Citroen C5 X Review 2025: Price, specs & boot space

Written by Lawrence Allan
Quick overview
Pros
- Characterful yet practical
- Very comfortable and refined
- Nice place to sit with accessible tech
Cons
- Not fast or remotely sporty
- Quirky looks won't be to all tastes
- Hybrid's gearbox could be better
Verdict: Is the Citroen C5 X a good car?
"The Citroen C5 X is a type of car from a French brand known for innovating. Is it a big hatchback? Is it a svelte estate? Is it a low-slung SUV? Whatever it is, and despite its challenging looks, it's the best Citroen we've driven in years."

The Citroen C5 X is a rather unusual car from a carmaker that (historically at least) hasn't been afraid of doing things a bit differently. It's effectively a long-awaited replacement for the old Citroen C5 saloon and estate, or even the older C6 luxury car, but it's more difficult to pigeonhole than that.
You see, Citroen is a bit tired of the conventional body style categories that define the car industry. It reckons many buyers are, too, claiming that the explosion in popularity of tall, boxy and inefficient big SUVs has already peaked and will wane over the coming years. It reckons customers are once again ready for a new type of large family car, as they were a decade or so ago when those SUVs flooded in.
This is the sort of thinking that saw Citroen make some seriously outside-the-box cars in the second half of the 20th century, which is a good thing in a market of increasing homogeneity. The 'X' in Citroen C5 X represents a combination of estate, saloon and SUV in one car and pays homage to the similarly unconventional Citroen CX and XM.
Rivals for the C5 X, therefore, are spread far and wide. There's the usual large three-box family cars such as the Volkswagen Passat Estate, the BMW 3 Series Touring and the Skoda Superb, but such cars are a dying breed. To succeed, it'll need to pull buyers out of family SUVs such as the Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5.
Of course, Citroen already competes in the family SUV sphere with the C5 Aircross. But that's a fairly conventional car, and this, well, isn't. And that brings us onto the looks: it's certainly distinctive and challenging, but is it pretty? We're not completely sold yet. Citroen's design boss said they wanted the first people who see it to not quite understand it (like the now-iconic DS and CX), and they've certainly managed that.
Get past the divisive design and there's familiar stuff going on underneath. The Citroen C5 X uses the same platform as other large Citroen, Peugeot and DS models, plus the same range of petrol and plug-in hybrid engine options. As the brand's flagship, it's priced above the C5 Aircross but undercuts cars like the 3 Series Touring.
The smart interior is befitting of a flagship model, with more space, quality materials and technology than any new Citroen. On the latter point, there's new infotainment that's far more advanced and intuitive than the brand's previous mediocre efforts. With immensely comfortable seats, room for four six-footers to stretch out and a big boot, it's pretty practical, too.
Citroen doesn't really do sporty these days, so the Citroen C5 X's driving experience is geared towards comfort. It uses a more advanced version of the brand's special suspension tech (more on that in a bit) to give a wafty feel that gives some executive cars a run for their money. Things such as acoustic glass on top models and chunky tyre sidewalls mean it's a quiet place to do long distances, too.
Even so, because it's not as tall and top-heavy as most SUVs, it doesn't lollop around too much in the bends. The light steering and relaxed engines and gearboxes don't encourage sporty driving, but for most family car buyers its ability to smother Britain's broken road surfaces is more important.
Overall, the Citroen C5 X is refreshingly different and left-field, yet not compromised in any real area like big Citroens of old. For a brand flagship demonstrating advanced technology, it's pretty affordable, too, and makes some of the DS brand's efforts look overpriced. Really, it's just the exterior design that is likely to split opinion.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Citroen Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of Citroen C5 X cars for sale.
Is the Citroen C5 X right for you?
What's the best Citroen C5 X model/engine to choose?
What other cars are similar to the Citroen C5 X?
Comfort and design: Citroen C5 X interior
"The Citroen C5 X brings new levels of quality finish and useable technology to a brand that previously struggled to deliver on both counts. It's spacious, too, although large estates are roomier still and visibility could be better."

Many Citroens of the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties had radically different interiors from the norm, which sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. But for twenty-odd years after, the brand's cabins became more conservative and bland. In recent years, it's got its mojo back, and the Citroen C5 X is the best representation of that yet.
Okay, so the C5 X's cabin isn't massively radical, but it is elegantly designed and more pleasing on the eye than the rather austere German equivalents. Quality is impressive for this price point, too, with a variety of pleasing materials and soft-touch finishes. Most importantly, it's a calming and relaxing place to sit, which plays into Citroen's desire to enhance 'wellbeing' behind the wheel.
There are some lovely details, too, such as Citroen's chevron logos cleverly stitched into the door upholstery, on the wood trim and soft-touch dash plastic and on higher-end trims in the perforated leather on the seats. Ambient lighting used in intricate places helps further add to the upmarket feel without lighting the cabin up like a floodlit football pitch at night.
Certainly, it's classier and better put together than anything Citroen has turned out for decades. But it's not all show and no substance, with thoughtful ergonomic touches. Like the smaller C4, the Citroen C5 X gets physical dials for the climate controls in a separate stack, which is much better than burying them in the touchscreen. There are also big door bins and a useful armrest-cum-centre cubby, although the glovebox isn't huge.
Mercifully, the C5 X also gets a brand new infotainment system that's much easier to get along with than Citroen's earlier efforts. The 12-inch HD touchscreen is crisp and responsive and uses smartphone-style menus that (once you've figured out the layout) work surprisingly well. All models get digital dials, while mid-spec models and above have a large head-up display.
The driving position isn't as high as in full-size SUVs, but nor is it as low-slung as a saloon, meeting nicely in the middle. There's plenty of adjustment to suit all shapes and sizes. Visibility could be better, though, with a sharply raked windscreen, thick A-pillars and a narrow rear-window due to that sloping roofline. Still, all models get all-around parking sensors, while a proper 360-degree camera is standard on the top trim.
Step into the rear, and it's clear Citroen has managed to extract more space from this platform than any other brand. There's loads of legroom, and although the roofline means exceptionally tall people will be closer to the roof than in an SUV, it's far from cramped. The boot, meanwhile, is pretty large and well-shaped, but ultimately isn't as useful as that of the best estate cars.
Quality and finish
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, sat-nav and stereo in the Citroen C5 X
Space and practicality: Citroen C5 X boot space
Handling and ride quality: What is the Citroen C5 X like to drive?
"Comfort is the name of the game here, and the Citroen C5 X delivers that in spades. It also doesn't roll around quite as much as taller SUVs, although very little about its drive encourages you to throw it about the place."

