth having the hydraulic suspension to make it less boat like on a country road. To me it felt heavy. French diesels typically good.
We've had C5s in the family since 2004. Mum a 2003 dealer estate, I then got a MK1 sedan which I passed on to my sister, and is her daily driver 21 years on. I once drove a coiled X7 and found it nicely smooth, but without the natural control of the hydropneumatic. Superb cars for distance driving 😊
I appreciate how much of a glow-up the styling was on these from the earlier C5s. It is a shame though that the engines weren't more fizzy, without the thirst of the V6s
In automatics, the 2 litre HDI is blisteringly quick for overtaking but I think the power band needs some cog changing in manuals to get the best out of it.
Hi Ian i have the 1.6 litre VTR TDI salon and it is the best car i have ever driven in my life. I only found out it had 6 forward gears a few weeks ago after owning it for almost a year.😀
Excellent video mate. I always remember the underdog more fondly than the 'popular' models. Everybody still rates the KA/Fiesta-based Puma as the best sports car they've ever driven. But here's the thing: Have you ever seen a rusty Probe? Not me. I think the Probe's styling has aged much better than the 4-years-newer Puma, with its long, sleek, proper sports-car shape, wind-cheating 'tear-drop' door mirrors, pop-up headlamps and frame-less door glazing. The Puma has none of these. The Probe's punchy 2.5 24-valve V6 engine is whisper-smooth and could give Porsches of its day a bloody nose too.
From Australia. After 6mths of ownership and especially heading into our hot southern summers 2 years ago with the loud-as-hell but asthmatic aircon, I initially regretted buying my 2014 Tourer 2.0Hdi Exclusive with only 90k km on the clock, especially given I didn't find the hydractive 3 suspension that special - until I gradually realised my admittedly gorgeous 19" Adriatique wheels probably took the suppleness out of the ride. And I've also gradually accepted sharp lateral bumps (as in the video here when the drain grate was hit) is not something the hydractive is designed to manage well - the harshness introduced into the cabin along with some scuttle shake is still disappointing. But levelling out loping undulations on the open road is its forte, as well as the self levelling when towing or when carrying a huge load. In a nutshell this car is probably better out on the open road than the city. Now that I've resolved the main niggles pertaining to this car, namely premature wear (conpared to Japanese and Korean cars) of front trailing arm bushes, engine and transmission mounts, the STOOPID design of electronic parking brake cable end plastic holder (made from dehydrated fondue!) aging and breaking the entire parking brake unit itself when the cable overextended, I'm starting to love this car the more I go for long drives out of the city. Who knows, like the return of vinyl and film cameras, this hydractive suspension might be sought after when the decade is up ... that's if the current young generation even bother to learn to drive ... thanks for a great review!
I have a 2009 estate HDI. I absolutely love it, so much that when I moved to southern Spain I registered to Spanish plates. Too many cars today have gone the MPV route. Mine is a 6 speed Manuel without Bluetooth suspension, so excellent for matenance as I'm retired from 42 years in the motor trade, so even I can work on it. Thanks for the video.
I was wondering what type of gearbox was fitted until you said Aisin. I was thinking EGS or EAT, but Aisin makes sense as my Mondeo from the same era used an Aisin mated to a PSA engine. Aisins are Toyota owned and are very reliable. They were also used in the Freelander 2 my dad has.
Those right hand drive gloveboxes in Citroëns and Peugeots with the fuse box glaring at you and only room for ONE glove, really reminds me of John Cleese as the French soldier taunting King Arthur and his knights in Monty Python and the Holy Grail 😂 But a lovely car nonetheless 😊
I had a GS during the late 80’s then an AX ‘BX and finally a Xantia . I wish I’d kept them all now 🤦♂️. Citroen are very underrated but sometimes unreliable’just like any other car. Preventative maintenance is the key to success 👌👍
5:32 It's just at Your RHD-vehicles like that. The "regular" LHD C5s also have the fuse box at the left end of the dashboard, so they have a full width glove-box. One of very few cars, still looking fresh 16 years after release. Also have had a 2009 saloon for 8 years and loved it. It even had a massage-seat. About the center screen, it everytime annoyed me, that it was faced away from the driver and it wasn't touch. The suspension wasn't that floaty like it should be, and it was the only part, I have had (expensive) serious issues with. The rest of the car was very reliable.
Yes I remember it took away the very last of the rememants of late 90's early 00's boxiness abd blended what we have now curves and angles in 3 box designs.
Lovely review! I have got an C5 Estate ("Tourer", 136 hp, Exclusive in red) and can only confirm its economy: it will do Northern Italy to Northern Germany without filling up easily (5,8 l/100 km). VERY comfortable (except for short bumps), largest (fixed) panoramic roof of its day. The problem with the glove box: you can't reach it as a driver, and on RHD cars the fuse box is kept on the lefthand side, hence even more intrusion. Keep going, Double Chevron!
