The concept of ‘French comfort’ was more or less coined by Citroën. However, this brand itself had somewhat forgotten that. But the Citroën C5 Aircross again offers that wonderful feeling as if you were floating over the road on a magic carpet. Or do the Audi Q3 and the Honda ZR-V do even better?
The Citroën C5 Aircross makes no secret of its origins. Although Citroën has long ago jettisoned the famous hydropneumatic suspension system of the Citroën DS and Citroën CX, the chassis of the plug-in hybrid SUV smoothes out every bump with a velvet glove.
So-called ‘progressive hydraulic cushions’ have been placed in the shock absorbers of the Citroën C5 Aircross, replacing the standard rubber bump stops. When a wheel compresses considerably, the impact is absorbed hydraulically; as if a bouncy castle has been placed under the swing or carousel, instead of rubber safety tiles.
Especially if you frequently cover longer distances, you will certainly appreciate the smooth tuning of the French suspension. Even the Audi Q3 is unable to match this flexibility, even though our test car is equipped with adaptive dampers.
What Citroën has also achieved is the sound insulation. When the four-cylinder petrol engine starts to support the electric motor, the drive sounds remain far in the background.
Lively impression
The powertrain of the Citroën C5 Aircross makes a lively impression. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine (which was developed in collaboration with BMW) is also well-mannered. However, the relatively high weight (1793 kilos) of the plug-in hybrid car has an impact on consumption. We recorded an average of 6.3 l/100 km (1 in 15.9), with an energy consumption of 5.65 kWh/100 km. With a full battery, the Citroën C5 Aircross can reach a maximum distance of 39 kilometers on electricity.
Swing barge
It quickly becomes clear on the test track that the Citroën C5 Aircross, with its softly sprung chassis, cannot make a fist of the test item ‘driving characteristics’. When cornering, the body leans strongly; a succession of fast left and right turns turns the C5 Aircross into a rocking barge. On the other hand, razor-sharp performance on the track is usually not high on the SUV buyer’s wish list.
Comfortable and soothing
The Citroën C5 Aircross is best suited to its role as a comfortable, relaxing travel car. The plug-in technology of the plug-in hybrid SUV is conveniently packaged, allowing the luggage compartment to retain a usable volume (460-1510 liters). The rear seat is divided into three separate, sliding seats.
Audi is the most versatile
Then briefly the Audi Q3 and the Honda ZR-V. The latter scores points with its well-thought-out drivetrain. Thanks to the smooth cooperation between the petrol and electric motor, the compact SUV from Japan delivers excellent performance in exchange for a modest amount of petrol.
The Audi Q3 shows its talents especially at higher speeds and it even excels on the test track. It is the most versatile car in this comparison test. You can read why it ends up in first place overall and not the comfortable Citroën C5 Aircross in the first Auto Review of this year.