A big part of Citroen's intention to make the C5 X a calming, effortless place to travel is how it drives. Like all of the brand's models in the last few years, the balance is skewed away from tight body control and sharp steering to a relaxed suspension and steering tune.
Too many ordinary family cars insist on big wheels, low-profile tyres and a sporty, tied-down setup, even though they spend far more time pootling around town and cruising down motorways than on a Welsh B-road. The Citroen C5 X is the perfect antidote to that, thanks to something called 'Progressive Hydraulic Dampers'.
Essentially, oil-filled suspension components help slow down suspension movement to avoid sudden jolts and allow Citroen to make it feel softer without it wallowing around too much in the bends. All versions get 19in wheels, but fairly chunky tyres mean there's plenty of give.
The result is a ride that feels plush and supple around town, smoothing out nasty ruts and potholes better than almost any rival and more expensive executive cars. It's not quite like a Rolls-Royce, as sharper bumps will still make themselves known, but it's good for a car at this price point.
On faster roads, the C5 X wafts along nicely, keeping the body pretty level and isolating you from the tarmac without inducing car sickness. It's also superb on the motorway. The ride's soft, and there's little wind noise at motorway speeds.
However, this isn't a car that lends itself to being hustled down a twisty road in a hurry. Granted, because it's not as high up as an SUV, it doesn't lean over like a cross-channel ferry during hard cornering, but there is still a fair bit of pitch and roll. The steering is fairly precise, and there's plenty of grip, but at no point during fast cornering would you say you're having fun.
Frankly, though, the Citroen C5 X is all the better for that. Plenty of other cars will thrill you down your favourite road, but not as many affordable cars that cosset you and project an air of calm as this does. Put simply, if you want an easy and relaxing driving experience, it doesn't get much better than this without spending tens of thousands more.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Citroen C5 X?
Refinement and noise levels
Safety equipment: How safe is the Citroen C5 X?
MPG and fuel costs: What does the Citroen C5 X cost to run?
"The fairly modest petrol engines for the Citroen C5 X means all are relatively economical, while the plug-in hybrid will chalk up impressive figures if used correctly. Some may mourn the lack of a diesel, however."

Starting with the entry-level PureTech 130. Citroen claims this returns a combined 42 mpg, making it an ideal all-rounder. Next is the Hybrid Automatic, which returns a higher 54 mpg and then there's the plug-in hybrid at 235 mpg.
The latter features a 7kW onboard charger, meaning the 12.4kWh battery will go from empty to full in around two hours.
Citroen C5 X reliability and warranty
Citroen C5 X insurance groups and costs
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on the Citroen C5 X?
Citroen C5 X price
"Despite being fairly new, you can save cash on a Citroen C5 X by looking for a used example. We've seen dealers slashing four-figure sums off the list price on pre-registered cars, giving you a healthy saving and allowing you to skip the waiting list for a new model."

Starting with new models, the entry-level Plus is priced from £30,990. This rises to £32,290 for the Hybrid Automatic and £39,350 for the plug-in.
Max cars are priced from £33,330. Again, equipping the Hybrid Automatic increases this to £34,630, while the plug-in costs £41,690.
If a new car isn't of interest, there's plenty of choice in the used car market. Early 2022 and 2023 cars are priced from £14,460, with many having fewer than 40,000 miles.
If a near-new car piques your interest, 2024 PureTech 130 cars with 14,000 miles can be had for £22,500. Shine Plus plug-in hybrid cars cost around the same, with some having even lower mileage.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
How much is a Citroen C5 X?
Is the Citroen C5 X electric?
Why did Citroen stop making the C5?
Citroen C5 X cars for sale on heycar
Citroen C5 X1.2 PureTech 130 You 5dr EAT8
20241 milesPetrol£374 mo£22,198
DeliveryCitroen C5 X1.2 PureTech 130 Shine 5dr EAT8
20228,600 milesPetrol£282 mo£17,895
WD188XNCitroen C5 X1.2 PureTech 130 Shine Plus 5dr EAT8
20237,743 milesPetrol£19,495
DeliveryCitroen C5 X1.2 PureTech 130 Shine 5dr EAT8
202344,057 milesPetrol£247 mo£14,998
DeliveryCitroen C5 X1.6 Plug-in Hybrid 225 Shine Plus 5dr e-EAT8
202326,000 milesHybrid£326 moor £21,290£22,795
£1,505 offWD188XN
Citroen C5 X Alternatives
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