Citroen C5 Aircross (2025) Review

Introduction

Citroen has never been a brand that's had the X Factor, but that’s difficult to understand.

After all, the French automaker has made some pretty insane things over the years, such as the 2CV (which at one point had two engines), and even teamed up with Maserati in the 1970s to produce the SM high-performance grand tourer.

When not producing wacky vehicles, it gives its regular line-up funky looks by attaching cladding that resembles a sofa back to the sides of its cars, or providing its executive saloons with concave rear windscreens. The problem with Citroen, though, is that it tends to fall behind when it comes to stuff that people actually care about. The C5 Aircross is a perfect example.

When it was launched back in 2017, it looked sleek, modern and funky. However, fashion tends not to stand still, and fast-forward eight years, and it looks less contemporary than most equivalent compact crossover rivals.

Now Citroen is fighting back – a new Aircross has arrived, with more aggression: bolder with more personality.

But looks are one thing. Practicality and performance are another – and arguably more important – in a very crowded section of the market. So, has Citroen surged back up the league table, or has it missed a trick?

At A Glance

The Citroen C5 Aircross still retains a family-friendly appearance, but it’s much more imposing than before. There are still the occasional rounded edges, but they no longer dominate the aesthetic as much, with better-defined lines that really bring the car into the modern era in terms of styling.

There is still a double-barred horizontal grille at the front, while the shapes around it, along with the small slits and blank bodywork that mimics large air intakes, add more aggression than before. The central Citroen badge now lights up, too.

At the sides, there are lines and shapes towards the bottom of the doors, as well as a thick, black line for the cladding, which also extends around the wheel arches, over which it flattens off.

The rear is transformed by moving the number plate down compared with the old C5 Aircross model, creating plenty of blank space. Pop-out dual taillights sit on the corners of the back, with each side linked together by a black horizontal bar.

The bar extends through the rear Citroen badge, while a thick black lower bumper completes the boldness of the new exterior. While there are similarities between the outgoing model and the new one, this redesigned C5 Aircross has far more character, doing away with the blandness of its predecessor.

Key Features

The C5 Aircross is available in three different trim levels.

Entry-level You! (yes, it includes the exclamation mark) comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 13.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB radio, six speakers, 3D SatNav, plus a wireless phone charger and voice control.

It also comes with a 10.0-inch digital instrument cluster, comfort seats, a chilled storage cubby, dual-zone air conditioning, keyless start and a synthetic leather steering wheel, plus rain-sensing wipers, automatic LED headlights, and rear parking sensors.

The Mid-level Plus trim features 19-inch alloys and adds satin chrome detailing, gloss black front and rear bumper inserts, eight-colour ambient lighting, power-folding door mirrors, tinted rear windows, blue fabric and synthetic leather seats, and keyless entry.

You also get a rear-view camera and front parking sensors.

The top-of-the-range Max features a head-up display, matrix LED headlights, welcome lighting, LED footwell lighting, a 360-degree surround view camera, air quality filtering, and enhanced safety equipment, which we'll cover later. You also get some gold exterior detailing.

In terms of power, the choice is between a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a full hybrid (HEV).

The PHEV is available with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a larger electric motor, producing 195PS, and features a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. However, it's only available in the range-topping Max trim.

Alternatively, the HEV is available in all three trim levels, featuring a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine and a small electric motor that produces 145PS, paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Of course, you could always opt to replace the engine with an electric motor – the e-C5 Aircross has 210PS, although we won't be covering this fully electric model here.

In terms of equipment levels, the primary difference between the HEV and PHEV is that all PHEV versions come standard with 19-inch alloy wheels.

Range & Batteries

The PHEV has a 21kWh battery pack – an increase in size over its predecessor.

That is good enough for a 53-mile all-electric range, offering a total range of 403 miles.

It is worth noting that the HEV can achieve all-electric driving, albeit with a range of just 0.6 miles.

However, Citroen says this is still enough for you to spend half of your time in urban areas without the engine on. Want to know more about plug-in hybrid vehicles? Check out our guide to PHEVs.

Performance & Drive

We are focusing on the PHEV – the higher-powered of the two hybrids – which is only available in the top-of-the-range Max trim, as we mentioned earlier.

If performance is a consideration, it’s likely the preferable choice, with a 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds, so it feels reasonably strong in terms of acceleration.

