Citroen has succeeded in giving the all-new C5 Tourer a prestige image with a more sculptured and muscular styling lines for the long, sleek body. All it has to do is convert the new image into sales. Sharing the front-end styling of the saloon version the Tourer is characterised by a sculpted rear that unites style with load space. At 4.83m long and 1.86m wide, the Tourer maintains the elegant front appearance of the Saloon, but with added room and functionality at the rear.
The C5 looks a classy vehicle and the plush and well-equipped interior is a considerable move up-market. It feels a true five-seater, bordering on ‘premium’ class and there is a huge load area in the Tourer. For the driver the new C5 introduces the second-generation fixed-centre controls steering wheel introduced first with the C4 models. Standard equipment includes stability control, seven airbags, a collapsible pedal assembly to reduce foot injuries in an accident, cruise control with speed limited and air conditioning. Citroen say particular attention has been paid to soundproofing, so the ride is as quiet as it traditionally comfortable with big Citroen passenger cars. Next to the very acceptable styling changes the quietness within the C5 from engine and road noise are the most praiseworthy features and the laminated acoustic glass significantly cuts down on wind noise.
The C5 range is offered in a choice of three trim levels- SX, VTR+ and exclusive and just like the saloon; the Tourer is extremely well specified. There is a wide choice of engines in keeping with the varied requirements of fleet, business and retail customers. Petrol engines are the 127bhp 1.8i and 143bhp 2.0i-litre units and there are four turbodiesel units with 110, 138, 173bhp outputs and a V6 208bhp unit. Automatic transmission options are also available for some models, depending on equipment specification, with 2.0-litre petrol, 2.0-litre and 2.7-litre V6 diesel engines. The diesel units, shared with Peugeot under the PSA banner plus Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover, are the pick of the bunch. Most customers will opt for the 2.0-litre 138bhp turbodiesel unit, which in the C5 Tourer gives a top speed of 124mph, 0-62mph takes 12.1 seconds with 46.3mpg being the official average fuel economy. To maximise on obtaining the best possible fuel consumption and the lowest possible CO2 emissions Citroen has applied high ratios for fifth and sixth gears in the manual gearbox. This means that on the open road and motorways the 2.2HDI Tourer is really at its best. It coasts along quietly and effortlessly at 70mph just using 2,000rpm. However once on busier A and B roads the high gearing means considerable use of the gear change and on many occasions driving in fourth gear in slower traffic is required.
There is little to choose between the conventional coil spring suspension layout and the ‘magic carpet’ ride offered by the optional Hydractive 3 Plus system but many current C5 owners changing to the new models will want the traditional Citroen big-car comfort feel. The steering is light at low speeds making parking easier, firming up at higher speeds providing good feedback to the driver. Citroen UK say they expect around 70 per cent of customers to opt for the dampers and coil spring suspension. The Tourer’s boot offers 505 litres of load capacity making it one of the most spacious in the segment. When the rear seats are folded, the capacity increases to a total volume of 1,462 litres. Whilst the design certainly looks elegant due to its sleek, wide and low stance, the relatively small side windows combined with the wide pillars reduces visibility out of the car. The new Citroen C5 is a marked improvement over the outgoing model. It is a significant step up in design, quality, comfort and overall refinement.
