2024 Citroen C5 X Review

Designed to tackle midsize SUVs head-on when it comes to practicality, Citroen’s C5 X gives buyers a wider range of family-friendly options and the promise of a silky-smooth ride quality.

Sadly, the C5 X is exiting the Australian market at the end of 2024, though it will keep offering the all-new C5 X plug-in hybrid as a special order variant.

Should you get your hands on the Citroen C5 X before it’s too late, and is the plug-in hybrid version worth a closer inspection? Let’s take a closer look to find out.

Citroen CX 5 Competition

How Much Does the Citroen C5 X Cost?

Citroen offers two versions of the C5 X.

The regular Citroen CX 5 is priced at $57,670 before on-road costs, while the range-topping C5 X Plug-in Hybrid is priced at $73,990 before on-road costs.

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Citroen C5 X Shine PHEV 1.6 THP 133 Specifications

What Features & Specs Does the Citroen C5 X Have?

Both Citroen’s petrol-powered and PHEV versions of the C5 X come riding on a set of 19-inch alloy wheels and receive automatic LED headlights and LED fog lights, keyless entry & start, a powered boot lift, a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable Paloma leather upholstered seats with seat heating and a head-up display.

You’ll also pick up a wireless smartphone charger, digital instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control and a surround-view monitor with front & rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel, massaging front seats and aluminium pedals.

Citroen C5 X Connectivity & Infotainment Features

The Citroen C5 X range comes equipped with a large 12.0-inch display atop the dash that helps to keep things nice and modern inside the cabin.

Citroen’s 12-inch display is a major step in the right direction from the company’s previous-generation media units, offering high-resolution graphics and a responsive feel while operating.

There are standalone menus for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as both preconfigured and customisable shortcuts for quick access to your preferred submenus.

Citroen’s infotainment system offers AM/FM radio, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation and Bluetooth and is paired with an eight-speaker sound system.

Does the Citroen C5 X Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Citroen’s latest-generation infotainment system has been updated with wireless connectivity for both iPhone and Android users.

This means potential buyers benefit from wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which, combined with the wireless charging pad, allows you to set down your phone and access your music, contacts and apps while your device charges up.

Is the Citroen C5 X Comfortable to Drive?

Just a few minutes behind the wheel of the C5 X and you’ll be impressed with how refined the package is.

Citroen is famed for its incredibly comfortable passenger vehicles at the pointy end of the lineup, at the C5 X is no exception - even on some particularly rough Australian roads.

Under the bonnet, buyers have two engine options for the C5 X range.

The base model comes powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol that pushes out 133kW of power and 250Nm of torque to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

The Citroen C5 X petrol sprints to 100km/h in a very leisurely 8.1 seconds.

Stepping up to the C5 X Plug-in Hybrid utilises the same 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and pairs it with an electric motor that push out a combined 165kW of power and 360Nm of torque.

The C5 X PHEV is packaged with a 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack that offers up to 60km of all-electric range.

This marginally drops the 100km/h time down to 7.8 seconds but adds urgency when taking off from the line or while overtaking thanks to the electric motor’s instant power delivery.

Around town, the C5 X is a masterclass in refinement, remaining easy to pilot thanks to its responsive and smooth steering rack.

Acceleration comes in a smooth, linear fashion, while the automatic transmission works well in blending shifts together in the background.

Underneath, the C5 X is equipped with Citroen’s ‘Progressive Hydraulic Cushions’ that sit between the springs within the suspension system that works well around town.

While keeping body roll in check, the C5 X’s suspension package irons out small and medium-sized bumps while soaking up larger bumps with a high degree of confidence and keeping things feeling planted to the road.

The difference is clear when you leave smooth city streets and give the C5 X some punishment on a country road, where the trick suspension gear eats up bumps and offers a nice, cushioned driving experience.

This also means that the C5 X is a dream while driving long stretches on the highway, with a tonne of insulation keeping things quiet inside the cabin and making light work of a long holiday road trip.

Is the Citroen C5 X Fuel Efficient?

The Citroen C5 X range is impressively fuel efficient, even without the clever plug-in hybrid engine option.

On a combined cycle, the C5 X petrol consumes 6.0L per 100km, making it impressively fuel-efficient for such a large, practical package without any hybrid assistance.