It is quicker to get to 62mph than the HEV and, believe it or not, faster to get to that hallowed mph figure than the fully electric e-C5 Aircross, despite the PHEV’s 15PS power deficit.

The PHEV requires little effort to achieve performance and glides along untroubled.

The Citroen e-C5 Aircross’s performance deficit to the PHEV is mainly due to its lighter weight (the PHEV weighs 1,874kg, compared with the e-C5 Aircross's 2,109kg).

The HEV, though, is the lightest, at 1,554kg.

Citroen has very few cars that focus on handling – it's primarily a comfort-focused brand – and all models exhibit more body roll in the corners than their rivals.

Going even slightly too quickly will have you fearing that the body and chassis will separate. They don’t, of course, but the Citroen C5 Aircross really doesn’t like being challenged around bends, and we often felt we were working hard on the steering wheel to maintain the car’s composure.

There is very little feedback through the wheel, too, which doesn’t help in terms of placing the car around corners, and it really isn’t a car designed for tackling twisty roads.

Mind you, few people who expect excitement behind the wheel will consider a Citroen anyway.

The lack of cornering prowess should be reflected in a very comfortable ride, and that’s true… mostly.

As Citroen tends to, the C5 Aircross’s suspension is very soft and, on the whole, it’s comfortable, but only if the going is smooth.

Along bumpier surfaces, though, it wobbles and wallows more than we’d like, taking time to settle down again when the road smooths out. Perhaps this is an acceptable compromise, though, in that it’s capable of absorbing most of the thump-and-thwack that most competitors generate when driving over a pothole.

There’s an awful lot of wobble, though, and it takes little to make the car feel bouncy, particularly if you engage Sport mode.

The performance of the PHEV feels pointless when the suspension's wobbliness is so pronounced, as it becomes fruitless to drive it at higher speeds.

However, the PHEV is the one to opt for if you're towing, with a braked capacity of 1,550kg compared with the HEV's 1,200kg (note that the latter is actually 1,000kg unless you purchase Citroen's optional extra towbar, which includes trailer stability control).

The e-C5 Aircross has a capacity of 1,250kg

Charging

A 0-100% top-up in the Citroen C5 Aircross PHEV takes around three hours when using a 7.4kW wallbox, and just under eight and a half hours when using a standard domestic socket.

You will need to keep it topped up to make the most of the fuel savings. 

Having a charger that suits your needs and lifestyle can be crucial, so be sure to check out our guide to picking your ideal electric car charger.

Running Costs & Emissions

The PHEV returns up to 87.1mpg, emitting 62g/km of CO2.

That compares with the HEV, which manages mid-40smpg, producing 122g/km of CO2.

But, of course, you can opt for the e-C5 Aircross, with its zero emissions.

Perhaps surprisingly, reliability is a strong point of Citroen nowadays, with it having surged up the league tables in recent years.

A three-year, 60,000-mile warranty is all you'll get, but this won't concern you, seeing as you're here to lease.

Interior & Technology

Citroen has been working to improve the styling of its interiors in recent years – a welcome change, given the outgoing model looked decidedly behind the times.

The new cabin is very nice, offering a two-tiered dashboard, which the portrait-oriented infotainment screen straddles.

The bottom of the screen then blends into the centre console, where numerous physical buttons and switches flank it – this has led Citroen to call it the 'Waterfall' screen, given it floats and resembles a cascade of water in front of a cliff edge.

Ambient lighting also bathes the interior in a lovely glow, making it even more inviting.

As for the infotainment system itself, it’s nice to use, with clear graphics and a responsive 13.0-inch touchscreen, although the menu layout isn’t as intuitive as some rivals’.

Behind the steering wheel, a separate, smaller 10.0-inch digital instrument display features equally appealing graphics that are easy to read without diverting your attention from the road for too long.

The flat-topped and flat-bottomed steering wheel is relatively small and funky, with two spokes at nine and three o'clock.

Everything looks very nice and feels solidly screwed together, though there are cheaper plastics in places.

However, there’s also a range of nice materials, including a light grey fabric which covers the lower tier of the dashboard, the engine start/stop button, part of the doors and the central armrest.

Overall, it’s a big step forward for Citroen, and one that’s likely to pull the brand into the modern day.

Practicality and Boot Space

The C5 Aircross’s Advanced Comfort seats are very comfortable – a trademark of Citroen’s.