I once owned a Citroen BX. I was forever fixing the suspension. It was an over cmplicted system which essentially held the car up. I scrapped it in the end and honestly Ian, I never complained about changing a brocken coil spring or shock again. Thanks for posting
I've had loads of BXs and only ever and one major suspension fail - and that on a TZD with over 300k miles on it. There are a few known faults but usually easily overcome.
If you're changing "brocken" (SIC) springs or shocks on a regular basis I'm just going to put it out there, that maybe, you're doing something with your cars you shouldn't, I've broken one spring in over 30 years of driving and that was from hitting a curb at 30-40 MPH.
Ohhh I wish I'd got one new back when I thought about it...chickened out and got a C4 Grand Picasso instead... But then again I sold my MG Metro Turbo and got a Triumph Acclaim 😂😂😂
@romac9516 no flat red in HL trim tbf it was actually a very good practical family car...I know that because the ex wife told me it was also she told me the metro wasn't hence why it went 😆
A nice engine is the 204 hp 2.2 litre diesel. I have a 2015 LE (a special limited edition sold in Australia). Has all the options except a tow bar. It is very quiet, very fuel efficient and (if you want), very fast, particularly if you get something like a Racechips doo dah (max 261hp and 563Nm). The suspension is a bit wobbly (though mine needs a sphere replacing - ordered over a year ago and still waiting for it!). Extremely comfortable motorway cruiser and 58 mpg at 110 kmph. The exterior is nice, but the interior is a bit of an ergonomic mess. Fiddly and complicated buttons and worst of all the cup holder is inside the centre console! The Tesla 3 should have the fixed hub steering wheel for those (stupid) indicator switches.
That suspension system is absolutely brilliant the problem is when it goes wrong even the main dealers are absolutely clueless, my dad had a mk1 exclusive 2.2 HDi estate, the suspension system started playing up he had 1000s spent on it and was never sorted that was over 3 main dealers at the time.
I used to have a 2008 C5 VTR+ with the 156 1.6 THP petrol engine. That was a pretty decent car, quite quick, quite frugal and rode really well even on conventional suspension. The engine was reliable as well despite the poor reputation. My only real criticism was that some of the soft touch plastic started deteriorating.
I had a base model diesel estate from new in 2012 as a company car. Nice thing to drive, sod all storage space in the front for a mobile engineer, but the boot was plenty big enough. Worse thing is Citroëns insistence on turning all the electronics (windows / raidio) when you pull up and park in the name of energy saving mode (as does my 2019 berlingo van) and you need to start the engine to do anything.
@@wanderingorganist the radio will switch of when the stupid power saving mode kicks in. Won't even raise windows before the engine has been run. Hate this stupid things with passion. Forced in one through work
Having owned Land Rover Discovery,Volvo V70 est. 5 series BMW by far the suspension comfort was superior to those cars and almost as good as the Land Rover for towing comfort. When we sold the Citroen C5 2.2Tdi est and bought the Volvo V70 est I thought something was broken when towing, and found that there was nothing wrong with the Volvo.
If you don't use it for more than a week, you'd better left it in low suspension mode, otherwise it will drain your battery by regularly maintaining the height with the electric suspension pump running 😉
Top review Ian, of a lovely waffty Citroen. I grew up with Citroens, Dad had GSA's followed by BX's, all with the hydro suspension. Lovely cars but, as you always say...French! However, a lovely car, and a hark back to when saloons were cool and we weren't forced into a crossover or SUV!
No one is forcing you, Manufacturers make new cars to what the Market wants, If people wanted mass market mid size hatches new that is what they would build, The fact is nobody bought them so they died out.
Nice C5 but definitely prefer the estate/ break. A local lady who used to deliver Ferraris in her youth used to in the 90s own an Xm Break upgraded to a C5 Break it then sat outside her house and was scrapped. I did consider buying but was put off by the hydralics and brakes that needed going thru plus some light bodywork. I do miss her she was a very classy lady. She adored her XM metallic deep green from new owned a long time. Dementia sadly. 1958 Ford Edsel had the teletouch auto selection buttons. I loved the C4 steering wheel when it came out. Whish the auto selection was like an Edsel. Airbags of course
I have a neighbour down the road who used to drive one of these late model C5. I asked him how the hydropneumatic suspension felt compared to other cars he owns (a Peugeot 404 and a Mk1 Panda) and then he looked at his shoes, mumbling "this one has conventional suspension". Shortly after he went to the dark side and bought a BMW 5-series estate.