Citroen says buyers stepping up to the C5 X PHEV stand to benefit from combined cycle fuel economy figures of just 1.5L per 100km, so long as the 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack is fully charged and able to provide maximum assistance to the petrol unit.

Is the Citroen C5 X Practical and Spacious?

The Citroen C5 X is designed to give buyers who would typically opt for an SUV package a station wagon alternative.

The result is a mighty impressive package that holds its weight against large SUVs both in terms of practicality and the luxuriousness and design of the cabin.

Up front, the driver and front passenger pick up a healthy amount of headroom and a decent view out of the windscreen, with some added ground clearance provided by Citroen’s unique suspension package underneath.

The design is luxurious without going over the top, with soft touchpoints and premium materials used throughout.

Thankfully, Citroen is sticking by physical controls for things like the climate dials which makes the cabin user-friendly and ergonomic.

The dashboard is topped by Citroen’s large display, with the driver picking up their own digital instrument cluster to keep things modern.

Separating the driver and front passenger is a chunky centre console that houses a split-fold armrest with storage inside, a pair of cupholders and another storage tray at the base of the dash.

You’ll also find a glovebox and a pair of large door bins.

Move to the second row and you’ll find a great amount of legroom for rear passengers, with the C5 X able to accommodate tall adults without a problem.

The second row gains a set of air vents, USB ports, seatback storage, and a set of door bins on either side of the cabin, as well as a pair of ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts to help accommodate forward and rear-facing child seats.

All up, Citroen has done a great job in making the C5 X both family-friendly and extremely comfortable, while the company’s unique interior layout keeps things feeling fresh and personable in a typically-French manner.

How big is the Citroen C5 X’s Boot?

The Citroen C5 X has a boot measuring in at 545L which expands to 1640L with the second row folded down, giving it some serious practicality chops when it comes to accommodating a family of five, and their belongings.

545L worth of boot space with the rear seats standing positions the C5 X directly against medium-to-large SUVs and gives family buyers some food for thought.

Folding down the rear seats unlocks 1,640L worth of cargo space which means the C5 X is unphased by the needs of a large family.

Is the Citroen C5 X Safe?

Citroen is throwing just about every piece of safety equipment it has in the bag at the C5 X help to sweeten the deal with prospective buyers.

The lengthy safety equipment list is headlined by autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist with lane-centring, adaptive cruise control and an active bonnet.

You’ll also pick up driver attention alerts, traffic sign recognition, multi-collision braking, intelligent speed adaptation, a surround-view monitor with front & rear parking sensors and curtain airbags.

Does the Citroen C5 X Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Citroen C5 X range scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating after testing in 2022 saw it score the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 82%

• Child Occupant Protection: 88%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 69%

• Safety Assist: 84% 

What Warranty does the Citroen C5 X Come With?

Citroen offers the C5 X range with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The company also offers a five-year roadside assistance subscription bundled in with each vehicle purchased, with three, four and five-year capped-price servicing packages offered for $1,200, $1,700 and $2,000, respectively.

Citroen’s capped-price servicing for the C5 X Plug-in Hybrid range totals $3,318 over the course of five years, making the prepaid service plans a pretty worthy investment.

Service intervals for the Citroen C5 X stand at a lengthy 12-months or 20,000-kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Citroen C5 X Worth it?

We’re quite sad to see the C5 X wave goodbye to Australia, namely due to its smooth on-road manners, SUV-rivalling interior packaging and unique design that oozes French flair.

That said, buyers can still get their hands on the last remaining examples of the petrol-powered C5 X, while Citroen says it will continue taking orders for the C5 X Plug-in Hybrid for Aussie buyers.

If you’re looking for a unique, feature-packed, practical and incredibly comfortable wagon alternative to the usual midsize SUV suspects, we’d encourage you to put the C5 X on your shortlist.

Be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying specialists who can take the stress out of the car-buying process and find you the best possible price.

Five Citroen C5 X Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-km warranty

2. 12-month / 20,000-kilometre service intervals

3. 1.5L/100km fuel economy figures plus 60km electric range in PHEV

4. Five-star ANCAP safety rating

5. 545 - 1,640L boot space