The colour of them depends on the trim level, with our Max model getting a lovely dark ‘hype’ blue as standard, although ours is fitted with the optional ‘hype grey’ perforated seats, exclusive to Max trim, which makes the cabin a lot lighter.

The seats and steering wheel have lots of travel in them. Forward visibility is reasonably good, too, as Citroen has kept the windscreen pillars thin and swept back, meaning you don't need to lean far forward to get a good view at T-junctions.

The back pillars, however, are considerably thicker because the rear side windows don't extend very far back. There is a thick black border around the rear windscreen, and the roof spoiler slopes downwards slightly as well.

Boot space is 565 litres, expanding to 1,668 litres with the rear seats folded over in a 40:20:40 split, which is more convenient than the 60:40 split of most foes.

The boot floor is adjustable as well, but only between two positions. However, this means you can remove the loading lip, making it easier to lift large items in and out.

There are lots of places to store things inside the cabin, too, including decent-sized door bins and a large glove compartment.

All models come equipped with four USB-C charging points, ensuring the kids’ tablets don’t run out of juice even on the longest journeys

Safety

These scores are actually inferior to the outgoing C5 Aircross, which was tested back in 2019.

It is unwise to read too much into that, though, as Euro NCAP raises the bar every couple of years, making its criteria more stringent as technology improves.
As such, the new C5 Aircross could be safer than the old one in practice, even if the scores indicate otherwise.

Nevertheless, Citroen will have hoped to earn five stars, which it has failed to do since 2019, when, ironically, the old C5 Aircross was re-tested with an optional safety pack.
Factory-fitted safety kit includes automatic emergency braking with video and radar assistance, driver attention alert, active lane departure warning, extended traffic sign and speed limit information, and adaptive cruise control.

The Max version comes with the Techno Pack, which includes lane positioning assist, semi-automatic lane change assist, anticipatory speed limit recommendation, long-distance blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic warning technology, and driver attention alert.
This pack is available as an option on the mid-range Plus trim but isn’t offered on the entry-level model.

The C5 Aircross earned a four-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, scoring 80% for adults, 85% for children and 62% for safety assists.

Options

Several optional extras are available for the C5 Aircross.

Metallic ruby red is the default colour, while black, dark grey, dark blue, white, and greeny-grey are available for an additional fee. The Plus and Max trims can opt for a black roof if you're willing to spend a bit more on top.

The Max trim has the option to upgrade to 20-inch alloys (not available on the HEV), while a removable towbar is also offered.

The top-of-the-range version features a couple of exclusive options available on all models, including a panoramic, openable sunroof with a motorised blind, and 'hype grey' perforated premium synthetic leather seats and fabric.

It also features electrically adjustable front seat bolsters, a massage function in the front, heated rear seats, and floor mats.

The Techno Pack (which we mentioned earlier) is standard on the Max trim and can be added to the Plus trim as an option, but it’s not offered on the entry-level You! model – this pack includes a hands-free powered tailgate and heated steering wheel.

Rival Cars

The main rivals to the C5 Aircross include the Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland – both share the same underpinnings as the Citroen.

Ford’s Kuga, Nissan’s Qashqai and Volkswagen’s Tiguan are also among the leading leasing contenders.

The Kia Sportage, Skoda Karoq and Mazda CX-5 are also worth shortlisting.

This is a crowded market, though, so there are plenty of alternatives. 

Verdict & Next Steps

The new Citroen C5 Aircross is a huge step forward from the outgoing model.

Improved looks, a vastly better cabin and a very comfortable ride are all reasons to pull the trigger on leasing one.

The PHEV has good engine refinement, and for that reason, we'd consider it or even the electric e-C5 Aircross - which we've also reviewed.

The benefits of the extra power in the more expensive PHEV are debatable, though, given that the C5 Aircross is extremely biased towards comfort over handling and is better suited to lower speeds anyway.

Its four-star Euro NCAP rating is a frustration Citroen is struggling to shake off across its range, but the French ride comes well-equipped with plenty of safety gadgetry.

This isn't a car we'd have recommended before – but the all-new version has powered the Citroen C5 Aircross back into contention - so do consider getting it on your list of possible cars to lease.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Citroen C5 Aircross. 

**Correct as of 07/11/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £3687.75 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.