Ha ha, I remember when I thought I'd bought my Xantia Activa really cheap, until I took it to (pliaides, sp?) & it needed ALL the spheres replacing & a new rear height corrector. Ouch. Terrific car though, on good spheres & that lazy torquey 2.0 turbo.
What I want is this, minus the electric parking brake. I used to own a BX and that kind of ride comfort is just what's needed on the awful roads around here.
One of the hidden gems in the automotive world, it’s one of those cars people mock when they have never experienced.
The styling of these was so much nicer, in my opinion, than the earlier C5. A genuinely great looking car.
I agree. The first generation was staggeringly bland.
@@evo5dave yeah it was very bloated and a backwards step from the Xantia.
Let's face it the previous C5 was awkward/ugly. The X7 was a more resolved and cohesive design. I think its handsome.
I leased an estate version of this car for 3 years and absolutely loved it. It wasn’t an Exclusive (a trim level below) but it did have the hydro pneumatic suspension, but no acoustic glass and a few less goodies than your test car. I used to do a childish thing of lowering and raising the suspension whilst stationary at red lights to amuse/annoy/baffle other motorists! All passengers I carried were impressed by the waftiness and it was the most comfortable and relaxing car I have ever owned. Would have had another but leased costs became prohibitive probably due to quite savage depreciation. It’s still on the road…AO09HDU
I miss big Citroens. I know they didn’t sell latterly, but they were lovely things.
I have a 2011 C5 X7 Comfort. I don't get full leather, heated seats or satnav. I bought it as my last chance to get a hydraulic Citroën. I would have been happy to get 3 years out of it. 3 1/2 years later I don't know what I would replace it with. I also get very favourable comments from passengers. It has not needed anything serious fixed, the worst thing it needed was a starter motor. No oil needed between changes at 217,000 km. Lovely car.
ı want to ask something ı have 1.6 e hdi wversion of c5 x7. I owned it for 5 years it is around 250 000 km. do you think it is sensible for me to upgrade it with 2.0 exclusive ones. also i think conventional ones are very good soft and floaty asc well.
@@AshapMec Yes, upgrade while you can - I have the 2009 C5 X7 Tourer and it's simply amazing. Better still if you are a DIY mechanic as although they are complex cars, it's easy to understand and repair if you are comfortable with a spanner. Just check the pinion at the bottom of the steering wheel under the rubber cover as the pinion rusts and writes off the steering rack which are really expensive on RHD cars. Some great forums for enthusiasts too!
Hope your wiper motors have not gone yet, very expensive and hard to locate ( I have 2010 exclusive tourer)
Had a Mk 1 C5 and did 260,000 miles, now have a C5 Mk 2 and covered 190,000 miles. Neither C5 ever needed an oil top up.
Same! I had a 2011 C5 X7 Comfort, which as you said... didn't get full-leather seats, satnav, heated seats or sunroof... none of which I wanted anyway... but it did get some of the niceties that Mr HubNut mentioned for the Exclusive, like electric park brake, Hydractive 3+ suspension, Automatic gearbox (honestly would always prefer a manual gearbox, despite my Grandpa years!) with SPORT selectable on both suspension and gearbox... in RED (why not? am never having a non-red car again)... and it was beautiful.
The seats never impressed me though. They look nice enough, but is that what one wants from seats? My 2001 Xsara has seats that I prefer. They hold me (hug 85Kg me), whereas I feel the that seats in more recent cars (C4 and C5) are designed for much bigger folk, so they are less my huggy style in the Citroen C5 X7! What a reliable beast it was, too. It was on it's third timing belt and second batch of suspension bushes and drop links; Fourth (I think) set of tyres and second battery by the time we parted when she showed 280K kilometers on the clock
I came here to say that I find the gorgeous C5 (X7) to be a LARGE car... Bigger than is my preference, as I prefer (and recently bought) something of the size of a Corolla (never in a million years... just a size comparison), Citroen C4, VW Golf or Peugeot 308 (I bought a 308 in Elixir Red). Just now (am embarrassed to say, and hope that Wikipedia has made a mistake) I learned that my new (P5) Peugeot 308 is exactly the same width as the X7 Citroen C5!
According to Wiki, exactly the same at 1852mm wide! It's just a little bit less long!
Who cares about length? It's all about the width, right?
Despite the seats, I definitely see myself in another Citroen C5 X7. I cannot see myself ever warming to a C5 X (mostly due to the loss of Hydractive suspension) because I don't hold SUVs in high esteem (plus red was not a colour option, unlike on the C4??).
This cars design strangely never ever seems to age, whenever I see one on the road it ages like an ol' A4 or 3 series from 5/10 years ago.
But in an evolutionary good! Way!
Dear Reader,
I think Mr. HubNut is made for Citroën., or the other way around. I dare not speak for Mrs. HubNut.
