Citroen C5 Aircross review: plug-in hybrid crossover tested

What have we got here then?

The first of MANY Citroen plug-in hybrids, with the brand’s entire range set to be electrified in some form by 2025. This first one is based on the C5 Aircross, a five-seat crossover that sits on the same platform as the rather good Peugeot 3008 and ever so slightly less good Vauxhall Grandland and DS 7.

How much does it cost, and what’s the spec?

To keep the price down Citroen has stuck with front-wheel drive (the DS7 and 3008 are available with a more expensive version of this drivetrain that uses a second e-motor to power the rear axle). You’re looking at £35,370 – a little less than you’d pay for a 3008, but a bit more than a Ford Kuga PHEV.

CO2 emissions of 32g/km mean you won’t pay much tax. Company car drivers get the most benefit – a BIK rate of ten per cent means a top-rate taxpayer could save as much as £270 per month versus the top-spec C5 petrol.

Under the bonnet a 108bhp e-motor supplements the 178bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, giving a combined 222bhp and 0-62mph in a respectable 8.7 seconds. The battery is 13.2kWh, so claimed electric range is 34 miles at speeds of up to 84mph, and charging takes two hours on a 7kW wallbox or seven hours on a three-pin plug.

So how far will it actually go on a charge?

Like all PHEVs the C5’s modus operandi is to use its battery before bringing the internal combustion engine into play, but you can choose to save some or all of your charge until later.

For test one I stuck the Aircross in ‘Hybrid’ mode (where it trades petrol and electric power for peak efficiency) and drove 56 miles cross-country. Having set off with a full battery, it managed 53 per cent of the journey, just under 30 miles, on e-power. After charging back up to 100 per cent I stuck it in ‘Electric’ mode (where the engine is entirely shut down) and drove until I heard the four-cylinder motor spring into life. I managed 25 miles, mainly on fast flowing A- and B-roads. These are decent numbers.

What’s it like in Electric mode?

Good. The C5 Aircross is a rarity insofar as it’s a modern car with zero sporting pretensions. Sure it has a Sport mode, but it’s only there to summon max power from the drivetrain for overtaking or merging onto a dual carriageway from one of those teeny tiny slip roads, not for enjoying a spirited drive along your favourite ribbon of tarmac.

No, the C5 Aircross is all about comfort – it has flat, squidgy armchairs for front seats and clever hydraulic dampers for a pillowy ride. And electric drive is a component of this comfort, says Citroen. The silence, smooth and uninterrupted power delivery, lack of vibration and, presumably, smug sense of self-satisfaction one usually gets from driving an EV.

Sure enough in EV mode the C5 is very quiet and very smooth, though you may notice a few pulses in the power delivery as the eight-speed auto sorts itself out. There is regen-braking, with a ‘B’ mode for the transmission that harvests as much energy as it can when you’re braking or coasting. The brakes themselves are a bit springy and grabby at low-speeds, such is the hybrid way.

It’s not immediately obvious the engine’s started unless you really clog it, which you won’t need to do very often because there’s more than enough low-down. Most of the time it fires up quietly and without any vibration through the steering wheel, pedals or seat. Usually this happens at speed, so what little noise it makes is masked by wind and tyre-roar.

When you’re low on e-juice the engine is on more of the time, obviously. But the C5 is good at shutting it off as often as it can – when you’re braking or coasting up to a junction, stopped at the lights or even pulling away from a standstill.

How does it handle?

As I said – not sportily. Finesse your inputs and you can make swift progress in the Aircross PHEV, but this car is far happier tootling along than it is haring. It’s a bit heavier than the standard car because of the batteries so isn’t quite as agile. It rolls through the bends and pitches on its soft suspension. Those clever dampers are great most of the time, but don’t particularly enjoy sharp surface imperfections, which can send a crack up through the body. Still, it’s a nice thing to spend time in and a largely comfortable companion – great on the motorway, even if the body floats around a bit.

And is the boot full of batteries?

Nope. The EMP2 platform that underpins this, the Pug 3008 and others is an impressive one. The batteries and e-motor are hidden away, so you get just as much cabin- and boot-space as you do in the ICE car. Handy slot for your charge cable under the boot floor, too, so it doesn’t get in the way. Click here to read our full Citroen C5 Aircross review, which goes into more detail about the interior. 

The C5 Aircross Hybrid looks pretty much identical to the normal car, save for the 'Hybrid' badges and (optional) blue details. 

Should I buy one?

Think about it, if you’re in the market for a PHEV, because it’s a pretty good one. Citroen will throw in a wallbox and six months access to the Polar public charging network to sweeten the deal, but more generally whether a PHEV is right for you still depends on your lifestyle. How long is your commute? Do you have a driveway? Is it a company car or are you buying with your own money?