This car was the last model my father owned, when I drove it around in the Provence (on vacations). Of course, you were blown away by all the German motor-monsters on the straights, but you could always catch up with them on the winding (mountain) roads. You could see the cars front keeping perfectly horizontal when turning right to left.
And black with chrome strips is always a good combination.
Sadly my father exchanged it for a Renault Laguna III estate. Very good, bur boring.
And these days I just walk.
With Sad Regards,
Michel F. van den Brun
Pedestrian
Beautiful car astonishingly stable at motorway speeds .
Sadly, not as stable as DS and CX Citroens, with their centrepoint steering geometry. The C5 is now like all other cars and inclined to deflect the steering wheel if you hit a bump with no hands on the wheel.
@@normandiebryant6989 not the one I drove down to the West Country ,dare I say up to 100mph . It had the hydropneumatic suspension and was steady as a rock the same as the various CX ‘s I’ve driven and the DS I’ve also been in . The DS didn’t have self centre steering and I don’t think all models of the CX had the self centre steering .
Lovely car. I had a 3.0HDi for several years around 10 years ago. Loved and enjoyed the car. Totally reliable over 70k miles in my care.
Ive fairly recently picked one up over here in Aus where they are exceptionally rare, 2012 wagon with 250k kms on the clock. Just had to get one of the last big citroens with hydro suspension after bottling out on a CX and and XM many years back in the UK. Superbly comfortable car to drive and has become a favourite for both me and my wife.
Me too - always wanted a CX and then tried to find an XM but way too expensive for a good one. C5 on H3+ will become the next collectors car for sure.
I recently got an estate as my first car,. People normally say to get something small but I didn't enjoy the Ford Fiesta I once had as a learner car at all. The steering wheel being offset from the drivers seat and the car feeling far too eager to overamplify the tiniest of inputs made it much harder to drive. My Citroen gives me a lot more confidence to carry speed into corners without feeling like its going to bounce into the nearest hedge and it's actually a lot easier to park. Not to mention the French armchairs and hydropneumatics are extremely comfortable.
Yeah, the modern Fiesta/Focus (same platform, slightly smaller interior on the Fiesta) are not nice to drive. My time with them in AA learner cars immediately told me I didn’t want anything to do with them, even though I like late-90s Fords.
Lovely looking car, one of the few 'modern' cars that I like
1st knees/sandal combo of the season. I still miss my old Xantia.
😂
I remember speaking to a chap at the Motorist last year who had one of the last Hydropneumatic C5 X7's and he was wondering why I was filming his car and gave me all the information about the car as he loved it.
An excellent review as always Ian and Carly, certainly cheered me up after my Mental Health Club Meet.
Great review again, Ian. I own a 2008 Tourer 2.0 HDi Exclusive with "only" 136 horses and 6-speed manual for over 7 years now. It has all the goodies, including accoustic glass, electrically operated tailgate, creme leather interior, lane departure, front- and rear parking-sensor and many more.
And apart from the squeeky door-handles you also mentioned and some cheap plastics on the central console, the car is solidly built. Squeeks and rattles are almost non-existant, even now its almost 16 years old with 315.000 km's on the clock. Citroën put quite a lot of effort to make this C5 a car with high quality feel of the interior. Maybe that's also the reason they were so heavy. Which, here in the Netherlands, is not so funny because cars are taxed by weight and, on top of that, diesels get an even higher taxe rate. So it doesn't come as a surprise that my HDi costs me over € 500,- per 3 months.
But this absolutely doesn't spoil the fun of owning this car, because it's an excellent long-distance cruiser and reliable as well. Of course it has its niggles, but nothing major, mostly regular maintenance. So I'm enjoying it now as much as I did the first day of ownership. It's not as roomy as the C5 Estate mk1 but I don't care. In a couple of months however I will trade it in for a C5 X Plugin Hybrid. The active PHC-suspension impressed me during a testdrive and convinced me as a long-term Citroën-owner to buy my first non-hydropneumatic daily-drive ever. Hopefully I won't regret it.
I remember seeing many of these when I first went to Paris in 2016. I have wanted one - in black, of course - ever since.
Now is your opportunity to achieve your ambition..
@@avit24 Sadly, not ULEZ compliant. V6 petrol for the win.
This is the kind of car you should be running. More modern and potentially more reliable but with plenty of tinkering potential nevertheless with bits falling off periodically. Not to replace all your cars but as a refreshing change to a more 21st Century type vehicle. Some refinement and luxury that I’m sure you secretly desire.
Potentially. 😉 Betty ticks most of the boxes you suggest.
I owned one and tinkering, hmm, I did some. I loved the car, it was more comfortable than the Mercedes E 220 that I was also driving at the time
@@mehrzahl2219 So you've never worked on any newer car? They're very simple really and extremely easy to diagnose most of the time
@@mehrzahl2219 You do?! That's news to me as I've done everything I've needed on my phone, even remapped my car with my phone.
Sure there are things you can do with a laptop and the right software but it's far from needed.
@kristoffer3000 I agree wholeheartedly. I use an ebay OBD2 Bluetooth adapter and my phone. With that, I can read trouble codes and erase them when I fix the problem. Other than that, it's just a car. Servicing, brakes,starter motor etc no more difficult than 1970! I do have a Citroën specialist mechanic if I run out of talent!
I absolutely adore the design. It looked great when it came out and it still looks great now. Both the sedan and the estate look great but that concave rear window just does it for me.
I think the 2.0 HDI Is probably the safe pick as you say. Several friends have these and they have proved very reliable, economical, comfortable motoring. An advantage of the fixed steering wheel centre is that the airbag is always at the optimal place…..they say.
I have the estate version of this as my daily driver. It's a fantastic car. Demolishes distance (it can do 1200km on a single tank) in supreme comfort, and also serves as a capacious workhorse. As well as uppy-downy suspension it has turning headlights, like the DS. In left hand drive form the passenger glovebox is a decent size, as the fuses stay on the left. The stereo is great too. I plan to keep it and drive it until it can go on no more.
I miss my 2010 C5 X7.
As a former owner of an X7 C5, the reason for the wind deflectors - if you wash the windscreen with the drivers window down, you get wet, every time! The only bad thing with the car is leaking steering racks which I believe affects them all.
For anyone who has one, remove the rubber cap at the base of the steering column and get some marine grease onto the pinion shaft to help stop it rusting - that's what ruins the steering rack and they are made from unobtainium in RHD form.
So what's wrong with "floaty" ? I have a C5 Phase 2 , 2.OHdi (2005). It floats beautifully on motorways. So relaxing and comfortable . Just completed a return road trip to Valencia and everyone onboard loved the ride. I got 51.3mpg too. Brilliant !
Oh niceeee. I daily a 2015 Tourer with 2.0 hdi and I really like it. Comfy, spacious, economical, great headlights
The 16v 2.0 HDi is honestly a cracking engine, I've got one in my 307 with a stage 1 map. It goes like the clappers and averages 52 MPG.
Used across loads of different PSA, Ford & Volvo models from vans and 4x4s to the Focus ST in various tunings.
According to my tame mechanic it's the best of the 2000s diesel crop!
A beautiful car. The Hubnut sticker only adds to its overall panache 🇫🇷
Impressed by the speed you are doing on this B-road in that silence ! 😮
The BX reg, fitting for a Citroën.
It's beautiful, definitely one of my favorite Citroen
Living in Spain I bought a 2014 Exclusiv Tourer from England, (never buy a segundo mano Spanish car!), for the reasons people have already stated, having been a Citroen man since my 1987 BX. I'm only doing low mileage, it's serviced every year along with the ITV.
It's my last car and will see me out and I am extremely happy with it.
2 Things. Don't back off when going round corners, whether in sport or normal, and the gearbox has an excellent adaptive learning capability when you drive it for a while.
Citroën - je t’aime 🇫🇷🤩🇫🇷
Someone in my street had one that was slightly lowered and had bigger wheels with some nice rims. Looked mint!
Great video, back in 2010 I was a Trade Plate Driver and had to deliver the estate version from Gateshead down to Cornwall for the owner. A lovely drive, the memories came flooding back.
Very nice! I like the steering wheel and the rear blinds as interesting features. The suspension is needed more than ever these days, with the terrible state of modern roads.
I love these and think they still look fantastic. Infinitely more appealing than the previous generation (sorry Ian). Early 'Exclusive' trim levels with the 19" 'Adriatique' wheels look utterly brilliant. I'd definitely have one today if I was looking for something around its price point. I'd take it over almost everything else it competed against particularly its sister car, the truly revolting looking widemouthed frog, also known as the Peugeot 408.
It's Peugeot sister is the 508.
Doubtless a lovely car when everything is working as intended.
Give me simplicity every time though.
I've had mine for 14 1/2 years and nothing had gone wrong until the battery needed replacing after 12 years and, a year ago, when electronics power-supply board failed, causing flocks of error-codes on the dashboard. I've never been stuck on the side of the road, ever. The suspension has been totally problem free and required no maintenance except checking fluid levels.
I have a non hydro X7 C5 and it's still a wafty barge despite it's 'conventional' setup although it is mainly aluminium including the front and rear subframes. There are no useable cup holders, but at least three useable ashtrays.
The conventional setup in one of these still has double wishbones on the front so pretty good compared to the McPherson struts on many other cars. As for the ashtrays, I like to joke that everyone in France smokes including the children.
Loved mine - checked MOT history recently and its still going with 282000 miles on it at its last test- I sold it at around 80k! Excellent car - very stylish and practical with loads of spec. It was horrendous in the snow though - despite having 'Snow-Motion', whatever that was!!
Great video, you should have tried sitting in the rear centre seat as the squab is raised and you have the sunroof encroaching the headroom is very limited. The best thing for me about this model is 2 way adjustment for the front seat backrest so you can have it perfect for your back and shoulders. The worst thing was the pop up cup holder in the armrest, you had to have the armrest up to use it.
Cupholder - you mean it actually has a cupholder?? I'll have to go search for it as it's not obvious :)
Down in the village close to me there’s a cream coloured c6 and the back looks amazing
Great review. I love mine here in Australia. Need more Citroen road tests/reviews.
Been in one of these with coils. Very comfy cruiser and smooth in town as well. Also found wind noise noticable. Not comfy on the sort of roads you've just been on. More nausea inducing! So probably worth having the hydraulic suspension to make it less boat like on a country road. To me it felt heavy. French diesels typically good.
Fittingly on a BX number plate. I have a 11/2004 estate with the 2l petrol for 2 years now. Very happy with it.
Really enjoy the various car tests you do so interesting & enjoyable keep up the great content 👍👍👍
I had the mark 1 face lifted version Exclusive 2 liter diesel I loved it
We've had C5s in the family since 2004. Mum a 2003 dealer estate, I then got a MK1 sedan which I passed on to my sister, and is her daily driver 21 years on. I once drove a coiled X7 and found it nicely smooth, but without the natural control of the hydropneumatic.
Superb cars for distance driving 😊
I appreciate how much of a glow-up the styling was on these from the earlier C5s. It is a shame though that the engines weren't more fizzy, without the thirst of the V6s
In automatics, the 2 litre HDI is blisteringly quick for overtaking but I think the power band needs some cog changing in manuals to get the best out of it.
Had that exact model, an amazing car that was very comfortable and reliable. Sad to see them go
I loved the fixed hub on my c4 coupe. Missed it when I changed car!
Hi Ian i have the 1.6 litre VTR TDI salon and it is the best car i have ever driven in my life. I only found out it had 6 forward gears a few weeks ago after owning it for almost a year.😀
Excellent video mate. I always remember the underdog more fondly than the 'popular' models. Everybody still rates the KA/Fiesta-based Puma as the best sports car they've ever driven. But here's the thing: Have you ever seen a rusty Probe? Not me. I think the Probe's styling has aged much better than the 4-years-newer Puma, with its long, sleek, proper sports-car shape, wind-cheating 'tear-drop' door mirrors, pop-up headlamps and frame-less door glazing. The Puma has none of these. The Probe's punchy 2.5 24-valve V6 engine is whisper-smooth and could give Porsches of its day a bloody nose too.
From Australia. After 6mths of ownership and especially heading into our hot southern summers 2 years ago with the loud-as-hell but asthmatic aircon, I initially regretted buying my 2014 Tourer 2.0Hdi Exclusive with only 90k km on the clock, especially given I didn't find the hydractive 3 suspension that special - until I gradually realised my admittedly gorgeous 19" Adriatique wheels probably took the suppleness out of the ride. And I've also gradually accepted sharp lateral bumps (as in the video here when the drain grate was hit) is not something the hydractive is designed to manage well - the harshness introduced into the cabin along with some scuttle shake is still disappointing. But levelling out loping undulations on the open road is its forte, as well as the self levelling when towing or when carrying a huge load. In a nutshell this car is probably better out on the open road than the city. Now that I've resolved the main niggles pertaining to this car, namely premature wear (conpared to Japanese and Korean cars) of front trailing arm bushes, engine and transmission mounts, the STOOPID design of electronic parking brake cable end plastic holder (made from dehydrated fondue!) aging and breaking the entire parking brake unit itself when the cable overextended, I'm starting to love this car the more I go for long drives out of the city. Who knows, like the return of vinyl and film cameras, this hydractive suspension might be sought after when the decade is up ... that's if the current young generation even bother to learn to drive ... thanks for a great review!
Always liked the look of these. Nice car
I have a C5 Exclusive (X7) 3l HDI sedan.....long trips are a delight. So comfortable....and with a Bluespark retune, very powerful. A wonderful car.
Great video! I really like this version of the C5 decent looking car 👌
I have a 2009 estate HDI. I absolutely love it, so much that when I moved to southern Spain I registered to Spanish plates. Too many cars today have gone the MPV route. Mine is a 6 speed Manuel without Bluetooth suspension, so excellent for matenance as I'm retired from 42 years in the motor trade, so even I can work on it. Thanks for the video.
I was wondering what type of gearbox was fitted until you said Aisin. I was thinking EGS or EAT, but Aisin makes sense as my Mondeo from the same era used an Aisin mated to a PSA engine. Aisins are Toyota owned and are very reliable. They were also used in the Freelander 2 my dad has.
Those right hand drive gloveboxes in Citroëns and Peugeots with the fuse box glaring at you and only room for ONE glove, really reminds me of John Cleese as the French soldier taunting King Arthur and his knights in Monty Python and the Holy Grail 😂
But a lovely car nonetheless 😊
Thankfully Stellantis has given everything a swift kick in the ass and now move the fuses...about time.
I had a GS during the late 80’s then an AX ‘BX and finally a Xantia . I wish I’d kept them all now 🤦♂️. Citroen are very underrated but sometimes unreliable’just like any other car. Preventative maintenance is the key to success 👌👍
Amazing car. Such a big step from C5 mk1.
I have mk1 currently and had x7 before (auto gearbox failure killed it)
The end of an era, these Citroëns.
02:52 I see an accumulator 👌👌
5:32 It's just at Your RHD-vehicles like that. The "regular" LHD C5s also have the fuse box at the left end of the dashboard, so they have a full width glove-box.
One of very few cars, still looking fresh 16 years after release.
Also have had a 2009 saloon for 8 years and loved it. It even had a massage-seat.
About the center screen, it everytime annoyed me, that it was faced away from the driver and it wasn't touch.
The suspension wasn't that floaty like it should be, and it was the only part, I have had (expensive) serious issues with.
The rest of the car was very reliable.
Absolutely brilliant video Ian miss hubnut ❤👍 what a beautiful car good looking brilliant
The c5 design of this generation influenced other brands too. Look at Vw Passat estate of the same era.
Yes I remember it took away the very last of the rememants of late 90's early 00's boxiness abd blended what we have now curves and angles in 3 box designs.
Lovely review! I have got an C5 Estate ("Tourer", 136 hp, Exclusive in red) and can only confirm its economy: it will do Northern Italy to Northern Germany without filling up easily (5,8 l/100 km). VERY comfortable (except for short bumps), largest (fixed) panoramic roof of its day.
The problem with the glove box: you can't reach it as a driver, and on RHD cars the fuse box is kept on the lefthand side, hence even more intrusion.
Keep going, Double Chevron!
I once owned a Citroen BX. I was forever fixing the suspension. It was an over cmplicted system which essentially held the car up.
I scrapped it in the end and honestly Ian, I never complained about changing a brocken coil spring or shock again.
Thanks for posting
I've had loads of BXs and only ever and one major suspension fail - and that on a TZD with over 300k miles on it. There are a few known faults but usually easily overcome.
If you're changing "brocken" (SIC) springs or shocks on a regular basis I'm just going to put it out there, that maybe, you're doing something with your cars you shouldn't, I've broken one spring in over 30 years of driving and that was from hitting a curb at 30-40 MPH.
yes i have done the cruise control thing when i 1st got my current 10g civic😮
Ohhh I wish I'd got one new back when I thought about it...chickened out and got a C4 Grand Picasso instead...
But then again I sold my MG Metro Turbo and got a Triumph Acclaim 😂😂😂
I hope your Acclaim was gold like all the others!
@romac9516 no flat red in HL trim tbf it was actually a very good practical family car...I know that because the ex wife told me it was also she told me the metro wasn't hence why it went 😆
Lovely car.
I have the estate version, still looks really sharp at years old, got the manual, as the tax (in Ireland) was a lot cheaper )
A nice engine is the 204 hp 2.2 litre diesel. I have a 2015 LE (a special limited edition sold in Australia). Has all the options except a tow bar. It is very quiet, very fuel efficient and (if you want), very fast, particularly if you get something like a Racechips doo dah (max 261hp and 563Nm). The suspension is a bit wobbly (though mine needs a sphere replacing - ordered over a year ago and still waiting for it!). Extremely comfortable motorway cruiser and 58 mpg at 110 kmph.
The exterior is nice, but the interior is a bit of an ergonomic mess. Fiddly and complicated buttons and worst of all the cup holder is inside the centre console!
The Tesla 3 should have the fixed hub steering wheel for those (stupid) indicator switches.
That suspension system is absolutely brilliant the problem is when it goes wrong even the main dealers are absolutely clueless, my dad had a mk1 exclusive 2.2 HDi estate, the suspension system started playing up he had 1000s spent on it and was never sorted that was over 3 main dealers at the time.
Yup. Best off with the independent Citroen specialists.
The best Citroen ever made! Much better than the C6 too.
How long was it after driving it was it before you started looking through ebay, marketplace, autotrader etc for a C5 estate?
Superb long distance tourer and great on dirt roads.
I used to have a 2008 C5 VTR+ with the 156 1.6 THP petrol engine. That was a pretty decent car, quite quick, quite frugal and rode really well even on conventional suspension. The engine was reliable as well despite the poor reputation. My only real criticism was that some of the soft touch plastic started deteriorating.
I had a base model diesel estate from new in 2012 as a company car.
Nice thing to drive, sod all storage space in the front for a mobile engineer, but the boot was plenty big enough.
Worse thing is Citroëns insistence on turning all the electronics (windows / raidio) when you pull up and park in the name of energy saving mode (as does my 2019 berlingo van) and you need to start the engine to do anything.
Oh I do hate that. Betty lets you operate stuff for a good couple of minutes after turning off.
You can turn the radio or CD back on after switching off the ignition. And the windows continue to work for a while, too.
@@wanderingorganist the radio will switch of when the stupid power saving mode kicks in. Won't even raise windows before the engine has been run. Hate this stupid things with passion. Forced in one through work
Having owned Land Rover Discovery,Volvo V70 est. 5 series BMW by far the suspension comfort was superior to those cars and almost as good as the Land Rover for towing comfort. When we sold the Citroen C5 2.2Tdi est and bought the Volvo V70 est I thought something was broken when towing, and found that there was nothing wrong with the Volvo.
Handsome car, only badge snobbery kept the exec types from owning one. A quiet and comfortable waft, a very nice motorway cruiser.
Such a brilliant invention that steering wheel. A pity it never took off. A very classy and stylish car they were. Much more than a Mondane anyway.
You need one on fleet…you should make a tidy profit from it👍
I was thinking the exact same!
It is tempting...
Lovely condition for a 2011,really nice.
I like the steering wheel pad that does not spin with the wheel
If you don't use it for more than a week, you'd better left it in low suspension mode, otherwise it will drain your battery by regularly maintaining the height with the electric suspension pump running 😉
Lovely car, great design. When cars didn't look like appliances.
Top review Ian, of a lovely waffty Citroen. I grew up with Citroens, Dad had GSA's followed by BX's, all with the hydro suspension. Lovely cars but, as you always say...French! However, a lovely car, and a hark back to when saloons were cool and we weren't forced into a crossover or SUV!
No one is forcing you, Manufacturers make new cars to what the Market wants, If people wanted mass market mid size hatches new that is what they would build, The fact is nobody bought them so they died out.
Nice C5 but definitely prefer the estate/ break. A local lady who used to deliver Ferraris in her youth used to in the 90s own an Xm Break upgraded to a C5 Break it then sat outside her house and was scrapped. I did consider buying but was put off by the hydralics and brakes that needed going thru plus some light bodywork.
I do miss her she was a very classy lady. She adored her XM metallic deep green from new owned a long time. Dementia sadly.
1958 Ford Edsel had the teletouch auto selection buttons. I loved the C4 steering wheel when it came out. Whish the auto selection was like an Edsel. Airbags of course
I love these. I so nearly bought one but went for an Alfa instead. I've never been one for the default German options!
Seems like a sane choice. :)
I have a neighbour down the road who used to drive one of these late model C5. I asked him how the hydropneumatic suspension felt compared to other cars he owns (a Peugeot 404 and a Mk1 Panda) and then he looked at his shoes, mumbling "this one has conventional suspension". Shortly after he went to the dark side and bought a BMW 5-series estate.
my father also has a Citroën C5 station from 2009 with mileage around 400,000 km
These were smart looking cars and they were trying to compete with the German saloons, even on the adverts they highlighted this.
I drove the c4 Picasso with the fixed hub steering wheel and lil stick to select gears
Had a 2010 c5 1.6 estate, sublime comfort, but mechanical issues made me get rid after 6 months.
Had a 2009 Exclusive Estate 2.2 HDI for a while. Loved it but the suspension almost bankrupted me.
Ha ha, I remember when I thought I'd bought my Xantia Activa really cheap, until I took it to (pliaides, sp?) & it needed ALL the spheres replacing & a new rear height corrector. Ouch. Terrific car though, on good spheres & that lazy torquey 2.0 turbo.
What I want is this, minus the electric parking brake.
I used to own a BX and that kind of ride comfort is just what's needed on the awful roads around here.
The coil sprung ones are mighty good, and have a proper handbrake.
If it's feeling a bit too floaty, raise the suspension to highest, then down to lowest, and it should become a bit more planted.
Didn't they once use them to hold a camera on the top during horse racing in the UK as it stopped camera wobble
My C5 was amazing on country roads! But my wife hated the floaty feeling and the armchair seats.
A much better effort than the first generation C5, A decent car aimed at a shrinking Market Segment which has now almost disappeared 🤣